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Is it harmful to add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to my cat's wet food every day for her coat?

Cats · Food safety

Last reviewed: 2026-09-05 · Reference ranges: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline & Merck Veterinary Manual

Short answer

Yes, giving vinegar daily is not recommended and can be harmful over time. While a tiny amount mixed in food is usually harmless for a single meal, the daily acidic load can irritate your cat's mouth, esophagus, and stomach lining. There is no proven benefit for a cat's coat from dietary vinegar, and the risk of causing vomiting, appetite loss, or dental erosion outweighs any supposed advantage. It's safer to skip the vinegar entirely; if you want to improve her coat, discuss proven supplements like omega fatty acids with your vet.

Vinegar — Food safety facts

Feed with care · Cats · full breakdown on the linked food page

Acidic and irritating. Small amounts in food are harmless, drinking it is not.

Dogs and cats carry the same rating (Feed with care), so the notes below hold for either pet.

Vinegar is not poisonous to cats, but it is easy to over-feed. Rich fat, salt or seasoning can bring on vomiting or diarrhoea within a day, and repeated large portions are a recognised trigger for pancreatitis.

If it ate some before you noticed, watch for vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness or a painful, swollen abdomen over the next 24 hours. A one-off small amount in a healthy adult usually passes with water and rest; repeated exposure, a puppy or kitten, a senior, or a pet with an ongoing illness is a reason to call your vet the same day.

The full verdict, portion guidance and serving notes are collected on the Vinegar food facts page.

Open the full food page: Vinegar food facts →