So my formerly-big gray tabby, Cato, has lost a ton of weight over the past few months and recent blood tests show he may have diabetes (not uncommon for older cats).

Anywho, my new and wondeful vet said the best test is with a urine sample, which can be collected one of two ways: a big, long needle used to extract pee directly from his bladder (which has the possibility of complications) or to collect it from the litter box.

To collect it from the litter box, you have to use a non-absorbant litter medium. And the best thing to use is un-popped popcorn!

So, this morning, I washed and sanitized the litter box (eeww) and filled it with popcorn. Since my two cats share a box, I locked Nicky away upstairs. The bad news was it looked like Nicky was crossing his little legs cuz he had to go and that Cato had already gone before I cleaned the box. GAAH!

Ever sit and watch a cat, hoping he'll go pee? =P

Anywho, about an hour after I cleaned the box, I saw Cato head to the litter box room (he's drinking a TON, another sympton of diabetes or bladder problems) and huzzah! Cat pee!

Since the popcorn is non-absorbant but is similar in size and shape to litter, the cat will hopefully do his business normally...and then using a suction syringe, you can suck up some pee from the bottom of the box.

And it worked! A test tube of Cato pee is now residing in my fridge...good thing Rick isn't home because storing "output" from animals in the fridge gives him the heeby-jeebies.

So, if you need to get a urine sample from a cat, popcorn. /nod