CBD for Cats: All You Need to Know

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It’s a coin toss between dogs and cats being thought of as the best companions for people, really depends on which side of the fence you lean on. If you are a cat person then you are aware that cats can sometimes feel uncomfortable or nervous, and this is due to various reasons.

Cats may show nervousness after they have been newly adopted, or possibly if an owner has recently moved and the cat just needs time to acclimate itself to its surroundings. Maybe there are visitors in the house, or a visit to the veterinary is on the calendar.

Cats may also be in pain or anxious, and sadly cats don’t fully speak so they cannot tell what they are experiencing, and it is up to the owner to analyze the signs to determine what the cat is feeling.

CBD may be something to consider trying if you are a cat owner whose cat shows any of the above feelings.

CBD may assist in managing the issues of anxiety and minimizing the pain a cat feels. Another benefit that CBD may offer your feline friend is keeping your cat calm and reducing aggressiveness.

Benefits of CBD for Cats

Reduce stress

As mentioned above, cats can get stressed for various reasons; a visit to the vet, traveling by airplane or car, after grooming, or during a thunderstorm, and a change of environment. Most cats do not venture very far away from their normal surroundings; any new shifts or changes in their environment might trigger stress.

CBD may assist a cat can after they have experienced a situation that might lead to stress. If you are aware of a situation that normally stresses your cat out, you can give them some CBD as a preventive measure to relax them. CBD will help calm your cats and make them quiet and relaxed.

Offer the recommended dose at least 30 minutes to an hour prior to embarking on a trip or a grooming session next time and monitor whether your friend was more relaxed than usual.

Peaceful and Relaxed

CBD may be effective in making cats feel at peace and relaxed under various circumstances. Visitors to your home or people they do not recognize may stress your cat or it might make them aggressive and unwelcoming to your guest.

Administering CBD may make a cat more peaceful and relaxed around visitors. Introducing a new cat or new cats to your current cat may also make them aggressive, leading to chaos.

CBD may be a great benefit in this type of situation, keeping the cats relaxed as they try to bond and make new friends.

Reduce Pain

It is not easy to assess the pain your cat is going through. An injured or ill cat may benefit from some CBD to help minimize the pain. This is because nearly all animals have what is called an endocannabinoid system which is a neuromodulatory system in the body that plays a role in the central nervous system’s development.1

Minimize Seizures

CBD may help minimize seizures and reduce how often they occur on your cat. Seizures are a grueling experience for both the cat and the owner. Obviosly, consult with your veterinary if your cat experiences seizures. There have been many studies that have been done around animals and how CBD may combat the severity of a seizure, including a study that used both rats and mice where the results were that, “CBD was effective in a battery of acute seizure models in both mice and rats following intraperitoneal administration.”2

Reduces Anxiety

As mentioned a couple times above, cats can become anxious due to various conditions or situations. CBD may help at reducing anxiety in your cat and helps to keep them become calm. Changes in the environment can make cats anxious. Visitors and new people at home may also make cats anxious. CBD administered in the right dosage may assist in reducing your cats’ anxiety.

Improve Appetite

CBD may also improve your cat’s appetite. A troubled cat will have it difficult to take its meals. CBD may help your cat get to a more homeostasis feeling of calm, which can be crucial to taking its meals as recommended.

Constant Hiding

Cats might be uncomfortable around people or new people. Cats in a new setting might also make them start hiding. After a pet or grooming visit, your cat may feel insecure around you, making them look to hide from you. CBD may help to calm the cats and give them the confidence to interact with you despite a previous ordeal like grooming or around new people and houses.

Crying Cats

A crying cat can sometimes be annoying to your family. It may be difficult at times to figure out why your cat’s crying and what necessary actions you could do to assist them. CBD may help calm a cat down and prevent unnecessary crying that is irritating to all involved.

Source of CBD

CBD is a cannabinoid that comes from the cannabis plant. Both marijuana and hemp plants contain up to 100 cannabinoids, including THC, CBG, CBN, and THCa, and while they are from the same plant family, the two planst vary in many ways.

The hemp plant variety don’t produce the same amount of THC that a marijuana plant does, which is one of the reasons why the hemp plant is used in the production of CBD, along with other many beneficial uses of hemp.

CBD Oil vs Hemp Oil

Learn more about the difference between CBD oil and Hemp Oil

Both oils are obtained from the hemp plant, however they are not the same. CBD comes from an extraction process that utilizes the majority of the hemp plant, while Hemp oil is obtained from hemp seeds. Hemp seeds have many health benefits, however, they are not known to assist in homeostasis which CBD may help with.

Selecting the Best CBD for Cats

Selecting the best CBD for your cat might be a grueling ordeal for some as not every cat will respond to every CBD product. This can be confusing, aggrevating, not to mention expensive. Some of our brand partners sell high-quality CBD pet products that we highly recommend, including cbdMD who have a few products specifically made for cats.

It is good to check on the product labels for descriptions. Compare different types of CBD according to their description. Ensure you check on CBD levels in a product you decide to use on your cat.

Does CBD Make your Cat High?

CBD does give your cats a ‘high’ feeling, but offers a soothing and relaxing feeling. CBD obtained from the hemp plant has low levels of THC (less than 0.3%) that get people high.

Marijuana on the other hand has low levels of CBD and high levels of the THC cannabinoid, which most likely will make your cat ‘high’, and can possibly be toxic them if they consumed too much.

Administering CBD to Cats

Cats, like many animals, are fussy and likely to stick to their normal routine when it comes to feeding time. Many CBD brands sell CBD oil that is made for either cats or pets in general which can be administered directly to your cats mouth via a dropper.

Your cat, however, may not like it when you try to hold their mouth open, and may actually run and hide, which will increase their anxiety, which is the opposite of what you are looking to do.

With that in mind you can attemt to squeeze the CBD from the dropper directly onto your cats food, but again, they may not enjoy the new smell, and may then ignore their food.

With that in mind, CBD brands have produced CBD treats that are made with additional ingredients that hide the smell and taste of the CBD.

Some of our favorite brands offer CBD treats, or chews, that your cat will most likely love! They include cbdMD’s cat chews, King Kanine’s Crunch, and Lolahemp who have a huge selection of chews!

Recommended Dosage of CBD

Consulting a veterinarian before starting to administer CBD to your cat is advisable. While CBD is relatively new many vets are familiar with CBD, and discussing with them what’s best for your cat is similar to speaking with your doctor about CBD.

The CBD recommendation can range depending on the weight of your cat from a couple miligrams up to 25mg, and possibly more if you have a large cat. Rarely will you hit on your first attempt to determine the best dosage so you should take notes and monitor your cat to see how they are reacting to the CBD.

It’s always a good rule of thumb to start slow and add as you see fit. Most brands will have a dosage chart on their website and some list it on the product packaging which you should follow when giving you cat, or any animal, CBD.

CBD for Cats Under Medication

CBD can be used on cats who are taking other medication, but it is always advisable to consult your veterinarian before administering CBD. CBD’s relaxing nature may slow the functioning of a certain medication on your cat, leading to the medication not working as intended. CBD can also interact with other drugs which is something to consider before giving your cat some CBD.

Conclusion

CBD is a natural alternative to over the counter medication that may be beneficial to your cat for situations that range from anxiety to aggression. While CBD may help your cat, it may not as well. It’s best to always discuss CBD and your cat prior to trying CBD, but if you decide to try CBD without discussing with your vet you should follow the recommended dose that a brand states on their site or packaging. Always go slow when adding additional doses, and do you and your cat a favor and keep notes to see how they are doing on the CBD.

references

1Silver R. J. (2019). The Endocannabinoid System of Animals. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 9(9), 686. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090686

2Patra PH, Barker-Haliski M, White HS, Whalley BJ, Glyn S, Sandhu H, Jones N, Bazelot M, Williams CM, McNeish AJ. Cannabidiol reduces seizures and associated behavioral comorbidities in a range of animal seizure and epilepsy models. Epilepsia. 2019 Feb;60(2):303-314. doi: 10.1111/epi.14629. Epub 2018 Dec 26. PMID: 30588604; PMCID: PMC6378611.

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