Cat Pee - What is Considered Normal?

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Ozzy Pawzbourne

Ozzy Pawzbourne

Member Since 2016
I keep hearing folks say to watch out for increased thirst and urination in our kitties... so it makes me wonder what exactly am I supposed to be looking for in regards to my cat's urine?

A couple questions I am hoping folks can help answer:
  1. How many times of day is normal for a cat to wee?
  2. What size of a urine clump is normal? Can you please describe in terms of marble size, golf ball size, tennis ball size, etc?
  3. What about the smell? I have two cats. Since I started ketone testing Ozzy's pee, I've spent way too much time getting personal in his private business. Ozzy's pee smells...well, like pee I guess and I've been really close to it when he's outputting. But I caught my other Kitty once right after he was in the box and was blown away at how pungent his urine smell was. Do cats have different pee odors? I think this is true since they mark with their urine scent, right? Well either way...just thought I would ask: is pungent pee smell something to be concerned about? What smell(s) should be concerning and warrant a visit to the vet?
  4. Since I have two kitties, how can I really monitor the amount of urine output for consideration that it is 'too much'? My kitties share a litter box and even if I got another one (I don't want to), they would both use it. I doubt there is a way to tell the difference on who is doing what in the box.
Thanks in advance for your replies.
 
For clump size, I'd say in the tennis ball to baseball level. My guy has been down to about three to four a day but he's newer to insulin than yours I think. Before, even a single day would have a clump too big for the scoop, that would have to be chipped apart. More of a clump shelf.

For smell, I think more concentrated is ideal. Cats are low moisture beings from their desert days and don't waste much liquid under normal circumstances.

Edit to add: two cats to one box? I did two when o had two cats. Odd thing, they always seem to silently agree to have one for pee and one for poop. So, in your case, if the clumps in the pee one were all consistent, you'd know your diabetic was normal.
 
If Ozzy's drinking more his pee will be more dilute and therefore less pungent. (Note: for cats over the renal threshold there can be a sweet smell from their urine.)

The only way to determine whether there are changes in urine o/p for Ozzy is to record the volume of clumps for both cats every day and keeping a log. While a crude metric, if the overall total goes down then it would give you an idea of whether Ozzy pees less as his regulation improves. (Tip: collect all the urine clumps in a plastic container over a 12/24 hour period. You'll start to get a sense of how much pee is being produced by Ozzy and Figgie by eyeballing it and you'll be able to get a feel for whether there's any increase/decrease. It's not ideal but it is less bother than weighing each clump before disposal. (Don't ask how I know this. :rolleyes:))

It might be easier for you to monitor water consumption for the two cats. It's easiest to put out a very large bowl for them to share, measure the amount of water put into the bowl and then measure the amount left before you next refill it. (Note: In warm weather you do need to account for evaporation. Also, if the cats have outdoor access the results won't be as accurate because they may drink away from the home.) You'll need to also add in the amount of water they are getting from their food.


Mogs
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Ozzy Pawzbourne said:
Wow....you really go above and beyond Mogs!!! :woot:
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I actually phoned the manufacturer of the litter brand that I use to ask them for fluid absorption rates so I could calculate the approximate volume of actual urine in the clumps. :rolleyes:

If you think the pee clump collection is bad, what about poop! :eek: I've done more fecal exams than you can shake a stick at. :oops:


Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
I actually phoned the manufacturer of the litter brand that I use to ask them for fluid absorption rates so I could calculate the approximate volume of actual urine in the clumps. :rolleyes:

If you think the pee clump collection is bad, what about poop! :eek: I've done more fecal exams than you can shake a stick at. :oops:


Mogs
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Mogs- you crack me up! You are like the super pet detective! You furbabies are so lucky to have such a devoted mama!!!

Mogs, I am going back to work in just 4 days and I'm starting to freak out a little on what to do next. Should I just take the plunge and go get Ozzy some Lantus today and switch him so I can monitor him for a few cycles before going back to work? Or give the Vestulin more time to work? Do you think he is experiencing the somogyi effect? I really don't know what to do anymore. I can't home test during the week when I start back to work on Tuesday and I'm so scared about this.
 
I think the 1.0 IU dose is too high for a Vetsulin cat. The nadir BG on 23 December 2016 was only 11 points above where you would have needed to intervene to bring numbers back up into a safe range (50 on a human meter). A nadir no lower than the low 100s (human meter) is recommended in the FDMB Caninsulin/Vetsulin guide. It gives a better safety buffer (doubly so when it's not possible to do nadir checks in every cycle).

Ozzy is giving a good response to Vetsulin and he doesn't appear to be a very bouncy cat (anti-jinx!).

If Ozzy were mine I'd stay at 0.75IU and hold the dose for several days (unless BG numbers indicate a dose reduction is in order). Thus far he has been in a safe range at nadir and after the first two cycles he started getting PS BGs in the yellows.

He looks to be a bit like Saoirse in terms of how fast he metabolises the Vetsulin: he appears to currently have a pattern of hitting nadir typically around the +3 mark.

Questions:

1. Do you feed Ozzy in the middle of the cycle at all?

2. Would you be able to get AMPS, PMPS and PM +3 tests each day?


Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
Questions:

1. Do you feed Ozzy in the middle of the cycle at all?

2. Would you be able to get AMPS, PMPS and PM +3 tests each day?
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1. Ozzy has a pet safe that is set to provide food every 3 hours. He usually eats most of it.
2. Once I return to work on Tuesday, I will only be able to do AMPS, PMPS and up to +4 spot checks during the week. On the weekend I am home so I can test him more.
 
Before Boo was on insulin he was drinking a lot from the water bowls. He'd empty a good sized bowl at least once sometimes twice a day. It always seemed like he was at the bowl drinking. I put litter scooped into a small brown lunchbag and before insulin one bag was never enough to fill one day's worth of scooping.

After insulin and switch to wet food, (almost 8 months now) I have seen him drink maybe twice from the water bowl. Same for the other cat, she never drinks water either. Basically each day I dump their full water dishes and refill them even though they never drink it. Now when I scoop each day, one bag is more than enough and usually only half full.
 
babyBoo said:
I put litter scooped into a small brown lunchbag and before insulin one bag was never enough to fill one day's worth of scooping.
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Great tip! Gonna file that one. :)

babyBoo said:
After insulin and switch to wet food, (almost 8 months now) I have seen him drink maybe twice from the water bowl. Same for the other cat, she never drinks water either. Basically each day I dump their full water dishes and refill them even though they never drink it.
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Same story here.


Mogs
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