Introduction
Urinary tract infections in cats are diagnosed through urine cultures or a urinalysis test. Before these tests can begin, a clean sample of the urine must be obtained.
Diagnosing UTIs in Cats
A Clean Sample is Critical
A clean urine sample is vital to an accurate urinary tract infection diagnosis. Urine that is captured out of a litter box, or even as the cat is urinating, can lead to false positive results due to bacterial contamination. Urine collected from a catheter can also lead to false positive results if bacteria are in the urethra but not in the urine.
By far, the best way to catch a clean sample of urine is through a cystocentesis procedure. During this procedure a needle is inserted through skin into the bladder, and urine is collected directly from the bladder. This procedure takes seconds, it is performed while the cat is awake, and it causes very little pain.
Lab Tests
Once the urine is collected, a urinalysis or urine culture can be performed. A urinalysis test checks many physical and chemical characteristics of the urine including: pH, presence of glucose, presence of blood, protein, and concentration. A urinalysis test also involves looking at a sample of urine under a microscope to check for bacteria and crystals.
A urine culture is considered to be a more accurate diagnostic urinary tract infection tool. For this type of test, the urine is collected through cystocentesis and sent to an outside lab where it will be cultured. The lab will place the urine on a culture, and then check the culture after a period of time (usually 48 hours) to look for bacterial growth. If bacterial growth is present, the bacteria can be identified, counted, and antibacterial treatments targeted to that specific bacteria will be prescribed.