Home Remedies For Cats With Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infection in cats is a serious problem, if not treated in time. There are a few tried and tested home remedies for cats with urinary infection that will take care of the problem.

Urinary tract infection can effectively be treated with a tisane (tea) of several antiseptic and disinfecting herbs such as uva ursi, horsetail, juniper berry, cleavers, cornsilk, stinging nettle and marshmallow leaf.

Mix half a teaspoon of uva ursi leaves with half a teaspoon of horsetail and half a teaspoon of juniper berries. Add half a litre of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add half a teaspoon each of cleavers, cornsilk, stinging nettle and marshmallow leaf. Cover the mix and let it cool down. Give one dropperful every three hours.

Uva ursi acts as an antiseptic and will clean the urinary tract. It is a bitter tasting herb and you can neutralise the bitterness by adding some vegetable glycerine to the mix. Horsetail will disinfect the urinary system and juniper berries are antiseptic and diuretic. Cleavers and cornsilk are soothing kidney tonics and also mildly diuretic. Stinging nettle is another tonic herb that nourishes the entire system. Cornsilk and marshmallow are demulcent herbs and will prevent irritation of the urinary tract by the cleansing herbs.

For acute infections add one drop of echinacea tincture per five pounds of body weight to the mix and administer at the intervals given above until the infection clears.

Other home remedies for cats with urinary tract infection are cranberries and blueberries, which prevent bacteria from taking hold in urinary tract tissue. Cranberry juice extract capsules and blueberry juice will do the job. They help control the infection and also acidify the urine.

Barley water is an excellent remedy for urinary tract infections. Boil 25g of pearl barley in a little water for a few minutes. Strain and add one litre of boiling water. Boil down to half and add some honey and 100ml of grape juice. Give four dropperfuls daily.

You can also help your cat by providing pain relief with natural remedies. Cantharis is very useful for cats who are straining to urinate. It is highly recommended if there is blood in the urine. Give two to three pellets of 30C potency 2-3 times a day.

Drinking extra fluids is also important when treating urinary tract infections, so encourage your cat to drink more water and add water or tea to her food. Drinking all this extra fluid will help to flush out toxins as your cat's bladder will get emptied regularly. Make sure the water is clean. Filtered or spring water are preferable as chemicals in the drinking water make some cats avoid drinking, resulting in thickening of urine which hinders regular emptying of the bladder.

Strengthen your cat's urinary tract by providing vitamin C. This has anti-inflammatory properties and strengthens the lining of the bladder. Depending upon the weight of your cat, administer 250-500mg twice a day. However, vitamin C can cause diarrhoea, so you have to get the dosage right.

Conventional treatments for urinary tract infect in cats are based on urine and blood tests to identify bacteria that cause the infection and to give antibiotics to eliminate it. The natural remedies for cats discussed above look towards treatment along immunity boosting with a view to reducing any recurrence.

Monika Ruthe is a complementary therapist and the creator of an online information resource on home remedies for cats. To discover the best natural remedies for cats for a variety of common ailments and learn how to use them visit http://www.homeremediesforcats.com