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ACV works! Kitty, who is 7 was suffering from a 3rd round of urine problems in past 2 years. Displayed blood in urine, discomfort. Vet would only prescribe antibiotics again if extensive tests done so found this site and thought we'd give it a try. Blended 1/2 tsp. ACV into her wet food at each feeding, 3 times a day and 1/4 tsp. in her 1-1/2 cup water dish. Same day there was improvement and 4 days later under this regimen she is sleeping peacefully, and appears to be urinating normally. Give it a try, using unfiltered ACV bought at the health food store, don't know if that's necessary tho. Thanks again!
Posted by Leta (Sierra Madre, CA) on 09/23/2008 ★★★★★
I am fortunate to have a vet who respects my dislike of anti-bio-tics. She ran tests on my 18 year old cat's urine to find which specific bacteria/crystals caused his distress. She suggested I buy Trader Joe's Cranberry extract, and give my cat a half a tablet crushed up food mornings and a half in evenings. One week later, his urinary pH was back to normal, without bacteria, and no crystals. I'm assuming this would work only for certain kinds of distress, and DEFINATELY not if there's already a blockage....I also would not continue the cranberry full time, as it affects acid-alkaline balance.
Posted by LAURIE Z. (HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA) on 08/13/2008 ★★★★★
Okay,i am writing about the apple cider vinegar, my cat gary was showing severe signs of having uti and we were giving him small doses watered down in the morning and at night it took about five days and believe it or not my cat was up and being his usual self and going to the bathroom like he never had it. i was so happy because he was in so much pain and i just wanted to give it a shot before having to spend the money at the vet and it worked i am so amazed thank you sooo much for this website...
In response to Camille from Pleasant Valley, New York It's very important to know WHAT kind of crystals are causing the blockage. My cat had Struvite crystals from being to alkaline. I stoped all free choice dry food - this causes the body to become alkaline. I now feed him a quality GRAIN FREE cat food. I hide one 250mg vitC and add a spoonfull of turkey and sweet potatoe babyfood (for extra moisture) to the top of all of it. 3 days a week I add an 1/8 of a teaspoon of a cranberry supplement.Any time I notice a lack of pee in his litter box I drain a can of tuna or chicken into a cup and mix with filtered or bottled water (He LOVES this!!) to up his water intake. Knock on wood he has been crystal free now for 2 years!! But you have to know what his Ph is and what kind of crystals he has before you try this! Good Luck!!
I just wanted to let you know how wonderful ACV is. My cat started showing symptoms of a UTI. I stumbled upon your web site and thought I'd try this remedy on him hopeing It could decrease his infection until I could get him to the vet. It not only decreased it but he is acting like his old self again. He is having bowel movements and urinating normal again. He is energetic and running around the house with the energy of a kitten. His coat is shiny and soft. I will still take him to the vet and get his urine tested but I am confident that it will show no sign of his illness. Thank you for helping folks who are searching for natural remedies to treat illness.
My cat is in the hospital for a urinary blockage of some kind. Update this morning is that he is doing better but not out of the woods. A blood clot stopped up the catheter this morning. He did not pass a stone and vet said sometimes a catheter can push whatever was blocking back into the bladder. Ultrasound was done this morning and will get update.
Question is what all bloodwork should be involved? The vet talked about renal levels and said White Blood Cells look better. Is there anything else you all have experienced that you wish the vet had checked?
This site has been so helpful for years and it's so much worth reading I'd like to put a grain of sand for those who are helpless -and terrified- seeing a cat with urinary blockage, especially when vets can do so little that they put mine through 4 catherizations (only to make matters worse) and then surgery for absolutely nothing. Only God knows how I stumbled upon Cantharis, the 6c dose, by Boiron. My little one is alive because of this. It may take a couple of days if it's been ongoing, maybe less. If he doesn't want to lick the 3 or 4 small pebbles I syringe them, first diluted in a tiny bit of spring or filtered water, or sometimes he'll lick the water-diluted little pebbles adding a tad of chicken baby food. 1st time depending on how bad the blockage I've given it twice in 3 or 4 hrs., then another couple of times during the day more or less according to progress. Has to be given on an empty stomach and with no less than 30 to 45 min. clear of any feedings, before or after. This is only to be given for a few days, so looking for everyday help, I'll try the ACV. Thanks.
Can you tel me more about this? My cat has had issues with Cantharis? I have a male cat who nearly died from a blockage I did not catch. He was traumatized by the catheterization and vet hospital stay. I do not want to put him through this again. But he started crying and strained in the liter box yesterday. Today he has not. But I know there is an issue again. I will need medication to even get him to the vet.
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.
There are special products available. You can start with basic digestive enzymes - these can be purchased in the States at food co-ops in bulk. Then there are products you can buy - google to find them "cat urine odor eliminator" "cat urine neutralizer". The key to removing the odor is to find the exact source - you will need a black light to find the exact stain so you know where to apply your product - applying it directly to the spot is critical. Follow the directions on the product label.
I have seen cold pressed coconut oil even at Walmart. Carrington farms, I believe is the brand. That is what I get from Costco also and really like it.
Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory effect, anti-bacterial effect, soothing and moisturizing effect, and boosting the immune system. All these make it used for cat urinary tract infection.
Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any answers or anything at all, that could help my cat. He is only 6 and has been to the vet at least once, if not twice, ever month to the vets office since March. They have done blood work testing and have done an ultra sound. Everything is normal. He did have some teeth that were bad enough they needed to be pulled, which the vet failed to mention. I took care of his teeth last week.He is still using the litter box but he continues to pee a small amount in the bathroom sinks. They keep telling me that it is FLUTD. The only stress he has/had was his teeth that I can even figure out and its been a week tomorrow. And had two times pee in the sink.....
I have switched his food two times, due to the vet telling me only feed him the Hill's brand C/D for urinary tract disorders. I have not been giving him dry food and feel like the food is not the problem. Before switching him to C/D he was on wet food-Weurva.
I just got spring water delivered to my house to only let the animals drink this water no more well water. Which I know can have a lot of calcium and excess minerals to contribute to his issues.
ANY HELP or advice to whatever else may help. Please let me know, THANK YOU!!!!
Consider switching to a meat based food. Acana and Origen are great and made in Canada. Very high in protein though so if your cat is an indoor cat try to find a similar food with a slightly lower protein content and mix with Acana. This can help with unwanted weight gain in your kitty.
Our cat is just going through a series of tests to see if she has some kind infection. Our vet has been understanding and takes a holistic approach to pet care, you may want to look for a vet who works similarly.
As with humans, its all about the food. The farther from natural the worse it is, the more natural meat based the better as cats are carnivores.
I have read about colloidal silver as well as cranberry tablets for cats.
My cat is currently peeing outside of the litterbox, despite haveing 2 boxes to choose from. The name brand cat attractant litter works, but it is expensive, and it says it uses an herbal mixture to entice the cat. I would like to make my own, growing my own herbs. Other than catnip, does anyone have any recipes or suggestions? Thanks!
I have used cat attract in the past. It seems to help but its so pricy. I have successfully id that it contains a fair amount of valarian root, a calming herb. I now buy that in bulk and use instead of the cat attract. Seems to work about the same. Good luck!
My poor sweet Leo (3 year old neutered male) has had a urinary blockage almost more times than I can remember now. It started in March 2012, he blocked (on a Sunday, of course) by Monday morning at about 3 or 4 he began vomiting and looked like he was about to die, which in fact, he was. I sat in the vets parking lot with him screaming in his crate for an hour until they opened at 6. That afternoon, they called and said they had unblocked him and then he re-blocked so they were going to keep him overnight. They called the next morning and said I could pick him up. The cost?? $957.00!! I almost fainted. He was good for a few weeks and then it happened again, and on a Sunday, again! We took him to the emergency vet. They told us $1,700 just to catharsizes him. When we balked they suggested that we might consider euthanasia! We got him through the night and took him to a different vet the next morning. We have used this vet many times. He is VERY unconventional and uses a lot of homeopathic and holistic approaches, which we like, but sometimes he gets a little too unconventional. For instance, his office does not have an x-ray machine!! Anyway, he made him very sleepy and put a catheter in. Leo pulled it out the next day or even that very night we are not exactly sure, and blocked again. Another catheter in, he pulled in out in two days, then the vet flushed him out really well and sent him home, he was good for a few weeks, I think, (really this has been going on for so long and so often that's it's really hard to keep up with each emergency. I could check all the bills, but the thought of that just sickens me, it's well over $2,000 in the past two months alone) He blocked again, got really sick again, almost died, re-cauterized him and sent him home. The vet wanted to keep the catheter in for seven days!! We bought not one, but two lampshade collars, kept him very drugged an in his small carrier. What a horrible nightmare for him, for me, for my life!! I couldn't go to work the entire week. Aside from giving him all his meds every three hours and forcing tons of water down his throat, I had to take him out every few hours and clean him, and the crate. He would be soaked in urine. But if I left him out even for a few moments he would attempt to run to the basement and would then immediately throw himself on his back and begin trying to pull the catheter out with his paws! It was really extraordinary. A day or two into this entire ordeal he began screaming all night long, seriously, all night long. I finally figured out that the valium I was giving him, that the vet gave me for him, was working and then having the opposite effect on him (agitation, awake, insane) when I gave him the second dose.. Evidently this is not uncommon in cats. Long story, a bit shorter, he did amazingly well for almost three weeks and then three days ago he started to lick his genitals and cry.. this is how it begins with him.
I discovered this site two weeks ago and started giving him 1/4 tsp. ACV on his food, I put it in his water bowl and the water bowl dogs too. I really thought we may have solved the problem.. But two days ago, here we go again.!! He was blocked yesterday. I began giving him 1/4 tsp. ACV 1/4 tsp. Aloe, in one tablespoon of water about every four hours. Like so many others here have mentioned I shot it down his throat from a small syringe, he really doesn't protest it too much.. And the yesterday morning we took him back to the first vet.. The really expensive one, and when we took him out of his carrier his was soaked with pee. So maybe the ACV was working?? The vet gave us some pain meds for him, a valium family relaxer to keep his bladder relaxed and told us we needed to switch him over to Royal Canine OT. He has been eating Wellness canned chicken, and turkey with a sprinkling of Calf. Natural dried on top. All looked pretty good last night, but this morning he began the licking and crying. I gave him more ACV, but then (I keep reading, keep trying to figure out the best course of action with him. We really love him. He is a wonderful, loving funny, animal. Anyway, now I'm finding all this sites with warnings about not 'over' acidifying a cat's food because it can lead to kidney failure and other awful things. He peed a little today, but screamed like hell after.
So here is my question.. And I am so really hoping someone out there can help me and poor Leo.. How can I be sure now that I am not giving him too much and making the situation worse?? I don't know what to do to help him. Can someone please help me?
Posted by Gemini Dreamweapon (Chicago, Il) on 09/12/2012
Felines can get kidney stones just as humans do from excess minerals in the system. In felines this usually stems from high carb, processed, enzymatically dead pet food that they have not evolved to digest. Don't be fooled by your veterinarian approved kibble (I will refrain from names).
The ACV is too alkaline for your feline. Although ACV is a weak acid, when ingested in it becomes alkaline. It is okay diluted and in moderation for dogs and humans but cats internally are more acidic and need to maintain that slight acidity for favorable health - their stomachs produce more acid in order to properly break down and assimilate their ancestral diet. ACV will not only alkalinize their pH but will dampen their digestive fire and hinder proper digestion, nutrient utilization, and weaken their immune systems through pH imbalance.
ACV can also cause severe burns both internally and externally if not properly diluted and if given too much - this holds true for humans and dogs too. The dose you are giving is too high for your very light feline. That dose is human appropriate - consider a 125 pound human vs a 5-10 pound kitty.
Look into kidney stone breaker liquid tinctures. A stone breaker formula containing many of the same herbs used in holistic human stone breaker compounds. They make the formulas species safe and weight specific. You can drop the tincture into their food.
Posted by Gemini Dreamweapon (Chicago, Il) on 09/12/2012
http://holisticat.com/no-kibble.html
'The grains and plant matter in dry foods can cause cats' urine to be too alkaline. Based on research in vet journals, the ideal urinary pH is between 6. 0 and 6. 5 The more alkalizing cats' diets are, the higher the risk of struvite crystal (and Bast forbid, stone/urolith) formation'
Just say no to ACV for cats. It's too alkaline and may be contributing to the problem.
Also - if your cat is on wet or dry commercial kibble it may very high in carbs and ultimately contributing to this crisis.
Try a raw meat/ancestral diet. Holisticat discusses this under the well-fed section of their site. There is ample info on transitioning and feeding a complete raw meat diet for both cats and dogs (differing protein needs and food tolerances). You don't have to go out of your way to grind down whole game bones and all, there are myriad boutique commercial raw diet manufactures.
I had a male cat that had a blockage I slipped a Kleenex underneath him and it was a mucus looking for plug. I took him to the vet - the vet put him on glucosamine, it's called dasuquin for cats. I sprinkle one capsule on his wet food in the morning and one at night. That was a year ago and I haven't had a problem since. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your very informative article! I really appreciated reading something I could relate to. Having only used natural remedies in my kids, I want to do the same for my cats. Thanks again I will read your links.
Posted by Jane (Kingston, Ontario) on 04/02/2012 ★★★★★
I tried the AVC treatment the first time my female cat got a UTI. It worked for about a month then stopped working. After she had 2 more UTI's and 2 more useless, expensive shots of antibiotics, I tried something different.. Colloidal silver. I give her 1/4 teaspoon 3 times a day in canned food. It's going on 3 months now and she hasn't had another UTI. I also just started to give her 125 mgs of glucosamine twice a day. It acts like cranberry juice as it coats the urinary tract and prevents bacteria from sticking. Cats up to 10 lbs take 125 mgs a day. Cats over 10 lbs take 125 mg twice a day, preferably mixed in canned food. Some good vets are recommending this now.
Posted by Hope (Sacramento, California) on 04/25/2012
Bravo Ben! I wish I had known this a year ago when my cat was quite ill, but it was kidney failure and he was 18 years old..... and I did try it as a last resort, but it was too late.
I now have 2 young rescue cats, not yet 1 year old and I researched too, even though they are healthy, and decided to start them on 100% raw with Primal several months ago, and they Love it and look and feel fabulous!
I will never again give them kibble, as I tried to supplement the raw diet with it and they threw up every time!
With just raw, they are perfectly fine and happy and Healthy!
Thank you for making people aware of the benefits of raw for cats...
First wean the cat over to a quality wet canned food (difficult for a kibble addict, but doable). Then the change in texture from wet to raw is less extreme.
$20 for a bag that lasts 3 weeks is pretty reasonable, considering some small 3 oz cans of ( cheap as well as higher quality) cat food can cost $1.00 or more. That's $30 a month and if one feeds twice as much it costs $60.
Posted by Marina (Honolulu, Hawaii) on 06/01/2011 ★★★★★
My cat was only urinating a few drops and even then it was bloody. I found this forum and took the advice of many of you. I switched her to can food (with a splash of apple cider vinegar) and used a medicine dropper to give her some water mixed with apple cider vinegar. Within 8 hours she peed a large puddle! Within 24 hours she was urinating normal and within 36 hours she seemed better then before. Apple cider vinegar (organic) is amazing. Thank you all for the advice. The canned cat food cost me like 25 cents a can and the apple cider vinegar (organic) only cost $2.24. A doctors visit would have cost me hundreds and that's not even counting the medicine cost!
I had a question about the ACV for cats. My cat has been diagnosed with bladder issues and has had crystals in her urine. She was given antibiotics and a prescription cat food (dry). She has had urinary issues since. Tonight I put 1/4 tsp in some wet food and 1/2 tsp in 2 cups of water. She is an absolute beast to medicate. Will this work without giving it to her in a syringe with water?
Posted by Cristin (Independence, Ky) on 12/05/2011
My vet did the same thing for my cat and I am just discovering this treatment since I believe she is not cured and suffering again. Did it work for you with just putting it in her food bc my cat is difficult like yours to get syringes in her. I am hopeful this will work for her. Any other advice would be wonderful!!!
Posted by Sdstlouis (St. Louis, Missouri) on 03/12/2011 ★★★★★
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
This stuff works! Lizzy my female cat was having problems going to the litter box and was only able to do a few drops at a time. After introducing the Apple Cider Vinegar into canned food as well as giving her 1/4tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar to 2tsp of water with a syringe twice a day, she was slowly getting back to normal. It took about 5 days for it to take full effect. Sure saved me big $ from taking her to the vet. I'm now mixing the Apple Cider Vinegar into the canned food for both cats as part of their diet. You guys are brilliant!
Posted by Diamond (Salisbury, Mass.) on 03/12/2011
I hope we are careful with the amounts of apple cider vinegar given to our little pets. Their organs are very small and can be easily compromised, I used it once or twice and noticed blood in my kittens urin so I stopped the use, an no more blood in vomit or urin....... keeping my fingers crossed. :o)
Posted by Diane Small (Cambridge, Ma) on 02/28/2011 ★★★★★
My male cat, age 7, began straining to urinate. I gave him ACV, but it didn't help him. I took him to his veterinarian, who diagnosed him with a urinary tract infection and prescribed antibiotics and pain medications. But the UTI returned in a few days and I had to bring my cat back to the vet who prescribed stronger antibiotics and pain meds. Once again the problem returned in a few days and the vet prescribed still stronger antibiotics and pain meds. The bill came to just under $700. The vet didn't mention food to me at all, until I asked whether my cat should still eat dry food. He didn't answer and just told me to cook a chicken and put the juice in my cat's wet food. He also told me to put wet pads on my cat's rear end. The UTI returned very quickly.
This time I reached for a book on my shelf, Rodale's Encyclopedia of Natural Home Remedies, c1982. On page 69, someone had written to Prevention with a remedy for her neutered male cat's cystitis (bladder infection). She added tomato juice (one tablespoon) and water (one tablespoon) to her cat's wet food. Since another person used a remedy with no salt, I bought a bottle of Bionaturae Organic Strained Tomatoes, no salt, at my local food co-op. Since it is so concentrated, I just add one and a half teaspoons of the strained tomatoes along with a tablespoon and a half of water in the my cat's wet food twice a day. I also add three drops of olive oil in the wet food. This worked immediately.
It's been about seven weeks now and my cat is fine. He loves the strained tomatoes and water mixed in with his food. I even give him about a quarter a cup of Innova Evo dry cat food daily and he's doing fine. Since I've reduced the amount of dry food he gets, I worried about his bowel regularity, so I give him a wet cat food with chunks of food; I use Nature's Variety Homestyle canned, by Prairie, mornings and then in the evening I give him Wellness canned, which doesn't have chunks.
A few months before my cat's problems began, I had decreased his wet food and increased his dry food (I had also stopped giving him Evo dry and switched to another dry food), because I wanted to keep his weight down. I suspect this may have caused the problem. So now I give him wet food twice a day with the strained tomatoes and water, and about a quarter of a cup of Innova Evo dry daily. It has worked for my neutered male cat.
Posted by Diane Small (Cambridge, Ma) on 03/26/2011
I need to follow up on my comment regarding my male cat with UTI, because I did have further problems, mostly maybe due to me.
Brought my male cat, age 7 ½ years old, to veterinarian when he kept going back and forth to the litter box, stayed in there, and kept meowing. Vet diagnosed the problem as a serious UTI and gave him antibiotics and pain meds. I gave him meds when cat returned also. Problem came back again. Returned to vet for stronger antibiotics and pain meds. Once again problem returned. Brought him back again for even stronger antibiotics and pain meds. Bill came to just under $700. Problem returned. I looked at Rodale's Encyclopedia of Natural Home Remedies, 1982. Recommended was tomato juice and water in canned food. Worked; I used a bottle of strained organic tomatoes, a tablespoon of the tomatoes with a tablespoon and a half of distilled water in canned cat food twice a day. When I gave my cat one morning just cooked chicken and some dry food, his UTI returned. When I resumed the strained tomato/water routine, he squatted and urinated everywhere. I panicked and panicked and got him Cranactin capsules; I opened the capsules gave him half a capsule of the powder in wet food twice a day.
When he gagged after a day or two, I looked at another book: Veterinarians' Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats, by Martin Zucker, 1999. One veterinarian recommended just giving your UTI prone cat canned food mixed with water. I started giving my cat a half can of canned food twice a day with about a tablespoon and a half of distilled water twice a day. Because one vet in that book or another found that fish could trigger the problem, I don't use fish flavored food. I get Nature's Variety Home Style by Prairie, because it has chunks of food—I thought it might help keep him regular. In the evening I give him either Wellness canned or Pet Guard canned with the water. In the morning, I throw in about a tablespoon of dry food (Innova EVO). I also put 3 drops of high quality olive oil in the canned food twice a day.
My cat seems fine so far; it's been about six weeks. I am very disappointed with my vet, who didn't mention food to me; when I mentioned it, he said nothing, except to boil a chicken and put the juice in it. And he charged me $700. I recommend both books highly. The latter book, by Martin Zucker, especially for your cats.
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