Natural Cystitis Remedies for Cats - Ted's Q&A

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Uti in Cat - Question About Apple Cider Vinegar Dosage

Posted by Denise on 05/12/2008

Good afternoon, I've scoured earthclinic.com and was unable to find the formula for giving my cats Apple cider vinegar. I want to try this cure but again cannot find out what part vinegar and what part water or other ingredient and how to administer to cats? Please advice. I posted on 5.9.08 and have not gotten a reply or response. I really would like to find out how much and what mixture I need to give them.

Replied by Ted
Bangkok, Thailand
391 posts

UTI in cats exist because the drinking water that cats drink doesn't have any sea salt. A cat by their evolutionary nature, eat fish and since most of the ocean's water is salty, it is why I also added some sea salt to the drinking water to stop UTI. A low dose sea salt that should not turn off the cat is to mix 1 teaspoon of sea salt in the one liter of cat's drinking water until it's gone, and whereupon is lowered to 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt per liter of drinking water once the UTIs are gone. I don't use salted fish because they use table salt not sea salt in preparing them, and hence are acid forming, while sea salt are alkaline forming and has stronger antibiotic potentials since these bacteria of UTI don' t survive well in an alkaline environment.

I don't agree the use of apple cider vinegar in UTIs because I have found that in humans drinking 1/2 teaspoon - 1 teaspoon of sea salt of 1 full glass ONE dose only stopped the condition of UTIs. The other reason is apple cider vinegar will INITIALLY resulted in acid urine before becoming alkaline, and this often exacerbate the condition. However, for some people who are determined to use the apple cider vinegar anyway, the remedy that help the UTIs is as follows:

2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt in 1 glass of water and put in the drinking vessel for the cat. Cat's are squeamish so I won't know they will drink it or not. However, I can always add them to the fish or meals if they refuses to drink the water. It's a gentle remedy and may take a couple of days to go away.

Replied by Josie
Pacific Northwest
02/07/2015

It is my understanding that if a cat eats too much fish, they will become deficient in thiamine, as there is an enzyme in fish which breaks down this vitamin.

As far as your ideas about 'a cats natural evolution' meaning that they must eat fish, I don't really understand where you're getting this from, as they are clearly more developed for eating rodents and birds. Perhaps occasionally, fish, but it certainly isn't supposed to be their main protein.

All of this is very interesting about trying to adjust the cat's pH, both in their body, and in their urine. It is certainly complicated.

I use apple cider vinegar to make myself more alkaline, internally. Maybe this means my urine becomes more acidic? I don't really know.

It is also my understanding that baking soda is toxic to cats. Maybe you shouldn't be messing around with their diets so much with these random ingredients. Its kind of messed up to do that, like a random experiment. Irresponsible and unethical. Refer to a professional if you really want to help your cat--a professional natural healer if you're inclined towards that (vets can be just as guilty with the experimentation aspect).

Just don't try to mix up some random cocktails of ingredients to help you cat with something as serious as a bladder infection.