[…] It can often have a laxative effect, or cause stomach upset, so I usually discourage the use of apple cider vinegar.”. Thoroughly wet your cat’s coat, and work the solution all the way down to their skin. We do our best to help you better understand your cats; however, the information on this blog is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. Definitely ask your vet about whether your particular cat should be ingesting vinegar as a supplement before giving it to your kitty since the acidity could lead to sensitive stomach issues and potentially even vomiting if you overdo it by accident or if your cat is on any kind of medication. However, before trying a vinegar remedy, you will first need to find out what the pH is in your pet’s urine, Morgan says. If you’re wondering whether your cat can safely drink vinegar, or if it’s safe to clean with vinegar in the house with pets, then the simple answer is yes, it is safe as vinegar is not toxic to cats. Did you know it worked so well, both from a toxicity perspective and in terms of getting pet smells and even urine smells out of whatever you need cleaning? If you can, keep an eye on your cat and see if they are drinking the water with vinegar added. Mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of spring water. I’ve read that baking soda should not be inhaled, so I stopped adding it to the cats litter boxes, But baking soda and water are used to clean up any cat liquid or solid on the hardwood floors! We do not have the money atm to take her back to the vet for more treatment. Did not seem to be adversely affected by the brining vinegar. Learn more here. And, as stated before, if your cat is on prescription medication or special vet food, you could be rendering that medication useless by altering the pH/acidity of your cat’s stomach. However, if your cat shows trouble breathing or has swollen eyes, they may have an allergy. Hi, I'm Elise! It’s just one of those things that lasts indefinitely – like honey. Vinegar: A Natural Approach to Avian Management By Wanda Barras "Many herbalists recommend the use of raw, unpasteurized, unheated, organic apple cider vinegar as an important dietary ingredient for humans, farm animals and pets, including birds. Is salt bad for cats? Fond of my fluffies? If your cat has kidney disease: giving apple cider vinegar could be fatal, as a cat with kidney disease is unable to process acid well, and acidic is exactly what vinegar is. We personally wouldn’t even risk using a topical skin treatment made with apple cider vinegar on a cat with kidney problems. Aceatic acid (household vinegar) can work with a number of microbes, there is a lack of information regarding its effectiveness against viruses, particularly strains which affect cats. Don’t rub too hard. May 3, 2018 by Elise Xavier | Updated: August 18, 2020 - 19 Comments. Vinegar can come in handy for deterring cats indoors as well. You can apply this twice a day. White vinegar does work at neutralizing stubborn cat urine stains, and when it comes to that, it’s always good to have a few different options! They hate bathing for the most part but it costs a few pennies and can give you a breather between prohibitively expensive flea treatments. Can i replace apple cider vinegar with regular white vinegar as a health supplements? I probably wouldn’t give him vinegar to ingest though. Using your vinegar solution to deter your cat from your belongings is one part of that process, while encouraging them to scratch appropriate surfaces is the next step. So, do yourself a favour and dilute that bad boy with some water and save yourself from using the bottl… I use vinegar and baking soda in a spray bottle as a deterrent from cats scratching furniture and fighting with each other. Kitten Food vs Cat Food: What’s the Difference. Roland has been an animal lover all his life, with cats holding a special place in his heart. Your email address will not be published. If you open a can of tuna, it won’t be long before your cat is drawn to the enticing aroma. By the way, I have some tips up here in case you’d like to train your cats to stop scratching furniture. So, while it may do them some good, other proven supplements could do a better job. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; learn more here. In fact, as an acid, vinegar is an effective way to neutralize alkaline cat urine. If a cat is sick, and especially if he or she is on prescription medication, you could do a lot of damage by feeding your cat just-a-bit-too-much vinegar, so in my opinion, you shouldn’t even consider it when your cat is sick (or ever, but I’ll get into that). So that may even be an option? →, 20 Simple Ways to Keep Cats Off Your Car →. Vinegar is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. We have a problem with a neighbour’s cat coming over to our place and terrorising our cats to the point that one of my cats will no longer go out. A teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar, diluted, for a normal-sized canine (less for a cat) is unlikely to have a negative effect on a healthy pet, said Dr. Cailin Heinze, VMD, MS, DACVN and assistant professor of nutrition at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Never use undiluted apple cider vinegar as a dietary or topical supplement. Using an undiluted ACV can result in health risks. See more of this duo on my personal blog, E&T. If you really want to add it to your cat’s water, it’s a good idea to provide them with an alternative source of plain, untreated water too. I have tried most topical treatments and my poor furbaby is still infested. Despite this cat being a pain in the arse I do not want to make it seriously sick either. The information found on ExcitedCats should not be viewed as veterinary advice. They like the rice vinegar better than apple cider. In small, diluted doses, drinking apple cider vinegar (ACV) is safe for healthy felines. Apple cider vinegar is not toxic to cats, and does possess beneficial properties. As a remedy/health supplement of sorts, meaning it’d usually be directly ingested by your cat. Sound amazing? Cats, however, don’t share my love of vinegar. You don’t actually need a whole lot of vinegar to activate it’s beneficial properties, especially if you mix it with baking soda. KittyClysm* is a reader-supported site. To reduce the bitter taste, you can mix it in with chicken or beef broth. In order to reduce the weight of your fluffy cat, you can give apple cider vinegar internally. Other articles claim that vinegar is an excellent remedy for quite a few feline ailments: ear infections, UTIs, hot spots. Once the vinegar smell dissipates, you should find that the smell of urine has also gone! I’m trying to use cleaning products that are safe for him to be around. However, this does not mean as a cat parent that … Vinegar can only help repel fleas and ticks: it doesn’t keep them away for certain and definitely doesn’t get rid of them if they’re already there. Peppermint oil, like many essential oils, contains phenols and phenolic compounds. I personally don’t know if it could make the cat sick – wouldn’t risk it; would squirt with plain water instead. So grab some diluted white vinegar and a spray bottle, and get cleaning! Curious about vinegar in relation to your furry feline? Why else might you want to give your cat vinegar? Nevertheless, our cats’ receptors, which average at 45 to 80 million, are still nothing to sniff at (wink wink). He is owned by three felines: Wheely, KitzKitz, and Nugget (all rescues) who bring all the laughter and mischievousness one can expect from the feline master race. Apple cider vinegar becomes bad for cats if it’s given in an undiluted manner. So, adding something that they might not like to their water could be counterintuitive. I think the only real risk to our pets is if we take matters into our own hands and try to use vinegar to treat our pets without first asking our vets about the proper way to go about it, because that’s the only time we can do more harm than good. is to make a runny porridge out of oats and water and to strain off the “milk” as a cat bath to repel fleas. But that should be the key words. Diluted white vinegar is not toxic to … Excessive ingestion of baking soda can cause issues with the cat’s potassium and sodium levels. Vinegar is well-known as being an effective household cleaner, tasting yummy on food as a condiment, or even being used as a health supplement in the form of apple cider vinegar. Hi Elise. Downside to using vinegar as a cleaning product, not just in the kitchen but all over the house? Shouldn’t have to go into the office to get an answer to a question so straightforward. See, I feel like yours is the perfect attitude to have: careful of the risks, knowledgeable of what the biggest risk is (ingestion), but also awareness of the potential for vinegar to be an amazing remedy. Why Do Cats Hate Water? Unlike humans and dogs, cats lack an important enzyme in their livers that helps eliminate toxins like phenols. What was the ailment you were interested in remedying? I know i’m late to this but i’ve found an astonishingly effective repellant (spellling?) Mix a solution of one part water and one part vinegar and apply it to walls and hard floors.” Your house will smell like vinegar afterward, but once that vinegary smell disappears, you should be left with no smell at all. This in turn can lead to heart disease or digestive issues. I tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to what I let my cat consume. I have never seen a cat drink anything containing vinegar. Articles are often passed around the net claiming that apple cider vinegar provides healthy nutrients that are beneficial for a cat’s overall health and well being. Either apply using a spray bottle or a cloth. About a teaspoon of diluted apple cider vinegar is the equivalent of the maximum a cat can handle ingesting without trouble beginning to brew. I’m not 100% sure. Your email address will not be published. They take it fine. So, I always recommend it to friends when they say they’re having problems with cats … There are plenty of proven supplements out there that can do a better and more effective job of treating a wide range of ailments. Because of vinegar’s acidity, it can alter your cat’s stomach acidity and potentially render prescription food or medication useless, or worse, doing damage of its own. THEN!…. Hadn’t heard that before about inhaling baking soda! Vinegar is cheap, ubiquitous, and probably one of the most ideal cleaning products to use in around your home from a toxicity perspective; both for humans and for animals. He or she may refuse to eat the dinner you’ve provided. While I would personally think so, I would definitely ring up the vet to ask if baking soda and cleaning vinegar are safe to use around him. A Cat Blog for Cat Lovers & Kitty Keepers. A quarter of a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water is safe for healthy cats to drink. I am from Milwaukee WI. There’s the matter of the very true fact that vinegar helps to keep fleas and ticks away from our furry friends. Any more vinegar than that and you could really mess with a cat’s stomach acidity, leading to health issues quite quickly. Bed Warmers for Cats: Indoor & Outdoor, Electric & Self-Warming, The Current Cat Room: Featuring a Super Easy to Replicate XXL Cat House, Cat Kneading: Why Cats Knead Things (& People) with Their Paws, tips up here in case you’d like to train your cats to stop scratching furniture, Scratching Post Alternatives: 6 Everyday Items That Keep Kitties Clawing. Again, it may be a controversial opinion, but to me – there doesn’t seem to be much, if any, upside to giving a cat apple cider vinegar at all. For pet owners, I honestly can’t even think of one. Don't forget to patch test the spray beforehand to make sure the liquid doesn't cause staining or bleaching, whether on windowsills, carpet, wood, furniture, curtains or anything else. ACV should only be used in small amounts and always dilute it when mixing it with water or broth, both for internal or external usage. Vinegar is well-known as being an effective household cleaner, tasting yummy on food as a condiment, or even being used as a health supplement in the form of apple cider vinegar. If you have pets, vinegar is the perfect cleaning product; it’s completely safe and non-toxic to cats – as well as most other pets. Similarly, You’re cleaning the cat urine. These claims are all true; the issue? If you have pets, vinegar is the perfect cleaning product; it’s completely safe and non-toxic to cats – as well as most other pets. You can work your way up to 1 teaspoon’s worth once a day, but keep an eye on whether your cat is eating or drinking enough. Today is my first day using Apple Cider Vinegar for my cats one has third eye and the other two have issues going to the litter box I made ice cubes of Apple Cider Vinegar I made a 1 cup of water 1 spoon of Apple Cider Vinegar my cats likes ice cubes in their water so I figured let me try it this way and she was drinking and licking the cubes. This type of vinegar is well-known for its health advantages for us humans, but are the same benefits extended to our cats? Before we take a closer look, we’ll say that vinegar, both regular white and apple cider, is not toxic for your cat. Just fill in the form below and hit "Subscribe"! Hi I have a 13 year old cat that has asthma pretty bad. Will it cause any harm to my cat. So is vinegar bad for cats? Unfortunately, these claims aren’t backed up by evidence. When using white vinegar for cat pee, your cats may act like they are allergic by sneezing. As cats don’t have a high thirst drive in any case, they can quickly become dehydrated. I give my boy kitties one preventative dose of vinegar water with d-mannose once a week and after previous two years of vet visits and pain NOW THEY NEVER HAVE BLOODY PEE OR ANY SYMPTOMS OF URINARY PROBLEMS . Cats (& Dogs) Need Apple Cider Vinegar I want my cat to live a very long time and be healthy also. Because of that, vinegar can serve as a natural deterrent if there’s an area you’d like your cats to avoid; when diluted, the smell is much fainter, and vinegar can be a great tool for cleaning without chemicals. While, personally, I would never really entertain giving it a go, if you’re still unconvinced and want to try giving apple cider vinegar to your pet yourself, please oh please, for the safety of your pet, let your vet know first – in advance of your attempt. Straight or diluted vinegar can be sprayed around the edges of a garden, and on plants, fences, posts and garden decor to keep cats away. Had to throw the olives away as they were full of fur. However, this is usually a reaction to the smell instead and not an allergy. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. But cystitis, especially in male cats, is a serious medical issue and should be treated with veterinary care. Another way vinegar can be used is topically. Would you ever do it again? Now, let’s jump into it. What are your thoughts please. In my opinion – if you only spray the furniture with the vinegar and baking soda, yes. While I wouldn’t say it’s an absolute must, I will say it makes cleaning more tolerable. Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 1 pint of water that is 102 degrees Fahrenheit, 39 Celsius. Is Bamboo Toxic to Cats? Tough problem to crack, I think, because cats are sneaky so the neighbour’s cat may begin to come round only when you’re not in . It’s time to start using them more, according to the popular book The Healing Powers of Vinegar: A Complete Guide to Nature’s Most Remarkable Remedy Revised and Updated (Kensington, September 2006). But is using vinegar around your cat going to do any harm? The Fluffy Kitty. In the end Vinegar and a spot cleaner (for the dark stuff) have done more than any of the big name cleaning products ever did. Did you end up trying it? However, there can be negative effects if the cat ingests a large amount of it. It’s best to make sure they’re not ingesting baking soda and vinegar if they don’t need to be, and since regular water will do the trick for shocking them, why take the risk? It’s not as great as it first appears. When my cat had feline acne under his chin, my vet recommended that I apply diluted apple cider vinegar on it followed by an oral gel from the pharmacy. I have a slew scattered around the house, so when my cats get bored, even if I’m busy or not even home, my furries are able to actively play. Never exceed this dosage in a 24-hour period. With a household full of cats I have never seen an adverse reaction to vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is very acidic, and strong concentrations of it can hurt the sensitive skin of your cat’s ear. Wondering whether it’s completely safe for a cat to be around different types of vinegar, or whether vinegar could possibly be harmful or even toxic to your cat in any way, shape, or form? Looking forward to hearing about your experiences in the comments down below! Cats love eating tuna and all types of fish. Welcome to KittyClysm - a blog for cat lovers & kitty keepers. We have a water softener, so our water is a bit salty, and I am afraid it will be bad for the kitties. Ever talk to your vet about using apple cider vinegar as a remedy? Featured Image Credit: Mike Mozart, Flickr. Required fields are marked *. It also never expires. While vinegar isn’t particularly available to cats, you might use it around your house in … Personally, I honestly would not use apple cider vinegar even as a supplement, let alone white vinegar (which is even stronger), as you could really mess with the acidity in your kitty’s gut by accident by doing so, and because there doesn’t seem to be much proof that it’s effective as a supplement. ACV has enzymes plus gut-friendly bacteria for the win! When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. 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