Apple cider vinegar is a product that has been used throughout history as part of popular medicine. It is a functional food with he althy properties that are not only beneficial for people, but also for cats. Administering the right dose and by the correct route, apple cider vinegar offers numerous beneficial effects for cats, since it is a safe and non-toxic food for them.
If you want to know more about the use of apple cider vinegar for cats and dosage, keep reading this article on our site where we explain what its main uses and benefits are.
Can cats drink apple cider vinegar?
Apple vinegar or apple cider vinegar (it's the same thing) is considered a functional food, that is, a food that, in addition to its nutritional value, contains biologically active components that provideBeneficial effects for he alth Its properties are not only highly beneficial for people, but also for cats, in which apple cider vinegar has very diverse uses.
Apple cider vinegar is safe for cats and can be used both orally and topically However, Before using this product on your cat, we advise you to consult your trusted veterinarian beforehand and to take into account the recommendations that we explain below to avoid any unwanted effects.
If you are interested in feeding your cat, don't hesitate to consult this other article where we explain the Forbidden foods for cats.
Uses and benefits of apple cider vinegar for cats
As we have already explained, cats can drink apple cider vinegar and take advantage of its he althy properties. In this section we collect the main uses and benefits of apple cider vinegar for cats.
Antioxidant effect
Apple cider vinegar contains many flavonoids, including flavanols such as catechin and epicatechin. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds with a high antioxidant capacity that give apple cider vinegar important benefits such as:
- Reduction of free radicals: which are the cause of oxidative stress and, therefore, of cellular aging. Here you can find more information about Stress in cats: symptoms and treatment.
- Promoting cardiovascular he alth: apple cider vinegar combats numerous risk factors that cause cardiovascular disease. Specifically, it reduces LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol), increases HDL cholesterol levels (good cholesterol), reduces blood triglyceride levels and lowers blood pressure. Do not hesitate to read this article on Systemic arterial hypertension in cats: symptoms, causes and prevention to learn more about the subject.
- The strength of the immune system.
Hypoglycemic effect
Apple cider vinegar has the ability to reduce blood glucose levels. To date, several mechanisms have been proposed to try to explain this effect, among which the following stand out:
- Increased glucose uptake: by cells and their conversion to glycogen.
- Inhibition of enzymes: involved in the digestion of carbohydrates, such as disaccharidases, alpha-glucosidase and aldose reductase. This effect appears to be related to the anthocyanin and tannin content of the vinegar.
- Delayed gastric emptying: resulting in a more progressive absorption of glucose. This effect appears to be related to the acetic acid content of apple cider vinegar.
Although the exact mechanism that gives rise to the hypoglycemic effect is currently unknown, there is certainty that apple cider vinegar has the ability to regulate blood glucose levels, which may have special interest in diabetic or prediabetic patients.
Check this other article on Diabetes in cats: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
Antimicrobial and antiparasitic effect
Apple cider vinegar has traditionally been used as an antiseptic and disinfectant thanks to its bactericidal and fungicidal effect. In cats with otitis due to mites (otocariasis), apple cider vinegar can be used as a complement to antiparasitic treatment to disinfect the external ear and keep it clean of wax and cellular debris generated during infection.
At this point, you may be wondering if you can also use apple cider vinegar to deworm cats. Indeed, the Acetic acid from vinegar has a repellent effect that can be used to prevent or treat external parasites caused by ticks or fleas.
Discover more information about Ticks in cats: symptoms and how to remove them or How to remove fleas in cats? in these two other articles on our site that we recommend.
Effects on skin and hair
The use of apple cider vinegar in cats has numerous benefits for the he alth of their skin and hair, such as:
- Body Odor Control: Apple cider vinegar can help prevent cat odor from becoming stronger than expected. usual
- The presence of moisturizing properties: which prevents dryness and flaking of the skin.
- The strength of the scalp: provides extra shine to the cat's coat.
- The skin's pH balance: thus preventing possible infections and irritations.
Potassium source
Despite the fact that apple cider vinegar hardly contains any vitamins and minerals, it does provide considerable amounts of potassium. A simple way to supplement this mineral in cats is adding apple cider vinegar to their drinking water.
Dose of apple cider vinegar for cats
Depending on the purpose for which you use apple cider vinegar in your cat, you must administer it by one route or another and use a different dose. Below we will detail the doses for oral and topical route.
Orally
The easiest way to offer apple cider vinegar to cats is add it to their drinking water. To do this, you must add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the drinking water and mix it so that it is well diluted.
However, when you decide to supplement your cat's drinking water with vinegar, it is important that you always keep another bowl with clean water and without vinegarSome cats may refuse the smell of vinegar water and stop drinking, which could have serious consequences for their he alth. Therefore, never forget to offer him the two alternatives so that your cat can decide which one to choose
Topical route
When you decide to use apple cider vinegar on the skin (as an antimicrobial or antiparasitic) you should make a solution of water and apple cider vinegar in equal parts. You can introduce this mixture into a spray and spray it on your cat's fur
However, spraying your cat with the mixture is likely to be a tricky task, so you can also choose to moisten a clean cloth with the solution and apply it on the hair of the animal with a gentle massage.
Another option is mix the shampoo with vinegar in equal parts and use that mixture to bathe your cat. Regardless of which option you choose, avoid getting the solution in your cat's eyes, as the acid can cause eye pain and irritation. In the event that you use apple cider vinegar as an antiseptic to clean your cat's ears, make the same solution of water and vinegar in equal parts, moisten a cotton ball and carefully clean the outer ear.
Contraindications and side effects of apple cider vinegar in cats
Although apple cider vinegar has multiple benefits for cats, there are some situations in which its use may be contraindicated, such as:
- Combination with other treatments: apple cider vinegar can interfere with other medical treatments, altering their effect or reducing their effectiveness. Therefore, before using apple cider vinegar on your cat, it is important that you consult your trusted veterinarian to avoid any unwanted effects.
- Ulcers: as we have mentioned, apple cider vinegar can be used to disinfect the outer ear of cats with otitis. However, it should never be used in case of ulceration of the ear canal. It should also not be used on any other part of the body with open wounds or ulcers. You can find more information about otitis in cats in this post that we suggest.
- Allergies: cats that are hypersensitive to any component of apple cider vinegar may react to it when administered orally or when applied topically. See more about Food allergy in cats: symptoms and treatment, here.
Likewise, the use of apple cider vinegar can cause a series of side effects in cats, especially when too high doses are used:
- Hepatic disorders: with vacuolation of hepatocytes. Visit this article on Liver failure in cats: symptoms and treatment, here.
- Digestive disorders: especially at the gastric and duodenal level, which can cause digestive signs such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
- Allergies: hypersensitivity reactions to some component of apple cider vinegar. These reactions can occur even at low doses.
