Can litter cause false positives?

I've been waiting for Rhubarb to pee when I can catch urine for ketone test. No luck!
So, if I catch freshly peed in clumping litter, is that ok enough for ketone check, if compared to a control of water in the same litter?

 

That should give you an indication, especially if the spot is very wet. Trying a control of plain water is a great idea.

 

I did just as I mentioned there not long ago, and thankfully ketones were negative. Glucose was high but that's expected (and shows the sticks do work). Water was negative for both. So good to know it works.

I hope I can get plain urine next time- less than ideal digging in litter lol

 

If you know her favorite litter location, I might have some tricks.

Scoop ALL litter first thing in the morning, and before each meal/mini-meal if you can. I work at home, so it might seem easier for me but it's not really because I get sucked into my work as easily as people out of the house which is tough, LOL. BUT, some tricks -

Find her favorite littler box spot - dig it out a little, shallow depression - get some cling-wrap plastic and put it over, tuck it in as best you can. Not big, just enough - maybe 3x3 or 4x4" etc...? And watch, and wait. Keep the ketone bottle or foil pack nearby and when you see her going to the box, get ready!!

On Fena's bad days, I watch from about 4-5 feet away, ready - but I let her do her thing but I step in BEFORE she wants to "cover it" - praise her, tell her what a good girl she is, pet her, but shoo her away carefully then you can test.

My Fena suffers a bit, brain wise, when it comes to the litter box - she'll dig a hole not to pee or poo in, but to "stand" in - and she'll try and cover her stuff by scratching at the bare hardwood floor, not realizing there's no litter there so sometimes it doesn't work out - sometimes she'll mess up the plastic, etc.

But it might give you a fair shot.

I used a spoon at first, but in the end it startled Fena too bad and she'd actually cry and move while peeing, which hurt her pride a lot - so in the event the plastic doesn't work, I just use my own hand. I ready a strip in my dominant hand and if she aims off the plastic, she knows my touch, so I just slip my own hand under her and she doesn't mind. It might seem gross and I guess in a way it is, but I don't wanna hear those cries anymore and it works out. That only happened 5 times though, with my hand. So far so good.

No ketones at all, thank god for that.

PS EDIT - after a good long nap your baby wakes up, chances are they'll go for the littler box to watch then especially - after naps.

 

Health care and animals ... you come to expect body fluids! Urine is one of the least offensive to have on my skin I find.

The things we do for our animals!

 

Oh yes, god knows YES - I don't mind at all, honestly, but I know some people are squeamish so I try to word things in a certain way. Honestly though my hands are in everything - water, their food, their mouths, ears, pee, poo, puke, god you name it. *sigh* Fine my me, so long as they feel better.

I could do without the scratches though, despite nail trims - never been bit yet but I know it's only a matter of time. But still, eh...be been bit by bigger before scary or not. Once I get over it I should be just fine. So I hope.

 

@Candy&Company if you ever do get bit, make sure to clean it immediately, and watch for infection. Cat bites are nasty, and often get infected.

 

Yeah my Mom got bit, unfortunately - it was maybe a year or more before she died, I just lost her this February - when she was trying to groom Mao on her own. He bit at the back of her hand, and since she was older the skin was more elastic and wrinkled, so he drew blood pretty good and she cried. *sigh*

And by cried, I don't just mean by the shock and the pain, but cried because she thought he hated her - didn't like her. It was... not a good time for us, I still remember it and kick myself because I'd told her what to do. Groom with 1 hand, pet/distract with the other.. but.. *sigh*

Yeah I cleaned her all up, and she was ok -from the bite, at least. But yeah, I DON'T look forward to it myself but.. I'm prepared.

 

Persistence pays off! I got a mid flow sample directly on stick, and didn't even get my hand wet lol. Glucose pos, ketones neg.

 

I find it easier to use a blood ketone meter. No bathroom stalking needed. Lol

 

Good!

 

Yeah I may end up having to do that- she never pees in the hour I have before work!

 

I intend to buy a ketone blood meter, just haven't got around to it yet mainly since the shock of the discontinuation of the Confirm/Micro meters - getting one will eat into my budget, darn it all to heck. @JanetNJ, which one do you use, for blood ketone...? I like the idea of it too, since most blood ketone meter can act as a backup BG meter also.

 

I got the KETO-MOTO from Amazon. There are other brands too.

 

Sounds good, I'll check that out, thanks so much!!!