Cystitis and UTI Remedies for Cats
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Note: UTI remedies for dogs is here.
Otherwise known as Feline Urologic Syndrome or Cystitis, many cat owners are all too familiar with this particular problem.' Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) can affect both female and male cats, although it is more common among females.' The condition occurs as a result of an infection in the bladder and will cause tiny crystals to form within the urine, which block the normal passage of urine.' This can be very painful for your cat as it will be difficult for them to urinate as they normally would.
Your pet will need to urinate more frequently but upon attempting it, will generally only be successful in having just a few drops pass at a time. You might also notice that your cat will discontinue use of the litter box when it needs to urinate, as this condition is very irritating for them and they are more comfortable using a cold, hard surface such as your bathtub, sink or countertop. It is also likely that the consistency of the urine will be thicker than it normally would be, the scent will be strong and foul smelling, and the urine will contain traces of blood. If this sounds like it is in line with your cat's recent behavior then the chances are high that they are suffering from FLUTD.
It is not known exactly what causes this problem. The same condition in dogs or in humans would be caused by a bacterial infection, however most cats with this problem do not have bacteria in their urine. If your cat is affected by FLUTD you may want to increase the amount of canned food that you are feeding them temporarily. Canned food as opposed to dry food has higher water content, and at this time you want to increase the amount of water that the animal takes in and decrease the mineral content of the diet.
There are several homeopathic treatments that can be administered to help clear up this very painful and distressing problem for your cat, such as Nux Vomica, Chimaphila or Cantahris. Although you will want to have the exact cause of the condition diagnosed in order to choose the correct treatment.
DISCLAIMER
* Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional veterinary prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your veterinarian before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your Veterinarian can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your pet's unique needs or diagnose your pet's particular medical history.
45 YEA
1 NAY
2 BETTER BUT NOT CURED
1 QUESTION
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 07/12/2010: Rfb from Amarillo, Tx writes: "Apple Cider Vinegar seems to be working for our 10 year old neutered male cat. Two days ago, we noticed that he was very lethargic and spending a great amount of time licking his bottom. He appeared to "waddle" as he walked and was clearly uncomfortable. Suspecting it might be cystitis, we called the vet, but as it was late afternoon Saturday, we had to take him to an after-hours vet service in town. They did suspect cystitis, though the bladder seemed normal in size and not rock hard, and held him overnight for observation. On Sunday they reported that he had not defecated nor urinated and asked us to come pick him up (he has a cat door at home and won't use the kitty litter provided in the house) to see if he would perform at home. They suggested reducing dry food, increasing wet food and encouraging him to drink more. They recommended taking him to our Vet on Monday. Later Sunday, it became clear that he was totally blocked. He could defecate, but there was no urine passage. Sunday afternoon I found this site, and at 5 PM we added 3/4tsp ACV (in addition to some water) to canned food, and 1/2tsp per cup of drinking water. We also used a syringe to get about another 1/4t of ACV, diluted with 1tsp water into him. There was no progress on urination, with the possible exception of a few drops on the linoleum floors around the house. By 10 PM, however, he did seem to be at bit more comfortable. On Monday, we continued the 3/4 t ACV with wet food, 1/2t per cup of drinking water, and 1/2t per 2t water in the syringe. In all, we probably got 1 t of ACV into him this morning. By noon he had urinated a small amount (1"D wet spot) twice, that we were able to witness. He is not yet back to normal, but it is clear that he is on the mend. It is surprising and disturbing that vets seem to be unaware of this solution to what appears to be a very common, debilitating, and sometimes lethal, problem. Caution: In our first attempt to put the syringe in his mouth, he bit through my wife's finger and finger nail. This cat doesn't even expose his claws when fighting with us, normally, but the syringe was more than he could tolerate. Now, as suggested elsewhere on this site, we lay him on his back, between our legs, and just put the syringe inside his lips, and slowly dribble the ACV in. He doesn't like it, but there is no more biting."
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04/27/2010: Tammy from Edmonton, Ab, Canada writes: "Apple Cider Vinegar - Feline Urinary Syndrome
Crossing my fingers here - but so far so good.
My cat Ripper (7 year old, neutered male domestic short hair cat) had just had a 400.00 vet bill for a blockage about two weeks ago.
With that bill, I don't have the money for another go around (not to mention 400.00 gelding for two horses and a 1000.00 bill for other problems in my rescue horses earlier in the year).
So I came looking for another solution. I found your site. My mom and I are both big believers in natural remedies for problems. Ripper isn't in huge distress but was wandering around crying occasionally and I saw him straining and only producing a drop or two of urine. I gave him the ACV (organic from Health Food Store - mixed 1/2 tsp to 2 tbsp spring water) from a plastic syringe. He didn't like it and I have a couple of big scratches *but* I got it all down him.
I've got some more diluted in his water bowl and some added to some nummy wet cat food. Right now I can hear him scratching in his litter box and there's no crying going on.
Cross your fingers for me - but I think you may have saved me another 400.00 bill."
04/28/2010: Tammy from Edmonton, Ab, Canada replies: "It's been 12 hours give or take later since Ripper's first dose and in that time he's had two more. (Once in wet food and once in another syringe of water). First off he's stopped crying, he's sleeping comfortably on my bed (not lethargic - just his normal lazy kitty self), and lastly and most importantly - he's used his litter box to pee.
The only thing I'm not sure of is how much he pee'd. That is because I use a silica crystal cat litter and the moisture is pretty much immediately sucked up (especially when the crystals are brand new - which they are since I changed it last night when all this started). However there is a good amount of the crystals that are discolored to a bright-ish yellow with no trace of blood. And he's not going in and out of the box continuously and he's not hiding under my bed - so it looks like *tentatively* that the ACV has done the trick.
Thank you so much... I am going to continue to update. Cross your fingers for me and Ripper."
04/28/2010: Tammy from Edmonton, Ab, Canada replies: "Ripper is completely normal now.
I am astounded at how *fast* he was given relief by the ACV (organic complete with mother). He's right now sleeping comfortably beside his 'girlfriend' Hecate after Elishiva gave him a bath.
He's been eating, dreaming and doing all sorts of good stuff quite happily since his his last dose in his wet food. I am going to be switching him and his companions to a wet food/raw food diet complete with ACV to keep the urinary issues away. Also going to keep a little ACV in the water they drink (Ripper's not sold on that, but Hecate and Elishiva are. Not sure on Indy's verdict. Gus the pug and Flea and Gwin the ferrets are good with it.)
Vet bill - 460.00 dollars
Apple Cider Vinegar - 10.00 for the big jug
Ripper's health - Priceless.
Thanks Earth Clinic! I'll be back for more info when I need it again."
05/20/2010: J from Oviedo, Fl. replies: "I'm so glad you all have had good results with this as of right now my Daughter is out hunting for this natural acv in hopes of saving my 3yr old cats life after 700.00 in vet bill he comes home the same night and has problems I hope this works we are grabbing at straws right now as we have no more money for vet bills, he is not eating or drinking, so wondering how ofter are you giving the doses of 1/2tsp acv and water?"
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[YEA] 04/18/2010: Elaineinohio from Athens County, Ohio writes: "Cystitis and UTI Remedies for Cats
Apple cider vinegar saved the day for my 3 year old neutered male kitty. He was going to the litter box every 5 minutes and producing only a few drops of urine. I called my vet who said to take away his dry food, and just give him wet food to increase the amount of water he is talking in. Later that evening, kitty was producing NO urine.
I used the suggestions on this site - 1/4 tsp. of ACV added to 2 tsp.of canned food - he ate it right up ! Then I gave him a few syringes of 1/4 tsp. ACV and 1 tsp. water. He took it without much fuss. And then I added ACV to the cats' drinking bowls ( I have two cats.) - 1/2 tsp ACV added to 2 cups of water. I was pleasantly surprised that he ate the food and drank the water that contained ACV. Actually BOTH cats liked it ! This morning - THREE normal pee-pees ! Tomorrow, a vet visit to make sure he is OK. Thanks for the advice - it is much appreciated. It got us safely through the weekend."
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03/25/2010: Nicole from Toronto, Canada writes: "WOW...I'm just so thankful to have found this website!
I am generally not someone who posts, however in this case I wanted to to say thank you to all who have posted before me and hopefully to be of help to others.
I came upon this website earlier today after trying desperatly to find more information to help my cat Boomer, who is a(much loved) 9 year old male indoor cat. Over the last days I had recognized that he appeared to have cystitus again. It started first with him urinating in the bathtub, then I noticed some blood and over the last few days he has been trying to pee continously, clearly very uncomfortable and only managing a few drops at a time. He's been drinking allot more than usual and thus trying to pee just as much. Because of this he has been very restless and uncomfortable and not even able to take a nap. Last year he had the same issue and I took him into the vet, they tested him for a bacterial infection and did other testing as well. The test came back negative for any bacteria, but they still recomeneded a course of antibiotics to be on the safe side. This really didn't seem to do much. At that time I researched natural remodies and came up with my own concoction of cranberry juice, garlic, vitamin c and some greens mixed with raw food...after some time I was very thankful that his infection cleared up.
So yesterday I went out and picked up a few things like the cranberry juice to try to help him. In looking for more natural remedies for cystitus I came across this website and all of the posts about Apple cider vinegar, I was quite skeptical that it would really be of help to boomer because it just seems that his condition is more serious this time around, but I thought that it couldn't hurt to try before making the decision to take him to an emergency vet. Well that was this afternoon....I went to pickup the apple cider vinegar...although I'm not going to say that boomer is entirely out of the woods...I am amazed!! within a five hour period he is already signifigantly different. I started by giving him 1/2 teaspoon ACV with water in a dropper. It was a bit of a challenge to get him to take it at first this way, but did manage to get him to take about half and then I put the rest into some wet food and fed it to him that way, which he tolerated quite well. A few hours later I did the same thing and added more to his wet food and hand fed him which he seemed to like. I am very happy to say that he is now resting! and over the past few hours has stopped his pacing and peeing in spots outside of the litter box and the last few times he has gone to the washroom, it has been in his litter box. He is clearly calmed right down and much more comfortable.
So I am very hopeful that he is going to be ok. I am going to continue this for several days and most likely continue it in small amounts as a preventative measure Thanks again! and good luck to everyone else. "
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[YEA] 03/15/2010: Diana from Boston, Massachusetts, United States writes: "I found this site when I posted to facebook to a friend that my cat was sick. She immediately recommended earthclinic. Of course, it was the weekend and the vets were closed. My boy cat has not been peeing much and that day I noticed that he was only peeing a few drops at a time. Once or twice he got out of the littler box without peeing at all. I knew what it was immediately, he had urinary crystals. Last year I spent over $2500 taking my cats to the vets for this problem! I read here that everyone gave their cats AVC with the mothers in it .. so I mixed 1/2 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons of water. I gave it to him in a syringe for medication for pets. I gave him 3 syringes over the course of the first day. He peed the very same night, the size of a quarter. The next day I gave it to him 3 times again and he peed the size of a golfball! He is no longer crying all day. He is feeling much better.
I recommend if you give this to your pets, not to give them a strong mix or too much at once. A few drops at a time only. Otherwise they cough and foam at the mouth. I dont know why this happens but it can be very scary for you and your pet. That happened once when I tried to give him a whole syringe at once. Be patient and administer it a little at a time. It may take 20 minutes to get them to take the while syringe but its well worth it. Also if its too strong they will have the same reaction.
Thank you everyone for posting how you used it.. I couldnt find a precription on the site on how to administer it.. it only said AVC. It didnt even mention it was the natural kind (I used Bragg's Apple cider vinegar and got it at GNC store.)"
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[YEA] 02/19/2010: Mary from Vassalboro, Maine, Usa writes: "Almost two weeks ago one of my two female Ragdoll cats stopped being able to urinate. Sashi visited the litter box frequently, never having any results, and appeared to be in distress. She also stopped drinking her usual amount of water (which, however, is not that much). The other cat was fine (and drinks a good amount of water).
I must pause here to say that we do not bring our cats to the vet other than when they were young to have them spayed. (We do not believe in vaccinating -- and medicating, if at all possible -- and we do not have money in our budget for vets.) At the time of their spaying, we brought Sasha and Sophie to a vet who was a cat specialist. He strongly instructed us to always feed the cats ONLY dry food, never any wet at all. He felt that wet food would rot their teeth. And so we never had fed our two cats (ages 3 1/2 and 4 1/2) wet food [except for a brief spell when we were treating them for chronic diarrhea and needing to get fresh squeezed garlic into them, but that is another (successful!) story....!]
At any rate, when Sashi was not able to urinate, I consulted a friend of mine who has owned many cats. She immediately suspected "cystitis", and explained the causes (only a dry food diet, the cat did not drink enough water, etc.). She recommended apple cider vinegar and adding wet food to the cat's diet. After getting off the phone with her, I googled for more info., and came across your most excellent site -- in particular, information about this condition.
We immediately began the cat on a "wet food only" diet for the first 2-3 days, mixing in apple cider vinegar. The cat loved being able to have wet food (an inexpensive brand, by the way, with only a generic brand of acv). Sashi could handle pretty good sized portions of vinegar without any objections at all. I am not sure how much I used, but certainly she was getting AT LEAST 2 tsp. per day those first few days in a few feedings of wet food per day. For perhaps 3 or 4 days, however, she still would not drink her usual amount of water, including drinking from the tap, which normally she loves.
The long and the short of this story is, like many others have noted on this site, that her cure was almost immediate. She urinated a little shortly after the first treatment(s), and the next day began frisking about in high spirits -- and urinating small amounts regularly. As stated by others, the coats of both cats shine now and they have much more energy. On the third day her urinating was totally normal.
I would say the maintenance dose we have recently been administering is almost 1 tsp. per day for Sasha, and perhaps 1/2 tsp. for Sophie (who drinks a lot of water already, and who gets less wet food because of a weight problem). We now give wet food for both breakfast and supper, as well as dry food at noon and to supplement. I do not let Sasha "free feed" on dry food anymore. She happily drinks out of the tap once again, and also her water bowl (but not as much as she probably should).
My husband also rigged up a pump and filter (from the fish tank dept. at the dept. store) and a tub of water for the cats to drink from. We had hoped this would encourage them to drink more, but this trick has not been hugely successful in its goal.
When we first began administering the acv and feeding Sashi only wet food, she did begin to be a little constipated. Some dry food is necessary to move the bowels, apparently. Once the initial crisis of not being able to urinate had passed, we began to phase limited amounts of dry food back into Sashi's diet. Around the end of Day #3 we began to reintroduce some into her diet. FYI.
I give prayer and a big YEA on acv as having been a huge success for us re: cystitis in cats! Unlike my husband, I hate the taste and smell of all vinegars. Nevertheless, I'm beginning to think everyone in our household should go on acv! I'll have to hold my nose, though! :)"
05/24/2010: Kimberly from Whidbey Island, Wa replies: "I am replying to the post by Mary from Maine. I will be starting my cats on the ACV diet due to their crystal problems. Unfortunately for me I have already had to have one of my beloved cats put down due to the problem and him being blocked and in pain. Hopefully this works. But what I wanted to say is that I started the ACV diet myself a few days ago along with doing some other things and have noticed a major difference in my skin alone. I can do certain vinegariattes on salads, but am not a huge fan of the smell of vinegar. Trying to choke it down in green tea with honey did not work. I tried it with orange juice, and it was bearable to drink. But what I have found to taste the best and actually be quite good is mixing the ACV with nothing other than APPLE JUICE! Tastes good and will get you to stay on the ACV diet. You can also add a little water to the ACV and apple juice mixture to make it a little less sweet and healthier depending on the apple juice you buy. It is good enough that my 5year old daughter drinks it and thinks it is good even while knowing it has vinegar in it! Hope this helps some of you out there looking to incorporate ACV into your lifestyle."
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[YEA] 02/06/2010: Morgaine from Atlantic Beach, New York writes: "i have been using acv 6 months. the vet couldn't find anything wrong with mystic short hair black 7 years old. she was spraying urine in the litter box and the only thing that is working is acv.
she also has feline herpes in remmission. so please use l lysine for upper respiratory infections. anyone who is having problems please let me know what you use."
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[YEA] 01/22/2010: Jenny from Tulsa, Ok, Usa writes: "I am a huge fan of this site now! My 3 year old male cat has been having UTI problems for the past 2 months and after 3 vet visits and 2 rounds of strong antibiotics nothing worked! He was in obvious (and loud!) pain, going outside the box, constantly licking his privates, and our normally very active cat wouldn't do anything expect hide under the bed.
Finally I came across this website and decided to give ACV a shot. The first day I gave him 1/2 teaspoon of AVC to 2 teaspoons of filtered water with a oral syringe (this is a very strong dosage from what I can tell). He Hated it and I had to give it to him in several small doses over the course of the day. I didn't notice to much difference the first day. The second day (following advice from this site) I put 1/2 teaspoon to 2 CUPS of Filtered water in his normall water dish to allow him to drink it as he would. Doesn't seem to notice the taste. This is the third day and he is running all over the house like a kitten again! I also gave him Cantahris pelts for the pain (find in a natural food store)and those all seemed to help for the first two days. The first day I gave him 3 doses of 2 pelts each. I have been told to give him only filitered water so that the he gets the cleanest water, which means that there are fewer chemicals entering his system that can block him back up.
I recommend reading as many posts as possible, they each offer different ideas, information, and remedies that fit different cats.
I plan on continuing to put ACV in my cats water dish for a long while."
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[YEA] 01/22/2010: Bo from Seattle, Washington writes: "My 5-year-old female cat was suffering from what I believed to be a urinary tract infection on the 19th. We noticed since midnight, she visited the litter box frequently. Earlier at night, she wasn't as playful as she normally would be with running around the house in our game. As time went on, she was practically homesteading in the litter box. And she would just squat there, with her body quivering a bit. One time, her nose was dripping. When she wasn't in the box, she squatted over newspapers laid down in other spots.
Later in morning, I decided to take her in to the vet as a precaution. I was worried about the potential of blockage being fatal, not knowing blockage was a problem mainly for the male cats. The vet wanted me to leave her to get a urine sample. I was okay with that, as long as I could pick her up before the end of the day. Well, the urinalysis didn't come in, so the vet wanted me to keep her overnight so they could administer the medication after the test results. They told me, otherwise, I would have to bring her in.
I don't like to keep my cat away from home, so I picked her up. Plus, the clinic would be unattended during off hours. At home, I could monitor her constantly.
I knew about cranberry juice as a home remedy for people with urinary tract infection. But I didn't have any cranberry juice around. Then I had this idea of apple cider vinegar as a possible remedy since it was acidic and many people attested to its curative powers.
After deciding I would try out apple cider vinegar (cause if it didn't work, I would have taken my cat in the next day for her medication), I researched online for personal testimonies. I was more convinced after reading the personal anecdotes on this site. And I learned the exact dosage used. (Initially, I just poured less than a capful into the cat's water bowl.)
I did decide already upon noticing the urinary problems to switch from the dry food to canned food. So, with the first dosage of ACV, I added 1/2 teaspoon to little bit of tuna, along with some water from her water bowl. Because she had a bit of diarrhea, I sprinkled some oat bran to the mix.
I wasn't supposed to feed her so soon after coming home, as she was sedated for the urine sample. But she was hungry and sat in protest by her food bowl. I caved in and served her just a bit.
Over the next 12 hours, the improvements were subtle. She didn't frequent the litter box as much. But she was still hanging out underneath the dining table (which my previous cat did when her health was deteriorating in her last days). And she was sensitive to being touched or held up. Several hours later, she was still squatting in the litter box longer than usual. But her urine output was slightly more. That was a good sign.
Other improvement was her sleeping more the next morning rather than trying to pee. By the next day, she became more playful (though still not running around). I continued to feed her the same food mix with the 1/4 teaspoon of ACV and additional water. And I also included sardines packed in water to blend with the canned tuna for cats. I wanted a source of omega 3 acids as an anti-inflammatory to help reduce any internal inflammation.
Long story short, she got progressively better, becoming more playful and frisky with normal bathroom habits. By Thursday night, she started running around and moving about with a bounce in her step. Meanwhile, she was spared of any antibiotics (which they had predicted she might need) or urine acidifier.
Also, I've noticed there have been discussions of using organic, unprocessed ACV. I bought regular ACV sold under the store label.
This is a great forum!!"
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[YEA] 01/18/2010: Pamela from Nashville, Tn writes: "Apple Cider Vinegar cured my cat! My kitty almost died over Christmas due to a UTI. She had a high fever (105 degrees) and required IV antibiotics for 2 days then another 10 days on oral antibiotics. While we are thankful for the vets who saved her life, she started having symptoms again once off the antibiotics which including peeing on the bed and being lethargic. I immediately took her temperature which was normal. I located your web site and found the ACV treatment. We gave her 1/2 teaspoon mixed with spring water, which we added a tiny amount of tuna to flavor...she drank it all and by the next morning, she was 100% better. We now mix 1/4 teaspoon into both of our cat's wet food, mixed with some organic canned pumpkin (1 Tablespoon) to add fiber to their diet as we also had some constipation issues with Sophie. Both my cats love this mixture and cry for it each morning and evening! Sophie is a much happier kitty than ever before! Thank you so much! It's nice to have my 8 year old kitty acting like a kitten again!"
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[YEA] 12/21/2009: Susan from Oakville, Ontario, Canada writes: "On a long weekend my female cat 8 years old started to live in the litter tray, but it was always dry. She'd wander around looking anxious and meowing, then go back and try again, but nothing happened. I didnt know what to do, as the emergency clinic charges a fortune just for walking in the door. I somehow found this site, and after reading what everyone said about apple cider vinegar, thought I might as well try it, as I couldnt leave her in distress all weekend. I found in my fridge a bottle of organic ACV, which was at least four years old. I already had a syringe, so put half a teaspoon of it in there with a teaspoon of filtered water and gave it to her. In less than 10 minutes, she was walking around the apartment instead of hiding under the bed, and the meowing had stopped. That night I heard her scratching around in the litter tray again, and couldnt believe the long pee she did. I gave her some more today, and she seems absolutely normal again, even playing. Thank God for this site, and thank you to everyone for the information. She was an abandoned kitten, almost starved when found, I feel like she had had enough misery in her life without this. Thanks."
12/27/2009: Pyretta from Whitney, Ontario, Canada replies: "So glad I found this site. I have two female cats, a mother (Pumpkin age 5.5) & daughter (Dottie age 4.5) I have had a hard time with Dottie. 2.5 years ago she had blood in her urine ( she peed on the floor, beds, clothes and our backpacks) The vet & I figured she didnt drink enough water and I only fed them kibble so her kidneys were strained and she had an infection. Over a year it returned twice, treated both times with antiboitics and increases in watered down wet food (like gravy). I thought all was well. However near the end of October I discovered two large blotches of blood in my tub and my poor Dottie crying and pacing trying to use her box and only dribbling. The vet suggested to save me money to treat her again with the antibiotics and increased fluids and blood & urine work. I was so upset that I insisted on an xray, she was full of kidney & bladder stones and a nasty long term bladder infection. After a few weeks on a different anitbiotic she was like a kitten again, she had surgery to remove her stones 2 weeks ago and is doing great. I plan on buying acv as a preventive for both cats. Funny I landed on this site looking for a natural flea cure (another present from the vet clinic) and found acv as something that can help so many problems. Cant wait to try it.Thanks for the great site."
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12/18/2009: Polly H from London, United Kingdom writes: "Feline Cystitis
I tried using organic cider vinegar on the suggestion of this site. My female cat Harry gets cystitis once or twice a year, usually when it's cold. She's very lazy and I think the cause may be related to the fact she doesn't like to go out for a wee in bad weather, holds it in and therefore gets cystitis.
The usual symptoms are grumpiness, sleepiness, lack of appetite, peeing in corners of rooms or in unusual places such as my bed or pillows, and being very very vocal.
So, I went and got some organic cider vinegar from a health food shop, and used at first 1/2 teaspoon diluted with 1/2 teaspoon water mixed in with her wet food to make a gravy. I feed her high quality biscuits but stopped these at first to give her a chance to rehydrate.
The vinegar seemd to work within 12 hrs or so. I made sure she had food available constantly with this soluton mixed in, as well as fresh water with 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar mixed in too.
After about 12hrs she seemed much more comfortable and fell asleep for a long time. After 24hrs she was back to her perky, silly self and asking to pee outside again. No more squatting for ages, no more moaning and general discomfort. Cider vinegar is a miracle cure.
I intend to use the cider vinegar solution in her food every few days, cut down her biscuit intake and see how things go. But so far so good. Thanks for the advice."
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[NAY] 11/20/2009: Robin from San Diego, Ca writes: "I was very excited to try this treatment as like so many posts I have read we're at our wits end trying to stop my poor 1 1/2 year old male kitty from getting another expensive and painful bladder blockage. He's had 2 in 6 months. FYI we've always fed him a high quality wheat, grain corn free diet. We supplement with cranberry extract. For this most recent blockage we again decreased his dry food (which contains beneficial bacteria) to about 1/4 cup a day instead of the 2/3 he usually eats and he's been mostly eating only canned food mixed with water for the last couple of weeks.
I made sure to buy the mother Apple Cider Vinegar and proceeded to give him 1/4 tsp twice a day mixed with his wet food. (I measured the amount of "a cap full" and it comes out to a little more than a 1/4 tsp.) He had no problems eating it. I'm very sorry to say that after several days to a week he urinated on my bed for the first time in weeks. I increased his ACV to a little more than 1/4 tsp. that night and the next morning. The next evening he urinated on my bed again. The next afternoon I got home and noticed that he had a discharge coming out of his rectal area, more like the glands around it. I smelled it (I know, it sounds strange, but if I felt it was necessary to help with diagnosis) and noticed it smelled familiar (ladies would be more apt to recognize this scent) but I couldn't place it. I had a very difficult time finding information. Knowing the only thing I'd added recently was the ACV I performed a very time consuming search and finally came up with a reference not to give a cat with yeast sensitivities ACV because it could cause an internal yeast infection. Now this seems contradictory because most everything I read says just the opposite, that you can TREAT yeast with ACV. But how else can I explain that familiar (aha! it was a yeasty smell) emanating from his rear end? Of course, I had no idea he was sensitive to yeast. Since the yeast smell/discharge was coming out of his rear end, not his penis it makes sense that this is an INTESTINAL yeast infection. Just doing a search for intestinal yeast infection yields little information, since most of them are EXTERNAL.
Please note that I have not taken him to the vet to have this "officially" diagnosed as (like so many people) I've lost faith in a vet's ability to treat him effectively. (All he does is unblock him and send him home, telling me I could have "the surgery" for widening his urethra).
That very night I went out and bought an "intestinal blend" of acidophilus and other bacteria (one article said dairy free, because the yeast will feed on the sugars in the milk) that I picked up at my local farmer's grocery. I gave it to him right away, as well as stopped the ACV. We're opening and giving him 1 capsule 3 times a day. The next day (after receiving a total of 3 doses) he didn't urinate out of the box. This is day 4 and so far so good.
I post this not to bad mouth the ACV treatment in any way, since it's obviously very helpful to many, many kitties who I'm sure are very thankful to their mommys and daddys who care so much for them. This is only to let others know that if they have a similar reaction, this may be why. I also feel that because we had decreased his dry food with acidophilus in it to very little he wasn't getting enough beneficial bacteria, which could have possibly staved off (what I believe to be) a yeast infection to begin with. In my search I found that potentially because he's been battling with these blockages he could possibly have a compromised immune system (as well as a lot of stress), which could lead to his inability to fight the yeast growth as well.
I'd like to try this remedy again, but maybe with a reduced dosage, only 1/4 per day instead of twice a day, and then only after a month or more of good bacteria being in his system.
One more thing, I found a product, cranberry and papaya digestive supplement with beneficial bacteria. It's also pretty inexpensive (less than $10 for a 16oz bottle) when compared to vet visits, etc. After we're done with what we bought at the grocery we'll be giving this a try, as it's considerably cheaper."
01/11/2010: Michelle from Saline, Michigan replies: "In response to Robin from San Diego, Ca
My cat (male 2YO, neutered) has the same smell regarding the glands on the rear, but I have never used ACV at all. I was looking for a cure for a feline UTI and ran across this site. Therefore, I wanted to mention my situation for those whose cat already has this exisiting problem pre ACV. I will try ACV, plus take Robin's suggestion and see if it helps my cat. Thanks..."
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[YEA] 11/15/2009: Kim from Albertville, Minnesota writes: "Hello! My cat "Otto" started acting funny today, lickng his genitials, and then he peed all over a notebook i had on my table. This was strange i thought. Then..he started peeing every 5 minutes, and i knew it must be urinary tract infection. Well its sunday, no vets are open, and we are very Broke!
so i went online (Thank god for computers) stumbled upon this site..and did what everyone else said to do, i already had some apple cider vinegar at home because i take it for its health benefits, so i thought..what the heck..anything to give him some relief. I mixed it up 1/4 teaspoon ACV with the "Mother" in 1/2 teaspoon of spring water, and put it in a syringe..gave it to him..he hated it..he foamed at the mouth..and vomited..i felt even worse! So i put some of the mixture in his wet cat food, and 5 hours later..he has completly stopped licking himself and peeing! I'm so excited to be writing this!! I will continue to watch him, and i will give it to him for a few more days..but honestly..its a god send!! I knew it was good for us humans..but he knew it can cure your cats UTI...wow! I'm truly amazed!!"
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[YEA] 10/21/2009: Amazongirl from Nashville, Tn, Usa writes: "Apple Cider Vinegar for cats, urinary tract infection
Dear Earth Clinic,
I would like to thank you so much for this website...it has literally saved my cat's life. We have a 17-year-old little female who for the last couple of years has gotten urinary tract infections repeatedly. She never really showed any symptoms until she was in a horrible state...our first warning is usually bloody urine somewhere in the house. After dealing with the vet and spending $200 each time she got an infection, which then would come back within two or three months, my cat was getting sicker - NOT BETTER. Each time, the vet would try and do blood work on her...being a former vet tech way back in my younger years, I know that most of the time blood work is a money-maker as well as a waste of time - because the treatment will typically be the same regardless of results (this does depend on symptoms). I refused the blood work - not only because of the previous statement, but because we simply just couldn't afford the extra cost. The vet would only dispense 7 days of antibiotics, which was not enough for a cat with bloody urine, as well as an oral painkiller, and then would tell me to bring in another urine sample so they could 'recheck' it in seven days. Upon discovering that she still had a urinary infection, they then gave another 7 days of antibiotics...with the same directions. "Bring her back in 7 days so that we can recheck her." Each time these rechecks were around $40 plus medication (if I didn't have to bring her in). The vet never once mentioned changing food, alternative cures, or anything. The vet did complain about my cat's weight loss - but again, no other suggestions other than to 'do blood work' and continue this ridiculous charade of vet care.
Out of sheer desperation, I finally looked online to see if other people had these same issues with their cats...and vets...and what they did about it. Luckily, I stumbled upon your website - and found a whole group of people who had experienced this - who also OFFERED UP A TREATMENT: Organic unfiltered unpasteurized apple cider vinegar - with the dusty mother at the bottom. Needless to say, I was very very skeptical. Even with the success stories on I read here I just thought that these people had probably did something else without knowing it. However, I can say that I am a firm believer in ACV.
I mixed 5 tablespoons of water to one tablespoon of ACV, giving her 1cc of the mixture 3 times a day - and mixing 3ccs of the mixture in her wet food. In the beginning, she was not happy about the taste, but she has totally grown accustomed to it and doesn't act like she minds it at all.
When I first began the regiment she had just finished 14 days of antibiotics and was still urinating all over the place, still had traces of blood in her urine, and overall was just miserable. She would walk around the house - just pacing and looking for a place to urinate - although not much would happen. There was also a terrible odor to her breath and her urine. She was so skinny that she was nothing more than a 4lb rack of bones and just seemed miserable. I knew that we were going to have to take her back in to the vet and let them do whatever - because otherwise we were going to lose her. In a last ditch effort - I tried the ACV - with full intentions on taking her to the vet the next day. However, after the initial doses, she immediately started to perk up within a few minutes - which shocked me - but also encouraged me. By the next day she had shown great improvement -so I decided to put the vet off for another day or so to see what happened...we have yet to have the need to return to the vet - after two weeks of doing this she is acting like a young kitty of 10. Her bad breath is gone, her stinky urine is gone (and she is using her liter box instead of the entire house), her coat has shined up and her skin irritations (which she has always had) completely went away...and she eats more than ever. She has gained weight - and you no longer feel like you are holding bones.
She was eating wet food before all of this - but now we give her more (with 3cc of mixed water and ACV)...pretty much whenever she asks for it. My other cat, sharing the food, yet not having these problems has also showed improvement in his coat - no more flakes.
I just had to share my story - I have my fingers crossed that this health streak will continue - but so far, so good. Thank you so much for giving me my cat back.
Organic unfiltered unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with mother (that has cured my cat's urinary infection) = $3
Multiple trips to the vet - with no lasting results = $700"
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[YEA] 10/13/2009: Angela from Victoria, Bc Canada writes: "I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to tell their stories. I was a week away from putting down my 19 year old cat. She has had a urinary tract infection on and off for three years. She is a very untreatable animal and I have never been able to cure her. She had been urinating all over my house and beds. It sounded like she was in a lot of pain with her crying all the time. I had made the appointment for a Monday but felt so unsettled by the decision. I felt like I hadn't done all I could for her and in every other way she seemed so healthy. I found this web site on the Tuesday prior to the appointment. I figured I would try the apple cider vinegar treatment as one last attempt. Within 4 days she hadn't urinated anywhere but her litter box. She still cried a lot so I still didn't know whether or not to go through with it. By that Saturday I made the decision to cancel the appointment. It has been a week now and she seems to be doing so much better. Again I just want to thank everyone and the creators of this website. The only one question I have is how long should I be feeding her the vinegar?"
12/28/2009: Sylvia from Frederick, Md replies: "I used 1/2 teaspoon regular apple cider vinegar to 2 cups water for 2 years now and no more UTI. Also one half pill vitamin C 500 mg is good for shiny coat and preventing other problems. Just crush it and put in wet catfood gravy."
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[YEA] 10/12/2009: Samantha from Saint Cloud, Florida, Usa writes: "My 1 year old male cat started being lethargic, and wouldn't eat much. We knew something was wrong, because he's usually very active. I started doing searches to see if I could find a reason, and possibly a cure. Of course after reviewing all the symptoms, I pretty much figured he had a UTI. Thank God, the people of Earth Clinic, an all of the wonderful people who have posted here. I went right out and purchased Apple Cider Vinegar, unfortunately I couldn't find the natural as a lot has suggested, so I purchased the w***e h***e brand, and a medicine dropper. I think he knew I was giving him something that was going to help, since he didn't fight me, when I put it into his mouth.(I used a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon of the ACV and 1/2 teaspoon of water). Even though he spit most of it out, I know he got some of it, because within 15 minutes he was using the litter box and seemed to be feeling better.
The next day, he seems much better (started eating), so I put 1 teaspoon of the ACV in their water bowl (Dog, and two cats share a bowl that is almost a gallon of water). Plus I put some in a small can of food for him (we don't feed them can food - only dry). He's been looking much better! Thank you again."
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10/05/2009: Woodsinn from Stroudsburg, Pa, Usa writes: "Terrible cystitis episode
My 9-yr old male cat Opals has been spraying and acting strange for over a month. He was neutered at 9 months old, and has never acted like this. Last week his spraying increased, and he began whining, crying and licking himself. When he tried to spray with no effect, I was happy, but then noticed the same behavior in the litter box. I was concerned, but I didn't know what was wrong, and it was 2 days more before I took him to the vet. He was given antibiotics, painkillers, etc. I could just kick myself, I suspected cystitis, but never saw it before in a cat. The spraying research I did gave me no clue. He has now been to the vet 2x this week, once he was kept for 3 days with a catheter for a blockage. He has barely peed since I picked him up 2 days ago, and I plan to have him checked again today. So far, we are up to $1400 in vet bills, and he is still in great pain. i will try the ACV today as soon as I can get some, I certainly hope it will help him through this. Grateful for your site!"
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[YEA] 10/05/2009: Peacock from Eaton, Ny writes: "ACV and Cat UTI
I can't tell you how thankful I am to have found this site and the recommendation to try ACV for my cat's recurring UTIs. Kiki is 13 years old and is tormented with UTI's regularly. As others have mentioned, the vet bills become very expensive and never once was a simple home remedy suggested. Anyway, for the past week I have supsected that Kiki may be suffering from another UTI. I had confirmation of this after I found a puddle of pee on the kitchen floor. Sadly, I was seriously considering putting Kiki down because I can't stand to watch him suffer any more, and the expense of treating this is too much. I decided to do an internet search and came across this site and the ACV recommendation. I went right to my local whole foods store and purchased organic ACV (with the mother). I made a 50/50 mixture of water and ACV, put it in a dropper, and squirted it down his throat. Honestly, the first time I did it he didn't have any type of reaction. Just drank it like it was water. Second time was not so good, but I think that's because I had more ACV than water. Anyway, we're on day three of this treatment and so far so good. No sign of him peeing anywhere other than the litter box and he hasn't been crying in pain. I should also note that based on a post here, I have also supplemented his dry food with wet, and added water to the wet to encourage increased water intake. He loves the wet food and doesn't mind that it is watered down. I really hope that ACV is the home remedy I've been looking for, and so far it seems to be!! Best of luck to others with this problem!!"
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08/31/2009: Elwin from Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada writes: "This site is awesome. we inherited Archie from our granddaughter when she went to university.That was about 8 years ago. Granddaughter is about to enter medical school. Archie is 17 years old. A couple of weeks ago,his urine slowed down big time. less than once a day, and then,just a mall clump in the litter box> We took him to the vet, and after exam and blood work and prescription,and $240.00,the prognosis was thathe was in the early stages of renal failure. We gave him the pills(Baytril 15 mg. for ten days. It worked, but barely. just a small amount of urine once,and sometimes, less than once, daily. He became lethargic,and a few days ago, I held him in my arms,and had a teary momentI decided then that that I would do anything I could to keep him around for a few years longer. I got in to this site. The solution: 1/4 tsp of apple cider vinegarin 2 tsp wet cat food. Within a day his urination amount was normal, and now,within a 24 hr. period, he is urinating 3 times-and good substantial ones. He's also back to normal-he played with his catnip mouse this morning. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Cheers: Elwimn Hemphill, Pictou, N.S., Canada"
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[YEA] 08/19/2009: Shellye from Austin, Tx writes: "I came home from a week long vacation in the mountains to find that my Texas Ray (10 yr. old neutered indoor/outdoor male) was suffering from a UTI. Crying in pain, constantly licking himself and searching for a soft place to urinate I noticed only a few drops came out. Poor baby! I found this website and spoon fed him the recommended 1/4 teaspoon of ACV and 1 teaspoon filtered water. He took it surprisinly well. -no major fighting to resist it despite the taste. Almost immediately the crying and pacing stopped! About 2 hours later I mixed 1/4 teaspoon ACV and 2 teaspoons filtered water into some canned cat food that he ate enthusiastically. This morning (12 hours after 1st dose) I gave him a third dose of 1/4 teaspoon ACV and 1 teaspoon filtered water and 20 minutes later he was able to urinate easily with no noticeable pain. I will continue to administer this dosage to him for one more day.
Thanks for the advice!"
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08/14/2009: Sylvia from Frederick, Md. writes: "I sure was blessed to find this website and the cure for cystitis for my 14 yr old Kit Cat. I used 1/4th teaspoon apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 teaspoon water and put it in a glass dropper applied to the corner of her mouth while my husband held her under her front paws and her rear. I did this every morning before breakfast and in 3 days, she was healed. I also put 1/2 teaspoon ACV into 2 cups water and that is her drinking water for the day. I continued to put the ACV in her drinking water and find she drinks a lot more now. In fact I wonder if I should stop putting it in the water. Will it be bad for her? Can it hurt? She seems to go a lot now. Maybe too much? I did not see anyone ask this. THANKS"
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[YEA] 08/12/2009: Uniquegirl from Warrington, Nr Manchester, England, Uk writes: "re: Cystitis, Cat Urinary Tract Infection - very bad with blood
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR was the very last resort for my beloved companion aged circa 14, Tilly. She developed an infection back in 2006 shortly after my fiance moved in with his female cat, Ally. Ally & Tilly were not friends ( they still aren't !) and after some stress Tilly began to pee in painful little spots aound the house, pitiful to watch. Of course we took her to the vets and over two years they got the condition barely under control, when in February this year I CAME ONTO THIS WONDERFUL SITE HERE and read about a lot of people having success using Apple Cider Vinegar, I continued using the vet quality food BUT stoped taking Tilly to the vets for her jab of chemicals ( Cartrophen I think it was called and it didn't really work ! ) well, she stopped peeing immediately and I was going to write up here about it, but I thought, No, I'll stay with it and give a proper write up- Tilly then began to exhibit very kitten - like behaviour, became much more playful and literally scampered about.....Remember !! She is 14 years old !! This was great, so I also began to put a few drops in Ally's food too ( she is about 12) and lo and behold she was the same...I can't thank the contributors enough, it's been **** seven months *** now, all I use is this; buy a normal botle of ACV in a glass bottle ( I am in England and use an Organic one it's about £0.89 a bottle - bargain !!) All you need is about a quarter or just less of that cap, and once it's under control just a few drops a day in their food. I hope you find this useful, and that it works for you, it has given Tilly a much better quality of life, please e mail me if you want to ask more about it.....does anyone know how the heck I stop her spraying the house now that she can pee properly though ??? LOL ;-) UniqueGirl"
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[YEA] 07/31/2009: Marina from Bloomington, Indiana writes: "My youngest cat, Elizabeth, had been urinating on the floor and odd places for a little while, but I didn't think much of it as she's not spayed, and she doesn't seem to like sharing her litterbox with other cats. However, last week I saw blood in her urine, and I realized she must have cystitis. I was really upset about it, because I didn't want her to be feeling sick or in pain, but I couldn't do anything; I had $8 to my name, and no car. So I went online to look for home remedies, and ran across this site.
I was skeptical, as I am with most home remedies, but I figured I had nothing to lose. So I walked to the nearest store about a mile away and purchased a bottle of apple cider vinegar and a few cans of wet cat food. Returning home, I mixed a capful of the ACV with a few spoonfuls of wet cat food and gave it to Lizzie. She didn't seem to mind the taste, so the next day I have her another serving, this time with less of the wet cat food. She still liked it, so I started giving a capful of ACV with a spoonful of wet cat food.
It's been a week, and amazingly, I've noticed an improvement. She's returned to laying curled up, which she hasn't done in a long time, and she's moving around the house more. She's still urinating on the floor and other hard surfaces, but I don't expect that to stop right away, but there's no blood. She seems to be having no difficulties; no straining or crying.
I would definitely suggest trying ACV for a cat with cystitis; not only does it not hurt to try, but it actually seems to really work. I'm very happy and I'm going to continue giving her ACV for the foreseeable future."
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07/15/2009: Janet from Manchester, Lancashire, England writes: "My beloved Bobby has been suffering for several months now on and off with UTI. His tract keeps blocking and he has been in a lot of pain, squatting all over the house and trying desperately to pee. This weeks episode was the worst as he was sick and had the runs with it too. Rushed him to the local RSPCA where they emptied his bladder which was full of blood, took him back today but his bladder was not full so they left him. Told me his outlook is not looking good and I am devistated as he is my baby and only 9 years old. He is a fat cat and I have been told to put him on a diet which is impossible as I have three other cats. He is having to take Cystease tablet at the moment but the vet basically has told me that his outlook is not good as it is a problem which will keep re-occuring. I found this site and have bought some acv. Put some in a syringe with water but it went everywhere except in his mouth! Have added some to his food and water but as all the cats share and he never eats a full bowl at once I cannot guarantee that he will eat any of the hidden acv. I shall keep trying though. Seems too good to be true that this can cure cats of this problem. I am scared to death that the next time I take him to the vets will be the last time. Will keep on trying and pray to God that it will work."
08/01/2009: Liisa from Port Ludlow, Washington replies: "I wanted to respond to Janet from Manchester; you might want to try switching to a different food. I had a Male cat that had this problem and the only thing that helped him was to put him on very high quality food that does not have animal-by-products in it. If that still does not work try switching to a grain free food. This is an easy thing you can do that would benefit all of your cats. Our cat that had this problem went on to live until he was 17. I hope this helps."
08/04/2009: Paula from Sunderland, UK replies: "Hi i would like to reply to janets message, i have a male cat who was constantly getting uti's he was on special dry food also, however my normal vet was booked up so i made a appointment at a different practice, the vet asked me about diet and recommended changing to a wet food permantly and purchasing a water fountain, that was 7 months ago and so far no problems, all my cats drink more as they love the filtered water fountain, and no problem"
08/28/2009: Janet from Manchester, Lancashire, England replies: "I posted a message well over a month ago about my nine year old cat Bobby. He was having regular bouts of not being able to pee and in a lot of pain. I took him to the vets twice and the last time the vet told me if it happened again I would have to have him put to sleep. I was devastated and searched the net for a solution. I found this site and thought I would give him a try with the ACV as well as Cantharis tablets, which I also read were good for UTI's. Since his last bout of not being able to pee I decided to buy him slices of cooked chicken which I then coated on one side with a drop of ACV and then crushed a Cantharis tablet into the same side. I then fold in half and cut up into tiny pieces. A lot easier to give to him rather than sprinkle on his food as I also have three other cats who all share the food. I did not think I would be able to do this either by forcing the tablet down his mouth. Anyway, so far he has been fine and well and I have had no problems. I give him one tablet in chicken every morning and continue to give him a chicken piece later in the day when I am home from work. I rub in a tiny drop of ACV and he loves it. I want to thank everyone on this site who has posted suggestions for this problem. Fingers crossed that he continues to have no more problems."
07/20/2010: Empressmegami from Hackensack, Nj replies: "People, I noticed that many of you put your health and that of your pets in someone else hands. As someone who work in the field call medicine, I have one word of caution for those who do this--use your intuition, question everything, leave no stones unturned, ask for inserts for all drugs, be it pills or vaccines and read these things before you take them because you might just save yourself some agony. I know some people in the profession do not like when you ask them questions, but if you get that vibe you should seek help someplace else. I feel that genuine people who went into the field to help other people will answer your questions and will never view you as bothering them, but remember you have to ask questions and also try to take a hint. I have tried so many times to give people the opportunity to ask questions, asked them if they want to read medication inserts and 9 out of 10 times patients are so confident that they neglect to ask simple questions that could help them. I noticed one person mentioned how come his vet does not know of this simple remedy and my answer is that s/he may well know of it but if he tells you this then you would not need to visit the vet. On the other hand, s/he may have no idea that this works which means he does not understand what triggers ailments in the animal kingdom to include us. Some of us go to school and all we rely on is what we are taught. I did it for about 15 years before I realized that most times things are not working, people get sicker and more dependent on things that do them more harm than good. After stepping back from the situation, removing the blinders I realize that I can really depend on what I have thought because it appears that what I have been taught is meant to keep people sick so they can come back for more service. Think about it and listen to that little voice inside your head. Ask questions. How do I know that I would not get better whether I took that antibiotic or not? Who says I would not have been better already if I did not take that antibiotic? Did that antibiotic create another problem in my system that may take time to show up? What ingredients are in that antibiotic that I am asking for. Simple questions these may be but, you may be surprised at what you could learn. Think people- that is for yourself, and not base it on what mainstream media programs you to think."
07/21/2010: Rainman from Central, Vt, Usa replies: "Empressmegami from Hackensack, I think what you said is very good advice. However, the reason why most of us are here is because of the bad advice of our doctors (veterinarian and medical). For instance, if I listened to the advice of my veterinarian, he would've killed my dog. We were constantly asking questions. He said, nothing is wrong, it's nothing to worry about, it can't be that, this is the best thing for your dog. Well, after seeking resources like this site, my once almost dead dog (in the care of a veterinarian), is now getting healthier under the advice of the folks here and other places. The medical field is blind or ignorant to the damage they are causing and covering up. While not required, Nonmaleficence, primum non nocere, or "FIRST, DO NO HARM" was the first thing I learned when I was entering the medical field. It's one of the basic ethical values a medical person should be sworn to obied by. This oath seem to be overlooked by doctors. Instead they bathe in the piles of money they make dishing out harmful substances like they are candy. In short, WE do not trust our doctors advice anymore. We can't afford the risk. I urge everyone to question your doctor and then do your own research."
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