Urine Test - diluted urine meaning?

[Betuncay]

Hi everyone,

I brought my cat’s urine in for her annual screening. She doesn’t have any symptoms or complaints that I’m aware of, so this was just a routine check. The analysis showed that her urine is diluted. There weren’t any specific issues noted, but the vet mentioned the dilution. She said my cat might have drunk lots of water that day but I am home most of the time and I haven’t seen her drinking more than usual.

When I think about how I collected the sample, I realize I had washed the bowl she peed in beforehand. It wasn’t wet, but there may have been a few water droplets left. Could this have diluted the urine?

Should I be worried about kidney issues? I’m a bit concerned, and I plan to take another sample, but in the meantime, I’d appreciate any insights on what diluted urine might indicate.

She is 4 year old scottish fold neutered female.

Thank you!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. So, besides the dilute urine, were there any other 'anomalies' in her urinalysis or bloodwork? A single test that reflects dilute urine may likely mean nothing. I suspect the vet may want to increase the frequency of urinalyses, at least in the near future, to see if there is a trend. If and only if there is a trend, would there be any cause for concern.

 

[Betuncay]

Hi thanks for your reply, her blood was not taken unfortunately, just urine analysis part of general health check. Vet did not mention other markers so I thought the rest was normal.

I will definitely take her for further tests for peace of my mind!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Even though your cat is young, now is as good of a time as any to start getting and maintaining copies of her tests. That would be true of any blood work that is done on your cat as well. Never hurts to see what your vet sees, and you can also look for trends.

I doubt that you need to get another urinalysis done for at least 3-6 months. But, you can ask your vet about that. You might also ask when they expect to want to start doing blood work too!

 

[silent meowlook]

Scottish Fold cats can get polycystic kidney disease. So, I would have the urine rechecked. Just make sure whatever container you use is dry.
Blood work won’t show an elevation of kidney values until there is a 70% or more loss of function.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hope you don't worry too much about PKD (polycystic kidney disease) - I am not sure that dilute urine is even necessarily a precursor to its development. However, you might ask your vet about it and see what they say. There is a DNA test available that can check for the mutated PKD1 gene using a blood sample or cheek swab, if you and your vet think that might be appropriate.

Here is an article about it, should you be interested in learning more.
Polycystic Kidney Disease in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment - Cats.com