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"Please bring in a urine sample".

Said urine sample is to be collected from the cat. How does one go about doing this? He's not particularly co-operative at the best of times, and I'm pretty darn sure this is going to be an adventure.

Asking him is out..I gave him the cup and asked politely. He's not interested.

The vet said I could come in for a syringe. I can't get in today so I didn't even bother to ask what the hell I would do with that?!?!

How much do they need? The reason his urine is being tested is because he's been peeing beside all my vents. I could probably get some off the floor before I whip out the Clorox with bleach but I don't see that as being enough.

Going to be an interesting day in the Meta house.

[This message edited by metamorphisis at 8:19 AM, May 17th (Friday)]

Is it to test for UTI? My sister's cat kept getting them and the first sign was that she stopped using the litter box to pee some place cold. Unfortunately for my sister, that someplace cold was her kitchen counter. Tons of bleach there!

Do you have a disposable plastic container (big enough for him to stand in) that you could put where he usually pees and maybe catch in that?

Asking him is out..I gave him the cup and asked politely. He's not interested.

Yes they are looking for a UTI. It's definitely odd for him. He was/is a really clean kitty who always used the box so I know something is wrong. He's been this way for about a week. Otherwise he appears normal, eats well, is drinking. He just will NOT use the litter. He pees beside the vents in the bathroom, kitchen, and front hall (all tile floors).

Before anyone worries, I know the signs to watch for a blockage and so far we are fine, but will go to the Emergency vet right away if he appears in pain or lethargic/not eating/drinking. His abdomen is not hard, he is still cuddly and playful.

So we're thinking UTI or behavioural. Is there a way they can get the sample at the vet? I just can't even imagine a way to get one from him?

Well what do you know.. Youtube comes to the rescue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZElX66nTFUo

I guess I will search the pet store for "Nosorb" litter and give this a go.

The only thing that I would recommend would be to wait for him to pee then quickly get the sample from the floor before it dries. It may not be the best solution. Or, could you close him in a bathroom with a bowl of water? That way you wouldn't have to search for it, it will be contained in one room? Just a thought.

Has anything changed around the house? Did you switch litter? Maybe to much dust in the litter is the issue?

I think you're right. I am thinking of emptying the litter box/cleaning it, putting it over the vent and locking him in the bathroom with it overnight with a bowl of water to drink.

The big thing is he pees beside the vent right in front of me. So he is trying to tell me something is wrong. He doesn't sneak off to do it. He finds me, finds the nearest vent, and pees. I really think it's his way of saying he doesn't feel well and would I please help him

I called today to get in tomorrow morning and they are apparently short staffed and it's a holiday weekend so they want me to wait until Tuesday. I could try another vet but I love this one and they've been taking care of him since he was a baby. They asked me lots of questions and told me what to watch for and said I'd be ok to wait until Tuesday. But I'm going to worry all weekend so I wonder if I shouldn't just take him somewhere else.

That might be the easiest solution, that way there's no messes anywhere else.

With him coming to find you I hope you're right that he's "asking" you for help and that it's not behavioral. That would be difficult to correct.

I would say that if he's not in pain then to wait for your regular doctor; however, from what I hear animals have a high pain tolerance so you may never know if he's in pain until it's really, really bad.

If you're that worried I think it would be a good idea to go to a different vet this time.

I'm kind of surprised the vet didn't give you a small bag of the "Nosorb" litter and explain how to get a sample. That's what my vet has done when they wanted me to get a sample. I'm sure they figure most people don't have a clue how to go about doing this.

One thing to keep in mind - getting a sample off the floor means that it could be contaminated and could affect the tests they do (would most likely be that they could grow bacteria that came from the floor, not the cat.)

I understand not wanting to go to a different vet, but it surprises me that yours didn't have options for you. Whenever mine has had to get a urine sample, they try to get one right then and there. (I've never been in the back when they do this, so I have no idea what they do!) If they can't get one (the cat doesn't have a full enough bladder), they usually suggest leaving it for the day - doing a drop off in the morning and pick up in the evening, and they will get the sample during the day. Or they give me the option of using the pellets (nosorb) and getting it myself.

Here's another hint - the nosorb litter is really just plastic beads. You could check craft stores - if you can find some small plastic beads (or I saw a site that said aquarium gravel would work), that would probably be a lot cheaper and work just as well. Or just as badly - a lot of cats won't use them.

This site gives a good summary of ways to get a sample - including using a plastic trash bag over the normal litter box:

http://www.animaldoctormuskego.com/howtocategory/handouts/179-obtainingaurinesample

Best bet is probably to keep the cat in a closed area, like a bathroom (and give the floor a good cleaning first, in case he decides to go outside whatever containing you give him to use). Lots of water, no food. Check him every couple of hours until he goes.

Note - I say every couple of hours because all of the sites say that if you can't get the sample to them within 2 hours, it needs to be refrigerated.

Why can't the vet take a urine sample? When my cat stopped eating, they were able to get a sample to test her urine at the vet office.

Thank you. What happened was I called the minute they opened this morning and they said they were booked all day and short staffed tomorrow morning and I would need to wait until Tuesday to come in. They did say I could come in to get a syringe to get it off the floor?

They weren't very helpful to be honest. Just told me what to watch for in case he needs to go to the Emergency vet over the long weekend which I am really hoping won't be the case because you know what that will cost and if we're at the point of Emergency it will be because he goes down hill fast and needs way more invasive treatment than he would need now.

I called the other vet in our area who said they'd be happy to take him on as a patient but wouldn't see someone elses client for one treatment

The second I see ANY sign that things are headed south we'll go to the Emergency vet. I'm just disappointed it was so hard for them to see him for 10 minutes today or tomorrow

I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt because they are FABULOUS any other time we have been there. This is the little guy I found abandoned before his eyes were even open and bottle fed. They did a lot of his treatment for free because they weren't sure he would live and they wanted to thank me for taking the time to try to keep him alive. They really are good so I don't want to jump ship.. but I am watching him like a hawk. Which is annoying him frankly

OMG! You found him when was just born! You're such a good kitty mommy I hope he doesn't get worse of the weekend.

What's that? You'd like to see pictures? Sure!

This is the day we found him..

[URL=http://s163.photobucket.com/user/meta42/media/photo5.jpg.html][/URL]

A few weeks old:

[URL=http://s163.photobucket.com/user/meta42/media/-20110524-00117_crop.jpg.html][/URL]

A few months later:

[URL=http://s163.photobucket.com/user/meta42/media/photo1.jpg.html][/URL]

And now ( I am snuggling him .. it looks like I am strangling him!)

[URL=http://s163.photobucket.com/user/meta42/media/IMG-20111107-00010.jpg.html][/URL]

[This message edited by metamorphisis at 4:11 PM, May 17th (Friday)]

I'm having some real size issues with these pictures but I am too lazy to fix them

My eyes are literally tearing up at the abundance of adorableness here.

Sidenote - "adorableness" cleared spellcheck?

Moving to Fun and Games because I went and added pictures and now it does't belong it OT.

I wasn't going to say anything...

My vet told me to put a garbage bag over the litter box so that when they step in so they can still feel the litter. Then they'll pee on the garbage bag and you get he sample that way. However you do it, it's gross!

OMG! He's so cute! I just live him already!

Why are you making things so difficult meta?

Just pee in the damn thing and pretend it came from kiddy.