Understanding Why Cats Need Urinalysis: Essential Insig
If any of the following situations arise, consider taking your cat for a urine test:
1. Abnormal Urinary Symptoms: Your cat may exhibit excessive urination, decreased urination, urinary retention, hematuria (blood in urine), frequent urination, or difficulty urinating. Sometimes, cats may squat in the litter box for a long time without producing urine, visit the bathroom frequently, or even cry in pain while attempting to urinate.
2. Strong Urine Odor: The smell of your cat's urine is unusually pungent and strong, with a heavy ammonia scent, which is a significant deviation from its usual smell.
3. Changes in Urine Appearance: Your cat's urine may change color, such as appearing bloody or milky, indicating an abnormal condition.
4. Suspected Urological, Kidney, Gallbladder, or Diabetes: If your cat has or is suspected of having urinary tract diseases, kidney diseases, stones, liver diseases, diabetes, or other related conditions.
5. Senior Cat Health Check: Regular urine tests are recommended as part of a senior cat's health checkup.
6. Disease Screening: Urine tests can be part of a general disease screening process.
Note: It's important to distinguish between physiological and pathological phenomena:
Physiological Polyuria: This can occur due to cold weather, excessive water intake, or if the cat has received intravenous fluids or diuretics.
Physiological Oliguria: This can be caused by hot weather, insufficient water intake, or intense physical activity.
What is a Urine Test and What Does It Check?
A urine test is a series of physical and pathological examinations of urine to rule out and diagnose diseases:
Physical Examination: Includes urine volume, color, odor, and clarity.
Pathological Examination: Includes urinalysis, urine sediment analysis, and other specialized tests.
Physical Examination of Urine:
1. Urine Volume: The normal range for a cat is 1618 ml/kg/day.
2. Color: Normal urine is a yellow, clear liquid. Abnormal colors include red, milky, dark yellow, or bluegreen.
3. Odor: Normal urine should have a mild ammonia smell after some time. A strong odor at the time of urination indicates an abnormality.
4. Clarity: Normal urine is clear and transparent. Abnormal urine may contain sediment, be cloudy, or have mucus.
Urinalysis:
1. pH Level (Acidity/Alkalinity): Normal urine pH for cats is typically between 57, usually around 6.
2. Protein: Normal urine contains a small amount of protein. Proteinuria may indicate stress, highprotein food, kidney disease, stones, urinary tract disease, or diabetes.
3. Glucose: Normal urine should be negative for glucose. Glucose in urine may indicate diabetes.
4. Ketones: Normal urine should be negative for ketones. Ketones in urine may indicate diabetes or kidney disease.
5. Bilirubin: Normal urine should be negative for bilirubin. Bilirubin in urine may indicate liver disease.
6. Urobilinogen: Normal urine should have a low level of urobilinogen. Elevated levels may indicate liver disease or hemolysis.
7. Leukocyte Esterase: Normal urine should be negative for leukocyte esterase. Positive results may indicate a urinary tract infection.
8. Nitrites: Normal urine should be negative for nitrites. Positive results may indicate a urinary tract infection.
Urine Sediment Examination:
1. Cells: Red blood cells, white blood cells, and epithelial cells can be present in normal urine, but elevated levels may indicate kidney disease, urinary tract infection, or other conditions.
2. Casts: Casts are cylindrical structures formed from proteins or cells in the kidney tubules. The presence of certain casts may indicate kidney disease.
3. Microorganisms: The presence of bacteria in urine may indicate a urinary tract infection.
4. Crystals: Common crystals found in urine include ammonium phosphate, calcium oxalate, and uric acid crystals. Certain crystals may indicate kidney disease or other conditions.
By understanding these tests and their results, you can better monitor your cat's health and address any potential issues promptly.
