CBD or Cannabidiol has been a popular alternative treatment for people who experience anxiety and depression, insomnia, different types of chronic pain, arthritis, seizures, or migraines. Thanks to our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) that has a network of receptors throughout our central nervous system, it can effectively interact with cannabinoids compounds like CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol).
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Effects of CBD on Cats
Cats, like humans, also have an endocannabinoid system (ECS) in their bodies. Because of this, they can also experience a wide variety of health benefits that cannabinoids have to offer. However, you should take note that you should only use CBD to your feline companion instead of THC. The delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol was extracted from Marijuana that comes with a significant amount of psychoactive components. This means that it may pose safety concerns with your cat since these psychoactive components (phytocannabinoid) is responsible for someone or an animal to get “high”.
CBD, on the other hand, comes from a specific strain of cannabis Sativa called hemp that contains less THC. It is safer to use for both humans and animals because it doesn’t contain any psychoactive components (phytocannabinoid). CBD develops a process called “homeostasis” which keeps the body to maintain a healthy state. Through the ECS receptors, CBD regulates many of the body’s key processes, such as metabolism, immune system, brain function, mood, pain, and sleep.
Health Benefits of CBD for Cats
Below we have listed some of the key benefits of CBD for your feline companion.
Alleviate Stress and Separation Anxiety
Like humans, our cats can also experience stress that comes from different sources such as poor human-cat relationships, sudden changes in their environment, conflicts with the new pet in the house, health issues, etc. Not to mention the separation anxiety they experience whenever you leave them alone in the house every time you go out for work. All of these stressors can lead to poor health hygiene, poor grooming habits, behavioral issues, poor eating habits, and many other issues.
CBD, as mentioned earlier, can help alleviate stress and anxiety since it can influence the receptors in the brain that is responsible for mood regulation. Studies found that CBD changes the blood flow in some areas of the brain that might cause anxiety. Moreover, CBD activates the receptor in the serotonin system which aids in reducing stress and anxiety.
Manages Arthritis and Joint Pain
Many believe that only dogs experience arthritis and joint pain. But recent studies suggest that even cats can experience arthritis just as often as dogs. Especially for cats that are more than six years old. Having arthritis and joint pain hinders their mobility, they feel less energetic and experience constant pain which makes their life unpleasant. But thanks to CBD’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties, it can help improve your pet’s situation by making the pain less severe. CBD activates and desensitizes the cat’s vanilloid receptor found in their brain that can decrease the perceived level of pain.
Regulates Good Eating Habits
Your cats, as they grow old, may experience a decrease in their appetite. It may be caused by a variety of different reasons including dental problems, mood-related disorders, and numerous health conditions. After all, having a poor appetite will only mean that your cat is not feeling well. With the help of CBD, it can stimulate your cat’s appetite since it can also affect both the CB1 receptors and the digestive system which increases the desire for food. If your cat is experiencing dental problems, CBD has anti-inflammatory properties to help alleviate the pain so it makes eating less painful. CBD, as already mentioned above, helps release serotonin that improves mood-related disorders so you won’t be having a problem feeding your cat properly.
Reduces Symptoms of Seizures
Not known to may, cats are also capable of having seizures just like humans. And this health issue is quite frightening especially for those who might not know how to handle the situation. Seizures are caused by a sudden burst of electrical activity in the brain that may cause your cat to fall over on their side, salivate, or urinate or defecate on the spot. Depending on the severity of the seizure, it could last for a few seconds up to several minutes and surely it’s a distressing scenario for the pet owner and distressing experience for the cat. Based on clinical studies, CBD can reduce the seizure frequency and lots of people are already using it to manage their pets with epilepsy.
How to use CBD for Cats?
There are two ways for your cat to intake CBD. You can give them CBD gummies and include them on their food. However, some cats might don’t want to eat gummies especially those who are experiencing appetite problems so we highly recommend using CBD oil instead.
When you introduce CBD oils into your cat’s routine, it is better to start on a small dosage. Besides, we haven’t know the side effects the CBD can do when you rush the process by giving your pet large doses to start off with. Moreover, don’t forget to consult your veterinarian first so he/she could give the best advice on how much your cat should be taking. On the other hand, you can start with 0.5mg of CBD per kilogram of your cat weighs twice a day. And depending on your cat’s reactions, you can gradually increase the dosage over time.
Is the use of CBD Legal?
In some states, as long the CBD product you purchase only contains less than 0.3 percent THC and it is sourced from hemp plants, then it is legal to own one.
Conclusion
CBD is an excellent alternative to improve your beloved pet’s quality of life. While there haven’t much clinical test that proves the effectiveness of CBD to both humans and animals, many cat owners have already benefited from the health benefits it provides to their feline companion. If you are considering the use of CBD, however, you highly recommend asking your vet first for professional advice and recommendations.
