Cats are generally thought of as rather low-maintenance pets, able to take care of themselves for the most part--and generally preferring it that way! However, even the healthiest cats are threatened by a variety of potential ill-health conditions, particularly later in life.
Cystitis, cat acne, fleas, ticks, FIV, bald spots, mites, and ear issues are just the start of a long list of common conditions that might afflict your pet.
As with their human owners, apple cider vinegar is often a popular remedy for cat ailments of several kinds. Cats will often take a small dose added to their food or water (try one if your cat rejects the other).
The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Posted by Dalsan (Aloha, Or Usa) on 01/02/2012 ★★★★★
I wanted to pass on something mentioned on Curezone that can help those using Ted's mange cure on cats or pets that lick themselves repeatedly.
My cat has a sacroptic mange re-infection and I'm again treating her with Ted's cure.
The very first time I bathed Kat with the borax/ peroxide mix I kept her in my warmed up bathroom and sat with her until she was almost dry. I didn't have a collar to keep her from licking, so I tried to keep her distracted. She still licked enough off to end up vomiting. The thought of doing this again several times made me heartsick.
I was reading up Curezone.com sometime later when someone mentioned Activated Charcoal. It's what they use in hospitals to adsorb (not absorb) poisons that have been ingested. It's saved many a life- yet is very inexpensive and available over the counter at most health food stores.
Most households that have kids- have AC in their medicine cabinet- just in case. I even had some on hand - but had long forgotten about it.
Anyway, just before the next bath I mixed a 1/2 tsp. of the AC powder into 1/2 oz of water and put some into a 1. 0mm syringe then squirted the syringe-full into Kat's mouth. Her eyes got big- she expected it to taste bad like her other meds I guess- but there's no taste to it and she didn't mind it at all.
The second bath was a bit more of a struggle- she Hates baths- but this time she didn't get sick, nor the 3rd one either.
Now the family uses it regularly again for an upset stomach and/or occasional diarrhea and I'm going to use it as part of a colon cleanse. It works fast and is virtually non-toxic.
Unfortunately, most stores only sell Activated Charcoal in capsules now. But in a pinch you can open one or two and get the powder that way (I couldn't get the tiniest capsule down my Kat on a bet. LOL)
We prefer to keep the powder on hand- it's way cheaper in the long run- and there are so many other ways to use it. The cheapest site I've found sells a 10oz can for under $12 shipped that will last us for several months.
Hope those with mange cats will give the AC a try.
Willa; I have lightened up some on ACV and changed over to coconut oil organic and virgin or extra virgin if any available, it has helped my very sick cat 100% she was vomiting constantly until she was spitting up blood, I took her to the vets, costing me $150.00 and I could not see any results, so the coconut oil has done wonders for my cat, because she was a dumpster diver(stray) her immune system was damaged to almost no repairing .I cook her chicken and mix coconut oil in with her food every time she eats (3 or more times a day)and she seems to stay stable & she just loves the taste. Another thing every one should remember or know is tha t"All"animals eat grass because it's their form of medicine, if cats are held inside for the duration they crave this fresh grass like I crave sweets etc..
If any one cares to do a web search on the remedies for coconut oil, it has a huge amount of help and remedies.
Grass can be found at most leading stores or in a garden center or in my back yard where it needs mowing LOL.Good Luck.
https://youtu.be/MMqCoWSD5zg?si=IY_cRTsEvJAcipZ1 This youtube video explains a mange treatment with NEEM OIL. It is one part neem oil to 10 parts carrier oil like coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil (I'd be careful with the olive oil unless you know it hasn't been altered with other seed oils though). Good luck and cheers!!
Acupuncture for cats. My acupuncturist was treating me at home (back pain) and I mentioned that my 12yo Manx didn't pee for 4 days, she put 2 needles into her. Immediately after the session my dear cat relieved itself and was more active. She, the cat, is dying, I'll skip the details, but say that she is sleeping most of the time, only sucks fluids from the wet cat's meals and has problems with #2. She is peeing regularly after 3 sessions, but didn't poop for 12 days now. She is like a skeleton without her fur. We did take her to a veterinarian, she took blood and said everything is normal. We decided not to torture the cat with medical interventions. I started red light therapy, I have a mini MitoRed unit which I use for my aches and pains. Interestingly my cat would lie down infront of the unit. 5-6 inches away, and won't leave until she feel it is enough. Usually it is from 10 to 20 min. The longest she went without pooping was 10 days. Today is the 12th day. But she doesn't really eats, only sucks fluids from meals. I give her butter from my palm, a tiny piece, she likes it. Coconut oil is also good, but she prefers butter.
For those of you out there with aging cats - they need better nutrition as they age. Here is my suggestion....I love my fur kitties - and because I am a very busy person, I have a system that keeps them healthy - my eldest is 18 years old.
Organic ACV/Filtered water 50/50 mix. 2cc in am and pm. I use a syringe. 4 days on, 3 days off.
Organic wet pet food. Different varieties.
Limited vaccinations.
Filtered drinking water only
Morning dab of organic, virgin, unrefined coconut oil on their paws. Just a dab on each paw. They lick it.
Posted by Suzan (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on 08/09/2011
I have a female (fixed) cat. She is 17 years old. She is an indoor cat and was really healthy all her life but now she pees and poops right were she lies. Is this normal for an old cat. My friends say I will need to put her down soon because all she does is sleep. What do you think I love my cat
Hi, Suzan. Hug your cat, tell him you love him. Keep him as comfortable as possible and if he appears to be suffering, do the right thing and take him to the vet for a final hug until he sleeps in peace. His behavior is absolutely normal for an old cat. You will also notice that he gets very thin even though he is eating well. In the last part of your cat's life, his kidneys will begin to fail him. His other organs will follow suit. Keep him warm. He has very little fat on his body. Are his teeth OK? Many older cats find it hard to eat hard food. That having been said, don't make any sudden changes to his diet. Your vet may add a high-fat soft food to it, though. They sell a very good one for sick and old cats. Good luck to you, Suzan. My best friend, Max lived to be 17. He was a blue point siamese. He used to walk on a leash through the crowds at DFW airport. He was amazing! He's been gone for 4 years now and I still miss him so much. Cherish your cat while you still have him.
Maximom; I have a kitten she had the same problems, I am almost positive she has upper respiratory infection because of one eye running constantly & red/itchy she is always coughing & what I suspect may be seizures, also she continued to throw up after eating, I started my kitten on ACV right away & what a blessing, she has totally stopped all her ills, she is now so very playful an the pain that all kittens are (just joking)she has grown up into a two year old beautiful fluffy kitten. She is still healthy & shows signs of getting even better. I understand that upper respiratory infections are incurable but at least I can make her as comfortable as possible, good luck!
Regarding upper respiratory in cats is considered feline herpes and lysine is a remedy for it and it does work. ( I have fostered many cats and believe me it works) Colleen
You may want to not ever give your pet dry food, it is horrible for them. Wet food high in protein would be the way to go. No vegetables added to their food with sugars. You can also add vitamins to their food a tiny pinch to each meal. Taurine Vitamin B - complex, Vitamin C, Kelp, Bone Meal these are the normal things your pet needs for being healthy slippery elm for hair ball issues. God Bless! P
I have an 18 year old cat that developed asthma like symptoms 2 years ago. He was on oxygen and steroids for a while. Then on homeopathic remedies. He was getting worse and was dying. I did some research and found a lifesaving remedy for him. Omega Alpha, Lung Tone. I give it to him by mouth daily and he's back to his old self again. Truly amazing. It saved his life!
I had a cat that is 13 and had had crystals so had extreme medical intervention at 1. I heard they needed iodine and tested out if he liked seaweed. We worked out the dose for him was 1/2 a Nori sheet. He will sit by the cupboard until he gets it. Had bloods done. Fine. No iodonised iodine for him. He loves his seaweed. And I can go to the sea and get it. Just another grass. He also craves fish. Meowing till we feed him some when he smells it. Instinct guides animals. Listen to them.
My cat Martin is turning 17 in January, 2015 and has struggled with gastritis, arthritis and asthma for years. Thanks to this forum, I've added aloe to his diet - he is a different cat! I also use Cold Laser treatments twice p/month to address the arthritis, also very, very effective with pain control (so much so that he is now off Metacam! ).
NOTE: Please be CAREFUL with the Aloe. ONLY Inner Leaf is actually recommended for pets - NOT whole leaf. I personally use Organic Aloe Vera Gel from inner leaf only, 1/2 tsp per wet meal x twice p/day.
Please avoid aloe vera with cats. Like so many other seemingly harmless things, it is toxic to cats. ALL of it. Please do a search and look up ANYTHING before administering it to your cat. They lack detoxifying enzymes and cannot detoxify things that are fine for humans and dogs. Please avoid essential oils as well. I have aloe plants that I place where my cat cannot reach them. Trust me, it is not safe for cats.
It's only the yellow liquid latex found just inside the skin of Aloe leaves --which has been removed & concentrated-- that needs to be warned about ... as it is a very strong irritant of the bowels ... so strong that they stopped using it in cases of human constipation long ago!
However, the clear inner gel is quite safe for humans & pets to ingest! It is also very easy to give aloe to our pets without the aloe latex!
Aloe gel also works to confuse &/or repel fleas (& ticks?) when applied on their coats! (So does 2.5% vinegar---50% each 5% vinegar & water!) I've used both remedies for this purpose successfully, applying either one 2x daily!
It has also been found that many essential oils can be used carefully with cats, and even birds ... you just have to use the correct ones specially prepared for pets in amounts safe for them!
I've given my cats either of them (acv or pumpkin) mixed in their food. Most of them will eat them. One of five doesn't like the ACV or Pumpkin much, tho.... I've never tried giving them both of them at the same time....
I just wanted tell the story of Kona, our 15+yro Siamese Bob tail Cat. She has always struggled with the changes from winter to spring, so just 3 weeks ago took her to the vet for what seemed like congestion and bad sounding cough. She received a steroid shot and we got a $70 bill.Brought her home, gave her extra care when she didn't want to be outside and she got better, was eating and drinking again. Then came the last week in March where we could not find her and by the evenings of the 25th & 26th she had not did her typical routine of shredding the weather stripping at the front or rear doors after dark to come in for the night, by about 5pm on the 27th I found her sitting in our pasture on a bed of leaves with her nose pressed to the ground, wouldn't respond to being called or making noise to get her to look up, couln't see her breathing at all, I was sure she had passed away, I next climbed over the fence and as I got closer, she looked up and made a pitiful meow, she was in worse shape than in previous weeks. We quickly got her to the Vet before closing where she spent the night and was given iv fluids, antibiotics and a X ray that showed her lungs clear of issues.
After a $300 vet bill she came home that Friday the 28th.She still looked horrible, wouldn't eat or drink.Though the Vet said he thought she would be ok, everyone at home thought she was in her last days if not hours. By mid day Saturday I looked at EC's pet section, read about Apple Cider Vinegar and all of the positive stories of how it helped others pets , but I could not wrap my head around on how to treat Kono with this. Vapor? wasn't sure how to do that. She wasn't about to eat or drink anything and she wasn't going to let me force it on her, already tried getting mashed food from a baby bottle to only have it spit out.
Then Sunday evening came and a plan had come to me.First I filled a tea kettle with 1cup water 1/2cup raw (w/mother) ACV, brought to a boil, poured a mug full and placed it in front of the pet carrier and covered all with a heavy towel to trap the vapor. I tried this a couple of times and decided it was not effective enough with little vapor and it cooling off to quickly. So next I brought the kettle back up to boil then turned down to a low simmer, placed the cat carrier with towel over it onto the counter next to the stove. Found a empty paper towel tube, then I placed over the spout of the Kettle that allowed me to direct the steam into the carrier but the cardboard will become soggy and fall apart after awhile, a heavier cardboard are a tube made of plastic would work better. I decided to offset the kettle from the eye on the (glass cook top stove) toward the carrier, carefully covering the the kettle and carrier under the towel but take caution from getting burned from steam or from the burner eye.
I Do NOT Recommend trying this with a gas top stove or even a stove with a electric coiled eyes, this would be a fire hazard and possible injury to pet and owner. Please use COMMON SENSE. Leaving a opening on back of carrier to allow vapor to flow through or letting out some vapor several times in a treatment, this proved to be very effective.Did this method for less than 20minutes at a time.
Monday morning she was standing and stretching in the kennel but still had green goo coming from her eyes and still not eating or drinking. Proceeded with another vapor treatment that morning in which afterwards the green goo started to come out of her nostrils, I thought Progress, then treated again that evening, slowly but surley she started to improve to the point that she decided to drink a good bit of water and finally wanted outside, then walked around the house and went straight to the food bowl on the back deck. She chose to stay outside for the night, she didn't like the kennel thing, went to find her with a flashlight around 9:30 but she hides well. This morning about 7:30 am, April 1st she walked up the back steps into the kitchen, then went right into eating dry food. Took a nap then wanted back out again. She seems much better and more like her normal self again. Thanks to all who contribute to this site.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
After many years of antibiotics which did only do lasting damage, I have found a remedy homeopathic that works like a charm.
It is VIRUMED by HOMEOCAN in Canada. I am so pleased and my cats are well! Never give antibiotics. They kind of wither after that. I just put about 10 drops in water enough for a medium syringe and gave it hourly for two days; then three times a day. You have to watch - if they do not sneeze, stop and resume just once if needed. I can't say how much I am pleased with this remedy as in the past I lost many rescues with the routinely used antibiotics. The immune system is precious and has a purpose. Not to damage it!!
Love homeopathics for myself and kitty alike. I cannot find Virumed from Homeocan (I live in Canada too). Have they changed the name since you were last using it? Do you know? My kitty comes up with a sneeze and a chuffy little cough, usually once or twice a year and although ACV dilute usually helps, it's been a good 5 days and I just popped some arsenicum album (homeopathic) into her based upon a vet homoepathic book I have, but I am very interested in the virumed. If you read this, would love a response - thanks OM:)
What ailments/illnesses did you treat your kitty for with ACV, and under what heading can I find apple cider vinigar treatment for cats? I'm reading about all the treatments. But I cannot find where they are located for felines in the website. greatly appreciated, the help.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Your cat may be experiencing a medical emergency. Dilated pupils can indicate pain, and heavy breathing also means something is wrong. Please consider taking your cat to the vet ASAP.
Help! My cat is very sick! She has some respiratory infection. Sneezing, watery eyes, congested, she's not wanting to eat much. Lost a lot of weight. Is very weak. The vet put her on antibiotics and eye drops with antibiotics which I don't like giving her cause it weakens their immune system. She also had fever when I took her to the vet. Suggestions to treat her naturally and effective please? I give her also colloidal silver and coconut oil. How much do I give her that? How often? She's only 4 pounds now she's lost so much weight. She's 11 months. My heart is breaking to see her like this.
If your cat is young, treatment on Earth Clinic will probably work for upper respiratory illness. Yesterday, I had to put down my older cat (18 years old) due to respiratory illness as I was afraid she was going to suffocate. I was only able to help her once using antibiotics. But the next time my cat came down with this illness nothing would work! Absolutely nothing. Although it is very difficult to put an animal down it is best for the animal. Don't allow your pets to suffer if they don't get well. Just my opinion.
My cat gets reverse osmosis filtered water, I thought maybe it would be a good idea to give him some baking soda in the water. A tiny bit. The next day his breath smelled bad. So I quit the baking soda and rubbed apple cider vinegar into his fur and next day his breath was better. He's got goop in his eye corners and nose and an ear infection, black stuff comes out of his ear when he shakes his head. I change his water about every other day, maybe every day is better. He's on grain free food for several months now. I'm going to try hydrogen peroxide for his ears.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
The bad breath you detected was due to your cat detoxing - a good thing! You can try adding the baking soda again to alkalize your cat or add raw, unpasturized, unfiltered -'with the mother' Apple Cider Vinegar - 2-3 tablespoons to a liter of pure, non-chlorinated water, and yes, change daily and put fresh down each time. Also consider adding probiotics/acidophillus to your cat's food to help combat yeast overgrowth associated with a PH out of kilter.
You can help your cat feel better by cleaning his gunky ears; try 1 cup of olive oil and add to that a couple of smashed or pressed cloves of garlic. Let it steep over night and then strain out the garlic. Warm it up nice and toasty before using it in your cat's ears. Use it liberally. After 3-4 days try cleaning his ears of the gunk. Keep on using the oil until the ears are clean.
Reverse osmosis water I thought was not good for us. It's the same as soda pop which is really bad for us. I give my cat 8.5 alkaline drinking water. If anything filtered tap water would be better than the reverse osmosis water.
Actually, reverse osmosis water is the absolute best for you and your pets. It removes everything and hopefully some of the radiation from Fukishima too. It removes the chlorine, very bad, and the fluoride which our gov't insists we have as it for real makes us lose IQ points - Harvard study. You must just remember to add back in minerals such as sea salt like Himalayan.
Posted by Maximom (Vancouver Island, Canada) on 07/26/2011
Hello fellow pet lovers at Earth Clinic; I have a beautiful 8 month old Russian Blue X kitten named Maxi who has recently begun having coughing fits that wake him from his sleep in the middle of the night. He got so dehydrated a few days ago that he needed subcutaneuous fluid to survive! I took him to the vet to the tune of nearly $1000.00 and even with a radiogram, xray, CBC, urinalysis and fecal test, the vet was unable to pinpoint his exact ailment! So Maxi's now on Cefa-drops (antibiotic) for his bronchitis as well as fenbendazole for possible lungworm infestation. My family and I are beside ourselves with worry over Maxi's condition! (my teenage son even pitched in money to pay the vet bill! ). But Maxi will only eat (the best$$ wet food we can get) if we encourage/pet him and he won't drink water at all. He's slowed down so much for an 8 mo kitten and is sleeping a lot the last few days too. We thought he was recovering yesterday when he was really hungry, but today is back to being tired and not eating - he had another coughing bout yesterday morn too - so sad :~( My vet wants to run more tests - we love our baby, but WOW is it expensive! And we're not sure these meds are working! I hope I found the sight with the cure here! Has anyone seen a cat recover from this type of malady by using ACV? What would be the right dose and method of delivery for a cat with the above symptoms? If anyone at all coud help us, we would be so very grateful! Love nor money alone isn't working to heal our baby! We need to try something else! Thanks so much for any help received - Maxi's Mom
Lactoferrin- It's a good brand. What lactoferrin is... It's from the very first milk of the momma cow. It is a very strong immune booster. My baby cat almost died three times for horrid upper respritory issues. Did I spell that wrong? probably! Anyways, give her a mashed up tablet twice a day for three days and then once a day for a week and see how and if she improves. Mash it to powder with the bottom of a spoon and to one teaspoon of wet food add this and a tablespoon of bottled water. I never use tap! Only a teaspoon of the wet food because you want to be sure she eats all of it. More food might make the chance of it all not being ingested. It is safe too. for people and animals.
One good thing you can do for sure is stop giving him commercial food: vet prescribed, top brand, whatever = junk; this stuff will speed his deterioration. Give him food that cats ate when they lived healthier, longer lives, like before there was a pet food industry. I learned this lesson with my cat who also had some issues that various, expensive vets with all of their tests and prescriptions could not figure out and after thousands of dollars returning only a sickly, miserable cat - I had to figure something out. I started out giving him stewed, chopped up chicken liver from the grocery store's butcher dept. And then transitioning into a variety of meats other than beef and whitefish. My cat has no problems eating now and is much healthier. These days, sometimes I add a teaspoon of canned pumpkin to his meals and this aids in his digestion. Commercial food is the reason most of our pets get sick. I also have Whiskers Holistic Pet Supply (Phil and Joseph) in NYC to thank for much good advice on my cat's health. Good luck to you:)
Hi Maximom, hope your baby is all better now! I had similar issues with my russian blue, Figaro, he refused to drink water. I even tried with bottled water... However, he loved to drink cream or half-and half. You could try that next time when Maxi needs liquids ASAP.
Well, once they give a cat all those drugs - they also have to get better from them so chances are you paid good money for your cat to become more sick -
I raised a family of cats (foster care) and they all had very bad eye infection so I went to a cat eye specialist and he said Lysine - (which is an amino acid) is helpful for any respiratory issues - and it did help - so much more than any drugs did - (only one of the cats still has runny eyes)
I have not tried the Apple Cider Vinegar - but I may - and the dose would have to be a very small amount (smaller than the recommended that I have seen here) -
Also homeopathic works well with cats - Karen Becker on FB is a wholistic vet who will give you info if you ask on her FB page. (mercola.com)
Replied by Catsfurever (Somerville, De)
08/07/2012
Responding to: 10/01/2011: Nike from Goteborg, Sweden replies: "...However, he loved to drink cream or half-and half. You could try that next time when Maxi needs liquids ASAP."
PLEASE do not EVER give a cat cream or half and half OR MILK- especially when they need liquids. MOST cats are lactose intolerant and will develop severe stomach cramping and often diarreah from it. This will make the cat more dehydrated, which can be lethal and is a horrible way to go for any creature.
Somehow nowadays American cats are lactose intolerant. My European grandma's cats loved milk and lived long life! Many 17 - 19 years. There was no vet in her town for small animals and cats got meat left overs and twice a week small piece of raw meat. Try organic goat milk or minimally processed milk from a small local farm. Mine is not certified "organic" but they take good care of their cows without wasting money on certification.
This is off the beaten path of your discussion, does anyone know if apple cider vinegar could be applied to a sore on my cats neck, she is an indoor cat. I've had her 5 years this has never happened before. Thank you for a timely response, she is my best friend!
Apple Cider Vinegar can sting on broken skin. You could try it but dilute it a lot. Maybe 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 cup of water. Turmeric powder may be of help, or extra virgin coconut oil. You could even mix the two and apply it.
Apple Cider Vinegar is no good for this but if its an upper respiratory infection try one half human echinacea and one half human vit c both 1000 mg. Grind them into powder and mix into wet food like brine from tuna or give directly with dropper bottle from chemist. Do this once a day at the same time every day. Hope this helps
The best treatment is powdered turmeric applied dry onto a wound. Heals fast and no pus. It is a natural antibiotic, makes new blood. When healed, apply coconut oil. I have used it on large wounds with great results.
I'm sure it will. I'm no vet, but a pet parent. When my shadow came to us he was sneezing and his eyes were covered in green and yellow puss. I have him L Lysine and ACV. The ACV, I put in his water for two weeks and the L Lysine I crush up and put in his food. You might try this and look at the administering fluids section for instructions on giving liquids. I hope your little one feels better soon.
Posted by Jennifer (South Africa) on 08/24/2006 ★★★★★
My tomcat was in a fight and got his ear badly scratched. It started smelling really bad as the puss formed, and the whole scratch was filled with yellow puss. He was in a lot of pain. So to clean the ear i put very warm water in a small bowl and added quite a bit of apple cider vinegar. Then i dunked tissue paper into the water & apple cider mix and squeezed it out into his ear (i had to get another dry tissue to hold into his ear-drum so the water wouldn't run further into his ear and upset him). It cleaned it out very quickly, after a few hours the crust had gone and the puss was dispelling. I repeated this in the morning, and he actually seemed to enjoy the warmth of the water on his painful ear, so he never even flinched when i came close with the apple-cider water. it's worked for him ! It's easy on the skin, not harsh like other medication / antibiotics would be.
Posted by R. Astby (Melbourne, Vic. Australia) on 05/13/2012
Regarding Avocado. I'm sure I stupidly killed my beautiful cat with leftover avacodo that was going a bit brown. Immediately lethargic & sat on cushion for a couple of weeks until too late. Gagged at first, then labored breathing became more evident each day. At near closing time, Vet said inhumane & euthanased. It was a mystery at first, I thought possibly heartworm as same symptoms. But then I remembered giving the avocado & that's when it started. Labored breathing is symptom of avocado to Cats I've read. I think it may be the Alpha-Lipoic Acid which causes liver damage also. So leave the unknown human foods out of your animals diet.
R. Ashby - you are right. ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid) is toxic for cats.
Check it out on the internet. It may be good for you - but - not for them. Cats (and, sometimes, dogs) react badly to many things that are good for people. Anytime I give anything to a cat - I first check out it thoroughly with vets - AND on the internet - for Risks, Cautions, Side-Effects, etc.
Red meats, muscle meats and organ meats like liver, kidneys and hearts are the foods richest in alpha lipoic acid. Other foods that contain ALA include yeast, spinach, broccoli and potatoes, according to Drugs.com. Many of these ingredients are included in commercial cat foods to meet your kitty's need for the antioxidant. Don't confuse alpha lipoic acid with the omega-3 essential fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, which our furry buddies also need in their diets. Alpha-linolenic acid, also called ALA, helps keep your cat's skin and coat shiny, according to the "Cat Lover's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Insight and Guidance for Living a Joyful Life with Your Cat."
Sources of alpha-linolenic acid include walnuts, flax seed and canola oil, according to the Kirkland Science Labs website.
Posted by Caroline (Bournemouth, Uk) on 04/09/2011
Hi there I have a neutered male cat (11 years old) and almost overnight he has become very cautious jumping up/over anything or using his back legs, I have taken him to the vets and they have given him antibiotics for a possible urine infection and a suppository for possible constipation. However 3 days later and he appears to be just as cautious using his back legs - I am just concerned this could be a spinal injury/tumour/arthritis - do you have any suggestions or advice how long I should leave it, I want to do the best thing for him and am happy to pay but want to avoid unnecessary stress to him
We have an 18yr neutered male, who had a diabetic problem, now resolved with non-wheat, corn, gluten, sugar, starchy, dry food. Fancy Feast has a few of their classic flavors that do not contain wheat gluten (have to check the label each time though). Anyway the high blood sugar caused neuropathy, which started off intermittently and gradually worsened, now he walks on his hocks completely, not like the usual high-heeled cats. This is the same results humans have. I figured out all of this via yourdiabeticcat.com - not through my vet and unfortunately, not until the biggest damage had been done. Like humans, cats with 150 glucose readings are considered abnormal and need treating if they have a diabetic history. If occassional, they keep an eye on it. Our vet didn't treat our cat or even mention it until he had gone for 6 months of readings over 200 . Unfortunately, I had no knowledge/experience of diabetes and trusted the vet. It was almost a year later until I took matters into my own hands, put him on the closest cat insulin PZI (no the dog insulin they normally give). Took him off the DM vet prescription of dry (expensive) food, and within 2 weeks got his glucose under 150, stopped insulin and never looked back.
But the back legs became weaker, which is also a common problem, so I've heard/read with many older cats, as their muscle mass deteriorates all over - but in our case diabetes contributed, and we had no signs of high glucose until our told us and he became quite ill because of it. I read and tried methyl b12 vitamins help in neuropathy, but you need to get a pure organic tablet, crush it and put it in their food. We had trouble because of the synthetic sweetener they used for the gel capsule some of which is poisonous to cats. (i forgot the name) - I research everything from several places before trying anything new, cat specific websites are better, as they are a little more special!!!
Replied by Pam E. (Southern California)
11/15/2021 148 posts
I remember reading somewhere that Iodine is poisonous to cats. Besides, giving MSM orally works very nicely on Ringworm! I just put it in moist cat-food, or spray dry food with water & sprinkle it onto that, and they eat it fine ... because it has no odor, they just smell the food. And they don't really have taste-buds of any kind, so they don't sense what we sense of its bitterness.
My cat disappeared in the house for 8 hours. I finally found her, foaming at the mouth, with a dirty bottom, dilated pupils, cold and panting late at night. Totally lethargic and not eating or drinking. In the morning I went to the vet and they said the tests of all kinds came back negative and that all they could do is a saline drip and antibiotics. I said yes to that. By evening she was a bit more alive, but still eyes dilated and panting, just warmer and more hydrated. They sent her home with me to die. This is when I went on a search for natural remedies, as the vet had no diagnosis or any ideas. The saline drip gave me time to think about it. So the first thing is I used CBD oil to get the cat to have its first nap in two days, and she woke up so thirsty and even had a bite of food. Still panting lethargic and eyes dilated, but hungry and thirsty! Then I read that panting or shortness of breath was caused by a lack of iron. I asked the vet and they had already checked iron levels and hers were fine. Either way, I made a cup of blackstrap molasses water, and readministered CBD. When she woke up thirsty again I offered both water and molasses water...and she wanted molasses water. She laid in the same place all night. I woke up in the middle of the night and she was missing...I got scared and called for her... And she jumped on the bed and let me pet her and wanted out of my room. The next morning I woke up and there she was with regular eyes, and regular breathing, and wanted to go down to see all her animal friends and had already cleaned her fur. It was a miracle and the vets had no idea how that happened. Thanks earthclinic!
Hi, I read your remedy. I am kind in the same situation with Mina. How did you prepared the molasses? What's the molasses vs. water ratio?
Please let me know.
Thanks 🙏
Hi everyone, My cat is 14 years old and in the past two years the arthritis in his back legs has gotten really bad. I feed him non-grain organic hard food (chicken soup for the soul) as well as organic soft food (taste of the wild), and also give him two cosequin supplements a day. I also have heating pads (on the lowest heat) on his special pillow in my room, and other places around the house. I try to get him to play, and am doing everything I can to help. My question is: Would a little bit of blackstrap molasses be helpful? I know it is for dogs, but is it for cats? I mean like putting some on your finger and putting it in his mouth. I did that once a day for a few days and saw improvement but then read it may be bad for cats so stopped. Also - does anyone recommend a non-grain hard food for their cat that is also tasty and organic? Thank you so much!
Kim, I would give your kitty bone meal with Vit. D (the D to absorb the Ca). The biochemist & nutritionist Adelle Davis said arthritis is always a calcium deficiency. Bone meal is the best & most natural source of Ca. It rid my elderly mother of arthritis in her neck. It was so severe she couldn't turn her neck to the left at all; doctors said there was no cure. The bone meal with Vit. D completely resolved it.
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