My Cat Has Urine Infection. Does Cranberry Juice work on cats?

Question

His urine and poo smells very strong but smells like he's burning? I can't afford vets bills or even the consultation. Anyone have any home remedies that work? He's 9 now and is a great cat. Serious answers only please

I don't need anyone berating me cos I have a cat and can't afford the vet's bills!! I took the cat in cos it was a tiny kitten in the road about to get flattened by a truck!! If there wasn't a National Health Service could you afford the doctor? and No I don't drink or smoke.

Answer 1

Hi Bernadette...unfortunately, cranberry juice by itself will not alleviate a lower urinary tract infection/disorder (FLUTD). The reason why is that the bladder and urethral linings are inflamed as a result of the infection. Infections can only be eliminated through prescribed antibiotics.

Some cats who get FLUTD develop either urine crystals, oxalate or calcified stones which are very painful to pass. It can get bad enough where a blockage can occur and within 24-48 hours a cat will die which requires urgent medical attention. If your cat is unable to pass urine this is a life-threatening situation. There are some vets are willing to donate their time and help for people who are unable to afford care. Consider ringing a few vet hospitals and ask who can assist you. If one clinic isn't helpful, call another. Don't give up because someone knows. There are veterinary hospitals like these all over the world who are willing to help people who are not financially able to afford the care.

Feline lower urinary disorders are caused by a multiple of things, but a dry food diet is the leading contributory factor because it increases the urine's pH. Therefore, to reverse this consider feeding more of a diet with canned food to acidify the urine like cranberry juice does. You can mix a little of the cranberry juice with the canned food for an added benefit, however make sure the juice states it is 100% juice and doesn't have high fructose corn syrup, which is not natural sugars from the cranberry fruit.

I hope you will consider at least to read through the two following webpages to know what your kitty has:
More information on how FLUTD is caused:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html
Urinary Blockage dangers:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/urinary_blockage.html

Answer 2

if you cant afford vet treatment then try the PDSA. They help people on low income/benefits etc and you can donate as much as you want ie £1, best not to give your cat cranberry juice.....he needs to see someone soon as a urine infection can escalate.

Can i also ask "why have a pet if you cant afford the vet fees?" They need looking after and only have us to do that. Do you drink, smoke etc? if so then surely you could use that money on your cat. I would rather go without then let any of my animals suffer unnecessary.

Call the PDSA or maybe the RSPCA and get some help.

Just found this

Cats can get urinary tract infections just like we do. Signs of this in cats will vary. Many cats will whine or yelp when using the litter box and you may find blood in their urine. They may also have ‘accidents’ even if they use the litter box without trouble otherwise. You may notice your cat makes frequent trips to the box but they seem to have trouble getting any urine to pass.

UTI will vary in severity and you may not even know they have one. These extremely mild cases will clear up before you become aware there is a problem. By the time you do notice something is wrong it is probably time to visit your veterinarian.

Antibiotics are the common first step in treating UTI and will most likely clear up the problem if it is diagnosed early. Your veterinarian should do a series of test to determine the origin of the problem for proper care. In some cases the infection may spread to the kidney and complicate the situation. Kitty might be in a lot of pain. If you see any symptoms please make an appointment as soon as possible. If there is any blockage preventing your cat from using the box this can become life threatening very quickly.

Answer 3

He needs to see a vet. Urine infections are very serious and potentially fatal for cats. Is there an animal charity locally or the RSPCA or Humane society who could help you out. Some cats are prone to crystals in their urine which can be altered by feeding them a specially diet but the food is extremely expensive.

If you really can't manage the vets bill make sure that he has plenty of water available, try feeding him on fresh meat (cooked), it works for ferrets to it might help with cats and look for the type of dry food that supposed to help prevent uriniary tract infections though if he already has one he will probably need antibiotics to clear it up.

Good luck

Answer 4

You may be able to go to the local Humane Society and have the cat looked at by their doctors there. Usually if an animal has an infection they will need antibiotics.

If you did not take the cat into the vet, how do you know that it's a urinary infection? As with people, symptoms can be for many different ailments. Only a urinalysis can truly tell if it's a UTI or a bladder infection. I would definitely see about contacting the society and explaining your situation. I'm sure they will be able to help you or be able to direct you to a doctor that can help.

Answer 5

I doubt very much if a cat will drink cranberry juice. He must go to the vet and get antibiotics. Call around and see if there is a vet that will take payments over a couple of months.
After you get him fixed up, some people mix a little cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon, in the cats wet food to keep the urine acidic. This might cut down on urine infections. If the cat will eat it.
And you might as well start putting away a bit each payday in a "cat er fund" As they get older, cats start having things go wrong with them and at 9 years, your cat is getting old. But you can keep him around for another 9 years if you are willing to pay the price.
I had cats that lived to be 18 and 17 years but I had to pay for it. I finally stopped when the vet told me one was in complete renal failure and they only thing I could do for her was a kidney transplant. If I wanted to fly her to Tufts U. Vet school in Boston. (I live in the middle of the U.S.) I decided it was time to let kitty go on to the tenth life.

Answer 6

OK, now this is very serious: you can't cure urinary infections with juice. For male cats, a UTI is VERY dangerous, because it raises the PH, they form crystals and can block and die, and then if you want to save them you really need treatment. So right now, the best thing to do is to buy a cat antibiotic, like clavubactin or synulox or baytril, give the cat the proper dosage according to his weight for a month, and then take a urine sample by putting a small cup under his tail as he urinates, and give it for analysis and culture to the hospital saying it is yours, in order to pay less through your own insurance, and check if the infection is gone. Also, it is good to have the analysis done before the antibiotic, to know what bacteria he had and what antibiotic they are sensitive to. Also, keep checking he is urinating properly and feed him Hill's c/d or Eucanuba urinary formula, to avoid crystal formation, and preferably wet food, if you can also give him extra water it is good both to avoid crystal formation and to help with the infection.

Answer 7

Do NOT try Cranberry juice; a cat's system is not set up to assimilate sugar! I would try calling a vet, explain the cat's problems as well as your finacial situation and ask if you can perhaps just pay for medicine for the time being, without having an office visit. It won't clear up by it's self. With male cats, often 'crystal-like' formations are present which cause considerable pain.

Answer 8

sorry you don't like people telling you to take it to a vet. Your cat is at risk of DYING from a blocked urethra or kidney failure if the infection travels up the tubes. He is in AGONY right now and you have a legal duty to take it to the vet. Contact the PDSA if you are on benefits or let the cat go to someone who can afford to keep it properly. Not taking a sick cat to the vet because you can't afford it is no more of an excuse than starving it to death for the same reason. The RSPCA will prosecute you if they find out.

Answer 9

I concur with "Even in humans cranberry juice won't cure a serious urine infection; it's really more preventative," and I'd wish anybody trying to get a cat to drink cranberry juice good luck, but. Just in case you're interested:

http://www.pup-n-stuff.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=64

Somebody has actually made cranberry cat treats...

And:

"Urinary Infections: The common human remedy of cranberry, orange, and other citrus juices also work for pets in boosting the acidity of the urine and decreasing the amount of bacteria. A chewable vitamin C tablet a day will reduce the acidity to prevent further infections."

(From http://kitchen.robbiehaf.com/PetHomeRemedies.html)

Don't know if I'd go with chewable, people-type vitamin C -- too many fillers. You can get plain vitamin C crystals in health food stores; perhaps it can be stirred into some wet food. And, if I recall correctly, blueberries are also supposed to work well.

Of course, usual I-found-it-on-teh-internets disclaimers apply. But if you're desperate and absolutely can't get to a vet...

Answer 10

I think it would be very hard to get a cat to drink cranberry juice. Drinking lots of water helps with urine infections. Make sure it has a good die aswell and this might help. Vets don't tend to charge much for a checkup. And antibiotics aren't expensive. You might be thinking a vets is dearer than it is. Treatment and checkup could be less than ten pound.