My cat has some kind of bladder problem and I need to collect a urine sample from it. The vet gave me this set of non-clumping kitty litter that should should let me use a syringe to collect a urine sample.
Also, the urine sample should not be too old. I have to bring it to the vet for analysis on the same day that it is collected. So I can not do it over night.
However, my cat does not pee on command. Obviously. So how should I go about that? Does anyone have experience with that?
I want to add that if kitty refuses to go in the weird litter, my vet advised this: Sit in a room with him (this method works better for boys) and have his regular litter and litter box in there, preferably do the bleach decontamination treatment on it first and use fresh litter. Wait for him to start going…and, scoot the collection cup right into the stream to catch the pee. This worked for me. Kitty was the sort to stand tall, so he kind of made it easy to have enough room to maneuver, and the vet said usually when they start going, they don’t stop, even if they are a little weirded out by you putting unfamiliar containers around their backsides.
If you don’t think he’ll let you get back there with the sample cup, you can try to catch it in something sanitary and plastic with a handle, like a measuring cup that will never ever ever see the kitchen again.
You could also try this with multiple puppy pads instead of a litter box.
I’ve had cats hold their pee all dang day at the vet even being given fluids and the vet techs periodically applying light pressure to the bladder area. But get them in a quiet room with me and let them figure out they’re not going anywhere anytime soon, and eventually they will go!