Kelly (Florence, Tuscany, Italy) on 12/10/2011:

My cat, Aurelio, is 5 years old. He's a healthy inside-outside cat who lives in the country. Although Aurelio loves to be inside with us during the cold months, my husband and I noticed that he was spending less time inside recently (December). He would come home, beg for food, eat rapidly and practically scream to go back outside. When we wouldn't open the door right away he would run through the house, looking in corners, and behaving very strangely until we let him leave. This went on for about a week and then one morning I noticed spots of blood in the bidet and a strong cat-urine smell, but with no visible urine. It bothered me, but our cats often nick themselves while digging outside and I thought maybe he had cut his paw and maybe the litterbox had been full so he had used the bidet for peeing (this isn't unusual - this is a cat who has been known to use the people toilet). Three days later I saw the same thing again and then I got really worried and went online to research blood in cat urine. Meanwhile, my husband had left town for a week, leaving me with no car and therefore no access to a veterinarian. We live out in the country and it's the holiday season, so there weren't any friends easily available to help. Once I realized that Aurelio probably had cystitis, and maybe for longer than a week, I panicked. I was especially concerned by the warning that a male cat can become blocked, and I knew that I was working against time.

So this is what I did: As soon as Aurelio returned home for dinner on Day 1 I gave him 1/4 tsp. Organic ACV 1-1/2tsp water in his wet food. I took away his dry food. He actually seemed to really enjoy his dinner, so it was no problem. And only 15 minutes later he went to his litter box and peed a small amount, though I couldn't see if there was still blood in his urine. 3 hours later I gave him the same dose of ACV/H20 in a smaller amount of wet food. He ate it and within 20 minutes he went back to the litter box and peed again - this time slightly more and no blood that I could see. This happened once more that night and again the next morning. He seemed to be feeling better too - no meowing, no running around the house - he was calm and had a good night's sleep. In fact, he was so well in the morning that I let him go outside after eating his ACV breakfast. He returned home in the evening, Day 2, and I started the same routine again - this time his urine was significantly more - I'd say it was about half of a healthy pee, 2 times that night and again the next morning after I gave him his ACV breakfast. Day 3 was exactly the same. Aurelio was jumping around, happy, healthy and actually begging for his ACV food.

On Day 4 there was trouble. Foolish me thought that he was well enough that I could give him a tiny bit of dry food and it would be fine. It wasn't. After eating his meal (again, the same as before but dry food) he started behaving strangely. Screaming to go outside. Running to the bathroom every 5 minutes, trying to pee in the bidet (not the litter box). About the 4th try, a little bit of watery blood came out - maybe three drops. This happened again 10 minutes later, but only 2 drops. And then he couldn't go at all. He started to look really tired and he was breathing rapidly and had very alert eyes. I was so upset. How could I have done this?

It was 10pm and I had no choice but to increase the amount of ACV. So I took a medical syringe and mouth-fed it to him like everyone recommended. It was about 1/2 tspACV enough water to fill the syringe. It wasn't difficult as he actually seemed to like it. His first dose was at 10pm. I gave a second syringe at 1am and another at 4am, then we both fell asleep. At 7am he peed - but it was only 2 drops of watery blood. I gave him breakfast of his wet food with 1/2tsp ACV 2-1/2tsp H20 and then another syringe. He fell asleep again and woke up 3 hours later, asking for more. I continued to give him a syringe every 3 hours on Day 5 but by the afternoon it looked like he wasn't getting any better. He hadn't even tried to pee since that morning and I was worried that I was filling him up with water and creating a dangerous situation. So I called my husband. He told me: in 2 hours I'll call you back and if you think it's an emergency, I'll have someone come get him and take him to the animal emergency. So I waited. Aurelio was so lethargic he hardly seemed to wake up when I shook him. And I thought for sure I was on the verge of losing him. And then - miracle of miracles - at exactly 2 hours later, about 5pm on Day 5, just when my husband called me back, Aurelio jumped up, trotted to the kitchen, asked for his ACV meal, ate, took a syringe and then trotted to the bidet to pee. And this time he peed a full, clear stream with no straining whatsoever!! I nearly fell to the floor with relief. I continued on his syringe routine and he peed stronger and clearer everytime for about 5 times that evening and once again in the morning. He slept well, he looked healthy, and everytime he woke up, he asked for his medicine. Day 6 he was healthy and happy again and I cut back his syringes to 1 every 4 hours. Day 7 and he is back to normal, still continuing to give him syringes and ACV in his wet food. I won't be giving him any dry food for at least a month.

As far as I have seen, ACV is truly a miracle-cure, thank you all for this wonderful advice! I do, however, have one question about something that concerns me and that's Aurelio's rapid breathing for about an hour after having ACV. Is this normal? It seems to me that he goes through 3 stages after eating ACV food/taking an ACV syringe: 1) He's extremely energetic, like a kitten playing 2) settles down but seems uncomfortable or in some slight pain and has rapid breathing 3) about 1hour after taking his ACV he is back asleep again, settled and purring. This happens everytime like clockwork. Should I be worried that I am causing him some pain? And this might be unrelated but he also licks at his right side. Is this an indication of something else going on besides the cystitis? He is back to peeing normally again, and he really seems to like his ACV, so I'm confused. Again, THANK YOU ALL!! :D