Crystals forming in urine outside cat's body?

I recall reading in a thread here that crystals can form in healthy urine after the cat has urinated. Can anyone point me to an article that explains/elaborates on this?

Originally Posted by MissKalamata

I recall reading in a thread here that crystals can form in healthy urine after the cat has urinated. Can anyone point me to an article that explains/elaborates on this?

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so did the thread say the crystals come from outside the cat? i dont get it all i know is there are 3 kinds of crystals and they form inside a cat depending on the urine's pH

Crystals can form in cat urine from it standing to long ( ie most vets want samples under 30 minutes old for this reason)

I guess when the urine is just sitting there and the water part can start evaporating, crystals form, kind of like when you let sugar water sit - it leaves behind crystals.

I talked to the vet about it today. I was concerned about my cat's urine sample sitting for 6 hours before the vet arrived; the vet said there was no problem, and it wouldn't have any huge impact on the UA results. I did keep the sample cool.

C1atsite, what's the third type of crystals? I know struvite and oxalate.

My vet also said that pH is more of an effect than a cause...the crystals make the urine alkaline, not the other way around.

Originally Posted by MissKalamata

C1atsite, what's the third type of crystals? I know struvite and oxalate.

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According to one site, the 3rd type is named urate
Source:
http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2244&aid=2729
Urate Crystals and Stones
Urate stones are more common in certain breeds of dogs, such as Dalmations, although they have been diagnosed in cats. They are more likely to occur in acidic urine. They can also be seen with some liver disorders and metabolic diseases.

Cats can also have xanthine, cystine, and calcium phosphate stones. (Had one that had calcium phosphate stones.)