I was trying to find a natural way to get rid of stray cats in a garden and came across this. However, in reading more about this I see it is supposed to have great health benefits. Which I guess kind of seems contradictory, if you can put it in the cats water how does it repel them? Who knows maybe it is more dilute and has no scent in the water? Anyway, has anyone ever used this? I see its helps with their kidneys in preventing stones. Also a natural flea repellent which is great news for me as my poor boy got fleas from my mom's shore house. I will buy this and put in a bottle dilute it and spray the floors and bedding.

Just curious is anyone gives their cats this? Do they drink it with no problem?

I've used it on occassion. Mixed with food, it supposedly helps digestion, but some cats don't mind it and others hate it. (It can't help with digestion if the cat won't eat it! ) I've never tried it in drinking water since it would have to be very dilute for all my cats to drink the water and then I'm not sure what good it will do being so diluted. I've also used it diluted as an ear wash and skin cleanser.

If diluted enough some cats will drink it in thier water. I have not tried it as both Bluie and Bear hate vinegar as I use it for cleaning,, they take off like a flea bit them in the butt.

I don't really know anything about it but one it seems it would change the ph of the urine as well as the gut. That could be good or bad.

Dianne, I was thinking the same thing, regarding the urine ph. I recently found this article about ACV and Feline UTI's. I welcome other members opinions on this.

http://www.vetinfo.com/effective-apple-cider-vinegar-acv-feline-uti-treatment.html

Let me make myself completely clear. I WOULD NOT rely on ACV as a treatment if your cat is already suffering from UTI, they definitely need to be seen by a vet ASAP. However, I don't think there would be any harm in giving a cat prone to UTI a bit of ACV as a preventative, IF you can get them to drink it.

As far as ACV being a natural flea repellent, I honestly can't say one way or the other. From what I have read on the subject, fleas do not like the taste of blood from an animal that drinks ACV in their water.

Yes I've read as a preventative as cats have a sensitive urinary tract and it could be beneficial. Now that is not saying I could get Jasee to even go near it, but just a thought. As for digestion, I've always heard vinegar is good for digestion even for people. Funny thing and for anyone who looks into natural remedies, people take all kinds of indigestion meds and acid reflux things like Nexium, but I've read these problems actually occur because they dont have "enough" acid in their gut and here everyone is taking acid reducers and using them as bandaids.. Taking a tsp of vinegar can help relieve these problems without the use of meds. Not sure if it works but certainly makes sense.

Where I am coming from is that through all I have been through with my girls it has been a journey of trial and error. I have learned that cats are very sensitive to the ph balances in the gut and if it gets altered they can have problems. When Sparky was a youngster she had UTI/bladder issues and the holistic vet had her on cranberry/vinegar and other stuff to change the ph of her urine. I was contantly testing her urine. In the process the gut ph was changed also and she had some bad side effects from it, nausea, lack of appetite, constipation ect. I quit all the stuff, bought a fountain and got her more canned food so she got more water.

We also feel that the change in diet caused an imbalance in Dillon and it was enough to allow bad bacteria to take over, leading to his death.

before putting vinegar in your cat's water (or food) I believe it would be best to evaluate any EVIDENCE available that it provides a benefit you're after AND that the benefit accrued is not outweighed by negative effects.

If you can't find evidence (science based) to substantiative claims about it's value- I should think it would be best to refrain from trying it.

imo, of course.