The past several decades have seen many great advances in the world of veterinary sciences. Now more than ever, cats have medications available to soothe a variety of their ailments. However, many prescriptions remain ineffective or unusable for cats, so many cat owners have turned to natural solutions. One of those holistic options has become quite popular in recent years: CBD.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, comes from the cannabis plant. The primary compound found in cannabis, THC, gives people the “high” feeling the plant is famous for. On the other hand, CBD has many different effects on the body, including that it is non-intoxicating. Research has shown that CBD may have numerous valuable health benefits, both for humans and pets.
Some of the potential therapeutic benefits of CBD include anxiety relief, pain relief, use as an anti-inflammatory, and help with treating epilepsy and seizures. While more studies are needed to confirm these benefits, the mounting data have proven itself to be very promising. The evidence available is strong enough that many people are already using it for themselves and their pets.
Giving Your Cat CBD
Cat owners have begun giving their furry loved ones CBD to help with conditions including anxiety and stress, skin conditions caused by inflammation, and arthritis. Many brands have even created CBD products specifically for cats to help with accurate dosing for their small bodies, making it easy to be administered safely.
CBD can be especially useful for senior cats who, like any aging being, begin to suffer from aches and pains on a more regular basis. One of the major plus sides of CBD over other pain medication is that research has shown it is safe to use, meaning it has not been found to have any serious side effects that could further diminish one’s quality of life.
The research on CBD is still new, but anecdotal evidence from pet owners who have gone the holistic route tend to rave about how CBD has improved their dog or cat’s life. That being said, the way CBD affects cats does appear to be slightly different than how it affects dogs and humans.
One study from 2019 found that CBD induced some behavioral changes in cats. The changes, including licking and head shaking, were not serious, but it does seem to indicate that cats’ small size plays a very important role in the dose they should take. For this reason, it is imperative to discuss the option of giving CBD to cats with a veterinarian beforehand.
Jess Lakritz 