Feline Respiratory Remedies

When our cats and kittens get goopy eyes, sniffles, or coughing- we want to take action right away to make them feel better. Breeders, rescuers, adopters-cats and kittens come to our lives in many different ways, so we may or may not even know if our cats are facing Chlamydia or Calicivirus in the beginning. For a more detailed explanation of the most common feline respiratory issues, we wrote about those here. Today we just want to share the most useful, and practical ways to help your cats and kittens move through respiratory issues, no matter how they started or how long they have lasted. If you have other remedies you have used at home, do hit reply and let us know! We do not use antibiotics or steroids on any of our cats- each one or more of these remedies are how we care for our loved ones during times of illness.

One disclaimer before we begin: the energy you bring to your cat’s healing journey is incredibly important. We cannot state this enough. Approach your cat from fear or frustration, and your energy will be reflected in how your cat responds to you, and well as the treatment modality you use. Whether you simply take a handful of deep breaths and visualize your cat completely healthy, or ground yourself in other ways, your energy matters to your cat!
Energy is everything.
Now let’s look at how to help your loved one.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar- the easiest, cheapest of all the remedies.
   Use 1: Simply cup your hand and our some out in the center of your palm. Wipe on your cat’s belly (underneath- not on top of the back!) twice a day.
   (Note: Some cats will be ok with the same amount in their water bowl instead, some will not.)
   Use 2": Use a cold air humidifier like this one and pour .5 cup of ACV in to the water to diffuse in a room with your sick cat. Do this for a week. Don’t use ACV with “the Mother” as it will clog the humidifier. Ask us how we know!

2. Coconut Oil- we have talked about the many use cases of coconut oil for respiratory conditions here. Just know it becomes as solid at 72’ F. Awesome for crusty or red eyes, super gentle and rehydrating.

3. MCT oil - a great substitute for coconut oil, especially in the winter as it is always a liquid! Just be careful not to use more than ¼ tsp in the eyes or ears at a time- it instantly detoxes candida and other viruses- even hook worms and tapeworms, etc so it can make the cat or kitten throw it all up for a few days. Also used in ears 3-4X weekly for 2 weeks to clear ear mites.

The remedies below require a little more discussion as dosing needs to be done carefully. While available to anyone, they are powerful and should be treated with respect.

1. Silver water- angstrom silver (300 PPM)
   NOTE: 5PPM is all that is needed to “dehydrate” viruses. Silver water is not great for bacterial infections- angstrom sulfur water (below) is a much better choice for bacterial infections.
   Most silver products are “colloidal” in size, which make them more difficult for the body to absorb and use properly. Angstrom in size is the smallest particle available, which is why we use this brand.
   USE 1: capful of 300 PPM angstrom silver per 1 CUP of water in a bowl- change water and silver mixture daily for 7 days. This equates to 25 PPM of angstrom silver your cat could potentially ingest if they drank the whole bowl, and is completely safe for short periods of time. (you cn use other brands, but this is the best value and smallest particle size we could find!) Alternatively, it can be mixed in with canned or raw food.
   USE 2: Dilute 1 TBSP of angstrom silver in 1 CUP water and wipe or mist on cat’s fur as often as allowed. (Note: Can be used for eyes n a damp washcloth, just follow up with a little coconut oil to alleviate eye dryness that will occur.)
   USE 3: Use a cold air humidifier to diffuse 1TBSP of 300 PPM angstrom silver per cup of water. Run continuously for 7 days, then stop for at least 7 days before doing again.
   USE 4: We use a portable nebulizer which we place nearby our sick, sleeping cat to allow for safe inhalation when we cannot touch the cat or kitten.
   NOTE: If more assistance is needed, repeat any of the processes above with angstrom sulfur for the next 7-10 days to kill bacteria. Do not use silver water more than 7 days in a row.
   

2. Sulfur Water- Angstrom Sulfur (2000 mg p/L) is highly effective against bacterial and fungal infections. We use this brand due to its safety record and cost-effectiveness.
   Understand, sulfur is the NATURAL element. “Sulfa” or “sulpha” are the chemical derivatives which can cause allergic reactions (especially in people/animals with the MTHFR gene mutation/deficiency). Elemental sulfur does not cause the same reaction! This might provide more insight if needed. Sulfa-based drugs are the go-to antibiotics/antifungals on the market, and the appropriate does of elemental sulfur are even more powerful- and cheaper- than the chemically processed drugs. You can read more about a very common chemical sulfa-based antibiotic and all the side-effects here. Sulfur, on the other hand, will not cause these issues.
   USE 1: 1.5 tsp of angstrom sulfur water per 1 CUP of water to start with. After 4-5 days, if no results are visible, increase to 1 TBSP per 1 CUP of water daily for 1 week intervals. Note: May cause loose stools when cat or kitten is in a healing crisis. May cause vomiting of excess mucous in stomach the first day or two as well. Also helps kill h.plyori bacteria in the stomach. So these reactions are normal.
   USE 2: Any of the same ways silver is used above. Also can be placed on warm washcloth and used to wipe eyes, but follow up with a bit of coconut oil if possible to soothe the eyes.
   
   3. If silver or sulfur sound a bit intimidating, you can always try our faithful standby- FeLife by Doc Clemens remedies! It is our go-to for just about everything, including respiratory issues. It has saved our cats’ lives from vaccine injury and FeLV/FCV respiratory complications. Awesome stuff. We’ve talked about it many times!

We hope you have found a few helpful ideas here to consider when your cats or kittens need help right away. Of course we are not trying to act as a substitute for conventional veterinary care, these remedies are from years of finding solutions where conventional medicine was inadequate or not financially available for multiple sick cats at one time. Love always finds a way, so out of love and countless hours of end-of-life care, we learned how to support loved ones humanely, toxin-free, and cost-effectively. Thank you for letting us share, and let us know what is helping you- or not!

And remember, Always Be Curious!