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Benefits of CBD oil for cats

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CBD can be a great way to calm your cat’s discomforts. Whether it be anxiety or pain due to injury or illness, CBD for cats can offer tremendous help to their quality of life.

It’s only natural to want to give your cat the best of the best and make them feel better, but is CBD really safe for them? Can it really help them? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you all you need to know about CBD for cats here!

Is CBD safe for cats?

Like humans, cats have an endocannabinoid system that regulates important physiological functions such as immunity, mood, sleep, and pain. 

They have cannabinoid receptors throughout their body, including the brain, nervous system, and immune system. What makes cannabis so special is that its active compounds can bind to or influence these receptors; and, just as humans can benefit from the effects of CBD safely, so can your feline friends! 

Always make sure to only give them CBD specially formulated for pets or that it tests no higher than 0.3% for THC. CBD Oil manufactured for humans contains unwanted additives and ingredients, and though it’s safe for them it’s better to stick to CBD for cats if you are just starting. 

When introducing CBD products, always start by administering the lowest possible dose to avoid any possible side effects. These effects are usually a reaction to introducing the tincture abruptly into the pet’s diet, so start small and add more little by little to ensure your cat is benefiting from its CBD pet treats correctly.

CBD for cats with anxiety

Cat anxiety is way more common than you would think. Anxiety is the anticipation of danger or threat, so even though your cat is not actually in danger, they may be anticipating it. 

This illness can cause bodily reactions and changes in your cat’s behavior such as increased heart and respiratory rates, panting, trembling, and salivation. The most common behavior changes include increased movement, hiding, destruction, and excessive vocalization.

It’s heartbreaking to see your cat go through that, so of course, we seek to alleviate their stress and give them a better life. CBD for cats is a great way to soothe these symptoms.

When our pets are nervous, stressed, depressed, or have other behavioral problems, a dose of CBD can be of great help. Hemp oil helps them stay calm, feel at ease and relieve symptoms of anxiety or depression. 

Even for situations that can easily make your pet feel stressed, like traveling or making changes at home, an adequate dose of CBD will make them feel less anxious and ease their negative reaction.

Are CBD and catnip alike?

Catnip causes a euphoric reaction in some cats however, not all cats experience this relaxed and calm reaction to it. It is quite common for cats to become boisterous and aggressive after consuming catnip.

This is all because catnip produces a pheromone-like terpenoid called nepetalactone. Nepetalactone mimics a pheromone that cats are attracted to, and when they smell it, it binds to receptors in their nose and activates the amygdala, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland in their brain.

All of these areas of the cat’s brain are associated with the behaviors mentioned above, so the behaviors affected can be seemingly random depending on the cat and what day of the week it is.

CBD, on the other hand, affects your cat’s endocannabinoid system in the same way it affects our human endocannabinoid system. This means that while both catnip and CBD can have a calming effect, CBD for cats does not run the risk of producing negative behaviors in the same way that catnip does.

Another advantage of CBD over catnip is the duration of the effect. The effects of catnip are remarkably short-lived. Once the cat is away from the catnip plant or catnip toy, its behavior quickly returns to normal, however, as the CBD accumulates in your cat’s body, the effects are much more constant and controlled and last for the duration of the CBD treatment.

How often can you give CBD to a cat?

Obviously, cats are much smaller than humans, which means they will need much lower doses of CBD than we do.

If you buy a CBD oil product made specifically for cats, be sure to read the package insert recommendations for proper administration. 

According to some veterinarians, the dosage recommended is 0.1 to 0.5mg of CBD per kilogram twice a day. Individual dosages may vary depending on your cat’s specific condition, among other factors. Remember, less can be more. It is always best to start with low doses and see how your cat responds.

Recommended administration of CBD for a common cat

• Arthritis: 0.5mg/kg twice a day
• Asthma: 0.5mg/kg twice a day
• Inflammatory bowel disease: 0.2mg/kg twice a day
• Pancreatitis: 0.1mg/kg twice a day, gradually increasing to 0.5mg/kg twice a day
• Chronic upper respiratory tract infections: 5mg/kg twice a day
• Seizures: 0.5mg/kg twice a day, then gradually increasing. The maximum dose to treat seizures can be up to 3mg of CBD per kg of your cat’s weight.

You need to know that CBD for cats does not usually work overnight. Sometimes it can take several weeks before you notice its effects on your pet. Therefore, when administering CBD, you need to be patient, consistent and watch your cat closely to find the right dosage in due time.

As a general rule, it’s a good idea to wait a week or two before upping the dosage. Repeat this process as recommended until you notice its effects.

CBD benefits for cats

CBD oil for cats can help with issues such as aggression, anxiety, stress, and other problems very common in felines. It also supports treatments for cancer and nervous system diseases.

CBD in cats can help with the following:

• Aggression
• Loss of appetite
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Lack of energy
• Inflammation
• Infections

There are also more serious illnesses in cats where CBD oils may be helpful. In common feline diseases such as arthritis, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma, the main cause is often inflammation. CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which help fight the causes and symptoms of various diseases.

In people, CBD is used to treat seizures and rare forms of epilepsy. There is evidence that CBD also works to reduce seizures in cats.