CBD for cats and dogs, What to know.
CBD (cannabidiol) has become a popular natural solution for many cat and dog health issues. It is a natural chemical extracted from the hemp plant or cannabis plant. Research shows that it can have soothing effects on most all mammals. If you are considering using CBD for cats or dogs, you should know that pet owners alike use CBD for many different reasons. These reasons include anxiety, post-surgery pain, and inflammatory or digestive issues, to name a few.
How Safe is CBD for Cats and Dogs?
Research proves that CBD does not have any dangerous psychoactive effects. However, side effects such as dry mouth, diarrhea, or minor fatigue due to increased relaxation are possible but not especially concerning. When it comes to finding the best CBD oil for dogs or cats, you need to make sure the CBD oil you choose is safe for your pet. You want to find out where the oil is coming from. A safe CBD oil manufacturer for cats and dogs will be open and honest about their product and the seed-to-shelf process.
Keep in mind that the best CBD oil for dogs and cats will provide proof of independent, third-party lab testing. The CBD product you give your pet should contain less than 0.3 percent THC, a legal requirement.
Pet owners want to know that the CBD oil they give their cats or dogs is clean. Safe CBD products do not contain unnecessary additives or fillers. Make sure you read the ingredients list on the CBD product carefully.
It is also important to mention that All Paws Essentials CBD treats and oils contain no icky or bitter taste, which makes feeding them to your pet easier.
CBD Doses for Cats and Dogs
When it comes to dosing CBD for your cat or dog, we recommend starting at 1 mg per 10 pounds. By starting small, you give your pet time to adjust to the new supplements and prevent any stomach aches from possibly occurring. Keep in mind that cats require up to 2x the dosage as dogs do so plan to increase the dosage for maximum effectiveness. Staying at too low a dose or using only one time a day often does not offer the results most people are looking for.
However, if your dog or cat is suffering and in pain, consider starting at a moderate dose and gradually work up to a higher dose. You can find out more about precise dosing using our CBD dosage calculator. The dosage listed there is based on dogs, so you can safely double the recommended dosage for cats.
Signs that Your Cat is Stressed
There are many possible reasons why cats may feel stressed out. For example, loud noises like construction or fireworks, unfamiliar people or animals visiting, a new baby, and moving homes can all be somewhat unsettling and stressful scenarios for your cat. There are several signs of stress in cats that you should look out for:
- Seeming withdrawn or hiding more than usual
- Less tolerant of people
- Showing a reluctance to use the litter tray
- Less of an appetite or overeating
- Scratching furniture
- Excessive meowing
- Exaggerated swallowing
- Hissing or growling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If your cat is showing signs of stress and you have ruled out underlying health conditions, you may want to try a holistic approach and provide CBD to help calm them down.
What is the Best CBD Oil for Cats?
There are a few considerations when choosing a CBD product for cats. CBD for cats may come in many different forms, and CBD oil is the most commonly used delivery method. Typically, CBD oil is packaged in a tincture-type dropper bottle. However, many brands have a yucky bitter flavor that cats may avoid. All Paws Essentials CBD oils for cats is flavorless and ideal for cats. CBD absorbs best when fed with some type of food. The higher the fat content, the better, as CBD is fat soluble. This makes dosing your cats simple.
If your cat has any aversion to the taste and stops eating the food, you may wish to put CBD oil on its paw instead. Cats naturally lick and groom their paws, and this will help avoid any negative association with their food.
It is also essential to know that CBD oil has distinct types. Your duty as a pet owner is to determine which kind of CBD oil meets your cat’s needs. For example, if your cat is suffering from a lack of appetite, you may want to focus on a product without other supplements focused on that issue. You may also want to focus on a broad-spectrum product which has no THC in it. Because THC and CBD metabolize at different rates, a THC-free formula is most reliable when dosing.
Our newest product at All Paws Essentials is our Trinity Blend, which contains broad-spectrum CBD, CBG, CBDa, and organic sunflower lecithin without any THC. This enhanced broad-spectrum formula may be more helpful for cats with pain and digestive issues. CBDa is more effective than CBD alone when dealing with cats with nausea and vomiting issues. The addition of CBG in this formula is highly antibacterial and may benefit those cats with UTI issues and possibly bladder infections.
Anxiety issues are one of the most common reasons cat owners become interested in seeking CBD for cats. Some cat owners first detect signs of anxiety in their cats between the ages of five months and one year, and these anxieties can worsen over time if left untreated. You should consult your veterinarian when determining the cause of your cat’s stress. If your veterinarian conducts tests and rules out the possibility of illness such as thyroid disease, you can take the next step of discussing CBD oil as a treatment option.
Conclusion
Safety is a top priority when it comes to CBD for cats. Whether you have a cat or dog, ensure your CBD product is safe for your pet’s consumption. Look for 3rd party lab testing and a willingness of the company to discuss your concerns before purchase. It is also recommended to consult your veterinarian before administering CBD oil to dogs or cats.
