Any Advice on How to Get a Feces Sample From My Cat?
By Aurone
@Aurone (4755)
United States
June 23, 2008 1:40pm CST
My vet needs a feces sample from my cat in order to run a test for lungworm which could be causing my kitties lung condition. But since I have 2 kitties I just can scoop any old sample out of the litterbox. Since I am now teaching a summer class from 3-9pm, I can't follow the cat around all day waiting for her to use the box.
The vet suggested that I feed her some food that would move through her system quickly like can food and then keep her in the bathroom all night with a litterbox.
Tried that, didn't work. So anyone else have this problem before? What did you do?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
24 Jun 08
I have never had to do that before, so I
wouldn't know. Some cats are allergic to
milk, that might cause her to go to the
bathroom!
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@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
24 Jun 08
No no don't give milk. Two problems with that. For one thing if they are allergic you definitely don't want to give something something they'll have a reaction to and secondly it sounds like an adult cat and milk is very bad for the digestive system. If the kitty already has lung problems, you don't want to give her digestive problems too.
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@spalladino (17891)
• United States
23 Jun 08
I think you're going to have to confine that cat to the bathroom all by itself until it gives you a sample. Get another pan for the other cat to use temporarily.
@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
24 Jun 08
That could work I guess, but if you actually do that, use a bigger room than the bathroom if you have one. I have had to shut a kitty up in the bathroom before and I felt so bad cooping them up all alone like that. If you don't have a bigger room to use then I guess the bathroom would work but A long time ago I lived in a house that had a laundry room which was considerably bigger and if we had to shut up a cat it was in there.
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@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
24 Jun 08
mine are easy-i empty and clean one of the litterboxes and put some cloth (like an old shirt)
in there-they can't resist 
i don't know if it's the different factor,or the not usually allowed factor,but it works.
i don't know if it's the different factor,or the not usually allowed factor,but it works.
@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
24 Jun 08
Darn lol when I first started reading I was going to suggest isolating her with her own box but then I saw u already tried that lol. I don't really know what else to tell you. Guess me and your vet were on the same wave length. Sorry it didn't work
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@mclendon (308)
• United States
23 Jun 08
You could scoop the box everytime they use it and keep an eye out for the cat you need the sample from. Of course, this won't work if you are not home all day.
I agree with the comment to let the one you need a sample from use the regular litter box, too. Cats can be very stubborn and not want to use a new box in a different place and she may "hold it".
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@cowgirl2213 (12)
• United States
23 Jun 08
Maybe try closing up the healthy cat so the one you need a sample from can use the regular litter box. IF not won't your vet let you bring in the kitty and take a stool sample? It's easier if you can get one yourself, but sometimes when there are mulitple cats it's too hard. Good luck and let me know what happens!!
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