Cat Blood Test Results: How to Read Them, Norms and Meaning
Reviewed by the LabReadAI medical team
A blood test is the main way to look inside a cat's health. But the form has a dozen abbreviations, and cats have their own norms — not like humans and not even like dogs. This guide explains the results and their meaning: what a cat's blood test shows, which results are roughly normal, and what each value's meaning is so a scary-looking number makes sense.
What a Cat's Blood Test Shows
A complete blood count (CBC) — blood cells, and biochemistry — liver, kidneys, metabolism — are run. In cats, kidney markers are especially important: chronic kidney disease is one of the most common problems, especially in older cats. The test gives measurements; the vet makes the diagnosis from the whole picture.
Cat Blood Test Norms (Approximate)
| Marker | Approximate norm (cats) |
|---|---|
| Red blood cells | 5.0–10.0 ×10¹²/L |
| Haemoglobin | 80–150 g/L |
| Haematocrit | 26–48 % |
| White blood cells | 5.5–18.5 ×10⁹/L |
| Platelets | 300–700 ×10⁹/L |
| ALT | up to ~70 U/L |
| Urea | 5.0–11.0 mmol/L |
| Creatinine | 70–165 µmol/L |
| Glucose | 3.3–6.5 mmol/L |
| Total protein | 54–77 g/L |
Guides are averaged — norms depend on the lab, method, age and condition. Compare with your form's reference ranges.
A Key Cat Feature: Stress Hyperglycaemia
In cats, glucose rises easily with stress (the trip, the blood draw) — it is not always diabetes. To tell stress from diabetes, the vet looks at glucose together with fructosamine and symptoms (thirst, weight loss). So an isolated high glucose in a cat is interpreted cautiously.
Kidneys, Liver and Blood Cells
A rise in urea and creatinine is the main kidney "red flag" in cats; assessed with a urinalysis. Elevated ALT/AST points to the liver. On the CBC, low red cells = anaemia (common with CKD), high white cells = inflammation/infection. A single marker is not a diagnosis; the picture and trend are assessed.
Common Situations
Refusing food and lethargy together with biochemistry changes is a reason not to wait; why this happens is covered in why a cat is not eating, and organ structure is shown by ultrasound for dogs and cats. Dog norms are in dog blood test.
When to See a Vet Urgently
Urgently — for refusing food over a day, vomiting, lethargy, pale or yellow gums, very high kidney markers, critical anaemia. In cats the condition can worsen quickly.
To understand your cat's form in plain language, upload the result (PDF or photo) to the pet results interpretation service: the AI will explain the markers for the species and its norms. This helps you understand the result but does not replace a vet.
This article is informational. Diagnosis and treatment of your pet are the job of a veterinarian.
For informational purposes only
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a healthcare professional for medical guidance.