Can You Use Human Urine Test Strips for Cats – The Answer

Urinalysis or urine testing in cats is the common way to confirm urinary tract infection and measure urinary parameters. While testing at home multiple times, cat owners have encountered a complex question: Can You Use Human Urine Test Strips for Cats?

Yes, you can use human urine test strips on cats, but the result is not always accurate. They may give inaccurate measurements of specific urinary parameters, but they can be trusted for pH value, still only to a limited extent. It is better to go for a clinical test rather than testing the cat’s urine at home if you are unsure. 

Here, we have discussed questions related to the usage of human urine test strips for cats, how to use them for specific tests, is it safe to use them for your cat, are human urine test strips effective for cats, and many others. 

How You Can Use a Human Urine Test Strip for Cats

Despite the false reading several times, human urine test strips or dipsticks can still be used for testing ketones, bilirubin, and even blood. These measurements do not show a significant difference in the readings between a human urine test strip and an analyzer specifically designed for testing a cat’s urine. Thus, they can be reliable.

Testing the cat’s urine is not a very difficult one. Instead, it is handy and straightforward. But the process of collecting the urine sample would require a little work. The first step is the collection of a urine sample for testing, followed by the test and measurements.

Get a specialized cat litter box made up of some non-absorbent material so that you can collect the sample once your kitty is done with the job. If you have more than one cat at home, make sure that the cat you need to test should pee in the litterbox, not the others. The problem with this method is that cats do not take this litter box change that easily and might not cooperate with you. They can also pee outside the litter box if they notice this change. 

The second method can be cleaning the litter box and placing some litter at the bottom of it. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and a plastic sheet to ensure that the sample does not get mixed with the litter and get contaminated. Most of the time, cats might pee outside too, so it is better to place the litter box at a place where it is easy to clean. Once your cat is done with her part, you can collect the sample with a dropper. 

When the sample is with you, half of the work is already done. Make sure to test it right away and do not store it for too long, as this may lead to incorrect readings or contamination. A urine strip would come with specific dots or markings, which would change their color to give the reading. Read the instructions carefully beforehand. 

If the urine test strip shows a positive reading for ketones in the cat’s urine, it could be taken as an indication of diabetes. Ketones are the cell’s by-products produced when your cat is not getting enough energy from nutrients. 

Similarly, the presence of bilirubin indicates autoimmune diseases or problems in the liver. The presence of blood signals at kidney or bladder problems and the cat should be immediately taken to a vet, in that case.

Is It Safe to Use Human Urine Test Strips for Your Cat 

Human urine test strips are fine for some specific tests to get the readings, but this does not stand for every test. In addition, once conducted with the help of human urine strips, all the tests cannot be hundred percent reliable, and you might still need to go for a clinical test. 

Studies have indicated that for checking the presence of blood, ketones, and bilirubin, human urine test strips can be used as the readings do not differ much from the lab tests. But if the tests are positive, you need to take your cat for further evaluation of diseases and health issues. 

You can even have strips or dipsticks from two different brands to be double-sure. These human test strips will not cause any problem to the cat per se, but even after the test comes negative, you still need to monitor your cat for symptoms of any other disease or problem. 

Are Human Urine Test Strips Effective For Cats

Human urine test strips can give reliable readings for certain urinary measurements but not for all. Ultimately, if your cat shows any underlying health problem symptoms, she needs to be taken to a vet. 

The human urine test strips usually record a higher value of urine glucose and lower proteins and UP/C ratio values in cats. This can lead to false diagnosis and additional testing too. Thus, it is suggested to use human urine test strips for only a few urinary measurements and not all.

Can You Test Your Cat’s Urine With Home Tests 

The answer is yes, you can test your cat’s urine with home tests, but the results can be unreliable sometimes; thus, it is better to visit a vet if your feline is showing symptoms of a health issue rather than conducting the test at home and getting a false reading.

For regular diabetes or glucose tests, you can use an at-home testing kit for animals. They can help you monitor the blood glucose level of your feline and keep a check on various other things like urinary tract infections, diabetes, and kidney issues. 

To measure the pH value of your feline’s urine, you can use a urine reagent strip or a dipstick to test the urine sample. The average pH value is between 6 and 6.5. Low Ph can indicate diabetes or other chronic kidney diseases, whereas a higher pH can signal hyperthyroidism, urinary tract infection, or bladder diseases.  

Why You Might Need to Test Your Cat’s Urine

A urine test is essential for detecting any type of urinary tract infection, diabetes, bladder problems, kidney issues, or other underlying health problems. It even helps to check the functioning of other body organs and the cat’s metabolism. The pH value of urine alone gives information regarding several diseases. It is one of the first tests that your vet will conduct if your feline has problems with urination.

If your cat faces any kind of difficulty while peeing, a urinary test is beneficial for checking early signs of infection or disease. It also measures specific gravity, glucose, protein, ketones, bilirubin, or blood present in the urine, indicating a health issue. A urine test can be conducted through urine testing strips or dipsticks, but for getting a detailed analysis of the issue, your vet will go for several other tests.

By using a microscope, urine can be tested for infections or inflammation. Kidney stones, crystals, or other solid particles can be identified by means of centrifuging. Culture is another method of identifying the bacteria present in the urine so that accordingly, the prescription or antibiotics can be given by the vet.

Things To Consider

It is important to check the expiry of human test strips as well as animal test strips that you are using on your cat. The urine sample should be stored in a glass container, and the lid should be tightly closed. The sample, once collected, should not be stored for too long. If any of the tests is positive, make sure to have an appointment with your vet as soon as possible. Sometimes, a sterile collection can also be collected by your vet for a detailed analysis.