Three tests carry a senior panel: a complete blood count, a chemistry panel of 12 to 18 values, and a total T4. Together they cost about 305 USD in the US, 250 GBP in the UK, and 680 CNY in China. Add urine and a blood pressure reading and the visit lands at 390 USD, 315 GBP, and 790 CNY.
From age 7, run the panel every 12 months. From age 11, every 6 months, because a creatinine that was 1.7 mg/dL in March can be 2.6 by September with no change in how the cat looks.
Why 3 tests and not 1
Each test answers a different question. The CBC answers whether the blood itself is abnormal: anemia, infection, or a platelet count low enough to change a dental plan. The chemistry answers what the organs are doing: kidney, liver, thyroid-adjacent, glucose, electrolytes. The T4 answers whether the thyroid is running the body at 1.5 times normal speed, which hides kidney disease behind a high filtration rate.
That last interaction is the reason the 3 are bundled. A cat with hyperthyroidism and CKD can show a normal creatinine until the thyroid is treated, then crash into stage 3 kidney disease within 30 days of starting medication.
CBC: 4 numbers that matter
Hct 30 to 45 percent, reticulocytes under 1.5 percent in a stable cat, white cells 5.5 to 19.5 ×10⁹/L, platelets 200 to 600 ×10⁹/L. An Hct under 20 percent postpones elective anesthesia; a platelet count under 50 ×10⁹/L changes how a dental extraction is planned.
A stress leukogram is common: a frightened cat at 09:00 can show neutrophils at the top of the range and lymphocytes at the bottom, with no disease at all. That is why 1 abnormal value in an otherwise well cat is repeated in 2 to 4 weeks rather than treated.
Chemistry: 17 values, 6 that change care
Creatinine 0.8 to 2.4 mg/dL, BUN 16 to 36 mg/dL, SDMA under 14 µg/dL, ALT 10 to 100 U/L, glucose 70 to 150 mg/dL, potassium 3.5 to 5.5 mmol/L. Those 6 are the ones that change a plan this week. The rest — phosphate, calcium, albumin, globulin, bilirubin, cholesterol, amylase — build the trend line that makes next year's panel readable.
SDMA is worth the 25 to 40 USD. It rises when 25 to 40 percent of kidney function is gone; creatinine only moves after 60 to 75 percent is lost, which is why a cat can sit at 1.9 mg/dL for 2 years before anyone calls it kidney disease.
T4: the test that hides
Reference range is 1.0 to 4.0 µg/dL. Above 4.5 with weight loss and a ravenous appetite, hyperthyroidism is the working diagnosis. The trap is the normal result: a single T4 inside range does not exclude it, especially with a concurrent illness, so the next step is a free T4 or a repeat in 2 to 4 weeks.
A T4 above 10 µg/dL means the heart is working against a high output state, and a systolic murmur or a heart rate over 220 needs an echocardiogram before any anesthesia. Treating the thyroid first and rechecking kidney values at 30 days is the standard order.
The 2 cheap add-ons: urine and blood pressure
Urinalysis with specific gravity costs 60 USD, 45 GBP, or 80 CNY and adds information no blood test gives: urine concentration, crystals, bacteria, and a protein-to-creatinine ratio. Specific gravity under 1.035 in a cat with a creatinine of 1.8 means the kidney is losing concentrating ability before the blood shows it.
Blood pressure takes 5 minutes and 25 USD. A systolic reading above 160 mmHg on 2 visits 2 weeks apart is hypertension, and it damages the eye and the kidney faster than most owners expect. Values above 180 mmHg need treatment the same week.
The 5-line total, 3 regions
| Line item | US (USD) | UK (GBP) | China (CNY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. CBC, complete blood count | 75 | 60 | 120 |
| 2. Chemistry, 17 values with SDMA | 145 | 120 | 380 |
| 3. Total T4 | 85 | 70 | 180 |
| 4. Urinalysis with specific gravity | 60 | 45 | 80 |
| 5. Blood pressure, 5 minutes | 25 | 20 | 30 |
| Total, annual visit | 390 | 315 | 790 |
The 3 core tests alone come to 305 USD, 250 GBP, and 680 CNY. Rows 4 and 5 add 85 USD and buy most of the early warning, which is why dropping them to save money is the wrong 20 percent to cut.
What moves the total by 1.5 to 3 times
In-house versus send-out: in-house runs 30 to 60 minutes and costs 15 to 25 percent more per test. Panel size: a 12-value chemistry is 90 to 110 USD, an 18-value with SDMA is 145 to 175. City: the same panel ranges 1.5 to 3 times between a rural practice and a specialty hospital 40 km away.
Add-ons push it further: a feline pancreatic lipase test is 60 to 90 USD, a free T4 is 45 to 70, and a retroviral screen for a new cat is 40 to 60. None of them belongs in a healthy 8 year old's yearly visit, and all of them belong in a cat that has lost 10 percent of body weight in 6 months.
Timing: 12 months or 6 months
Age 7 to 10 with all values in range: every 12 months. Age 11 and over: every 6 months. Any cat with a creatinine above 2.0 mg/dL, a T4 above 4.0, or a documented 10 percent weight loss: every 3 to 4 months, because that is the interval where a trend becomes visible.
Fasting 4 to 6 hours reduces lipemia and keeps glucose honest; water stays available. One 1 to 2 mL sample from a jugular vein covers all 3 tubes, so the entire visit is 15 to 20 minutes plus the wait for results.
When to book this week
Book within 7 days for drinking more than 45 mL per kg per day, urinating outside the box, 2 or more vomits a week for 3 weeks, or a body condition score that dropped 1 point in 6 months. Book the same day for a cat that has stopped eating for 24 hours, is breathing with the mouth open, or cannot stand.
An annual panel is the cheapest way to catch kidney disease at IRIS stage 1, where 6 months of a renal diet can hold creatinine flat for years. Price the whole year at the cost tool, compare bundles on the senior panel page, and check what imaging adds at the dental x-ray panel page.
5 steps for the visit
- Fast 4 to 6 hours, water available, litter box empty the night before so you can collect a sample.
- Ask for SDMA inside the chemistry, not as a separate line.
- Ask for specific gravity on the urinalysis; without it the dipstick is half a test.
- Get the numbers in writing, not just normal or abnormal, so next year's trend means something.
- Repeat 1 abnormal value in 2 to 4 weeks before agreeing to lifelong treatment.
None of those 5 steps adds cost. Each one makes the 390 USD produce a decision instead of a folder.
Terms mentioned in this article
Frequently asked
Why does a senior panel need a T4 every time?
Because hyperthyroidism is common after age 8 and it raises the filtration rate, which pulls creatinine down into the normal range and masks kidney disease. A T4 above 4.0 µg/dL plus weight loss changes both the treatment order and the anesthesia plan, so it belongs in the yearly panel, not in a separate visit.
Is SDMA worth the extra 25 to 40 USD?
For a cat over 7, yes. SDMA rises when 25 to 40 percent of kidney function is gone, while creatinine only moves after 60 to 75 percent is lost. Catching a cat at IRIS stage 1 buys 6 months of a renal diet while creatinine is still flat, which is the cheapest window you get.
Can I skip the urine test to save money?
It is the wrong line to cut. Urinalysis with specific gravity costs 45 to 80 and shows concentration, crystals, bacteria and a protein-to-creatinine ratio that no blood test provides. A specific gravity under 1.035 with a creatinine of 1.8 is an early kidney signal the chemistry alone will miss.