Apple Cider Vinegar For Cats: 7 Effective Ways & Benefits

apple cider vinegar for cats
(Last Updated On: May 20, 2023)

You might have a bottle of it in your pantry, in the bathroom, or even in your medicine cabinet. What is “it?” Apple cider vinegar, of course! This simple home remedy is often used for a variety of things for humans, but the real question is about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar for cats.

Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar for Your Cat

Believe it or not, apple cider vinegar doesn’t only benefit you, but your cat too! You can use it as a daily health supplement and feed it to your cat. Or you can use it as a cleaner to remove the urine from your carpet.

There are other uses too, though. It can aid digestion if your poor kitty has stomach issues and rebalance its digestive tract. Weight loss is easy, too, with a little help from apple cider vinegar.
 
Use it to clean the ears and treat the skin. Or combine it with a few other ingredients to make a spray that combats fleas and ticks. Your cat can even get back to smelling fresh if they’ve had a run in with a skunk! In the end, it might be more than worth it to pick up a bottle.

Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Now we’ve told you all about the different uses for this home remedy. You’re wondering exactly how to use the vinegar to clean your cat’s ears or lose weight. It’s not enough to pour a little in their water or add some to a spray.

So here we have some recipes and instructions to make things a little easier.edf

Drinking For Their Health

Since it’s so acidic, vinegar can break up crystals in the bladder and get rid of harmful bacteria in the gut. Internal consumption can fix up bladder blockages, bladder infections, and respiratory infections. Thanks to the destruction of bad bacteria.

Mix a little in with their water, or if they eat wet food, you can try some in there:

  • Mix up ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of chicken broth.
  • Put this into the cat’s wet food.
  • Repeat each feeding until you see improvement!

You can even make it a little fun for your cat, too, by letting them lick the mixture off of their paws!

  • Mix 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water.
  • Dip the paws and let them lick it!
  • A few times daily is fine, and they don’t need to drink the entire mixture.

To specify, sometimes unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is recommended. In either case, just make sure to give your cat no more than 1 teaspoon. More than that may be too much.

Clean Your Cat’s Ears

Cats need their ears cleaned regularly if you want to prevent the pain of dealing with an ear infection. Instead of buying expensive sprays or getting billed for antibiotics later, mix apple cider vinegar and water 50/50. Dip a cotton ball in it and swab the inside of the ear. If the ear is already infected:

  • Use 5ml per 20 pounds.
  • Apply the solution with a syringe.
  • Rub the solution in gently and wipe the inside with a soft cotton ball.
  • After 5 days, your cat should be good as new!

Apple Cider Vinegar For Fleas

The dreaded fleas have returned to your house and your pet for round two! Any pet owner knows how much of a pain it is to deal with these pests! There are many chemical sprays out there that you can use to treat your pet, but an increasing number of cat owners are turning towards natural remedies to avoid any kind of harmful effects. How you ask? Natural shampoo!

  • Grab your 8oz bottle of pet shampoo.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of aloe vera.
  • After shaking, shampoo your pet as normal.
  • Wait for 6-10 minutes after.
  • Rinse with apple cider vinegar in water (1 tablespoon to 1 pint of water).

This method can also help to relieve skin problems and irritation. Apple cider vinegar can even be sprayed on (when diluted 50/50 with water) after a bath too. Mites and ringworms are also no match!

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7 Flea Collars for Cats

Itchy Skin

Skin issues can sometimes be as irritating as fleas or ticks, especially when your pet is scratching all the time. Apple cider vinegar can be used to clean the skin and remove allergens that make your cat itch. As always, dilute the mixture, so it doesn’t actually harm the skin, but then you can get started:

  • Mix up apple cider vinegar and water 50/50.
  • Dip a paper towel in the mixture.
  • Rub the damp paper towel over their skin and fur.

You can also use unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with a cotton ball for burns or acne too. As for skin infections or hot spots, bathe your cat and rinse it with a 1 part to 3 part vinegar to water solution. This will work best for a shiny coat.

Ew, What’s That Smell?

Did your cat get sprayed by a skunk? Well, there’s always the tomato juice method, but vinegar is fine if you’re a little short on the tomato juice front. Sponge the apple cider vinegar into the coat and skin. Don’t get it in their eyes. Let it dry before washing up your cat to clean them off.

The Weight Loss Journey

Fluffy or overweight? Some of us try and trick ourselves into thinking that our cats are fluffy, but let’s stop kidding ourselves! Our cats need to lose weight to be healthy. Apple cider vinegar works great.

There are multiple recipes everywhere, including apple cider vinegar, to help with this, but we figured we’d better not spoil it and tell you our top pick! Be aware that you might need ingredients like kelp, lecithin, and vitamin B6.

Not on the Carpet!

The dreaded morning where you wake up to a wet spot on the carpet (and your cat trying not to look at you guiltily) has finally come. No need to worry! Apply or spray some apple cider vinegar on the area, let it soak, and blot it with paper towels. It doesn’t have to be difficult when your cat has an accident.

Conclusion

Owning a cat comes with a lot of responsibility and a lot of questions. They could have stomach problems, itchy fur, or even smell like a skunk!

It doesn’t have to be difficult to care for them, though, when you’ve got apple cider vinegar on your side. It has so many benefits that you just might want to pick up a bottle from the store! As always, go to the vet if you’re seriously concerned or if they don’t recover.

7 Comments

  • Dina says:

    My cat is active but she just recently noticed blood in my sink n she’s having trouble urinating what can I do I can’t afford a vet right now so what can I do in meen time

  • Mag says:

    My cat had fleas started licking all her hair off her body how can I stop her from licking the hair off her body and fleas are gone she’s just obsessed with cleaning or licking her hair off what should I do

    • Katrina Grant says:

      If your cat is obsessed with licking her fur off you might want to get her into the vet as there could be an issue with her internally. My cat had the same problem and I found out from the vet that she had UTI (urinary tract infection) your cat might have that or other issues. They over groom for different reasons whether stressed or in some kind of discomfort, it might also be skin irritation from the fleas.

  • Rebecca says:

    You give great instruction for treating skin irritation but how often should it be done?

    • Leigh says:

      Hi Rebecca, thanks for your question 🙂 it depends on the age of your cat and other factors so it’s very difficult to say. Consulting your local Vet is always the best 🙂

      • KattRaeRae Puett says:

        Hi I’m KattRaeRae, I’m very grateful for all the information on Apple Cider Vinegar n Tea Tree Oil, I have always used TTOil for everything for my self and my animals, around home, Apple Cider Vinegar has saved me alot of time n money on medications for all my Kittens n Cats, I’m an animal lover, my passion is no Cats, I take care n reduce cats, I’m looking for property in southern oregon, I live, I want to open a Sanctuary for Cats, Cats are my Family n my Life.

  • Anita Rosebush says:

    My vat is overweight. Will acc help.

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