From epilepsy to anxiety, cats experience much of the same medical conditions humans do. As a cat owner, you may be wondering if CBD could help with these issues and improve your cats quality of life.
Here’s what we know about CBD for cats.
Research into how CBD can benefit cats is on the rise, so far much of the positive benefits of CBD oil for cats we have learnt from anecdotal and clinical veterinary observations.
So whether you are new to the concept of CBD for your pet or are just curious to expand your knowledge, CBD Vets Australia can provide information to help you determine whether seeking out a CBD oil prescription from your local vet may be appropriate for your cat.
Benefits of CBD for Cats
CBD oil is known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-epileptic actions, just to name a few.
CBD influences a vast range of physiological processes, including augmenting the endocannabinoid system found not only in humans but also in animals.
Through acting on receptors and modulating homeostasis pathways, CBD can influence stress resilience, pain responses, digestion, immune and nervous system signalling. In humans, this means CBD has the potential to positively impact mood and sleep, with strong evidence for its use in seizures.
Clinical trials translating CBD’s potent therapeutic actions for humans into the context of our feline friends is still in its infancy. Despite this, the groundswell of interest in CBD oil for pets is enormous and we can expect more research to be filtering through imminently including CBD for cats.
CBD, Chronic Pain and Cats
The question of “will CBD oil help my cat?”, especially in regards to pain or mobility issues is one vets regularly encounter.
A recent placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety CBD as an adjunctive treatment for pain management in cats which concluded that CBD was beneficial and safe for cats when administered in vet prescribed doses for the condition tested.
And another paper from 2023 reports on the efficacy of CBD and THC for a cat with chronic osteoarthritic pain.
As with human exploration of medical cannabis and CBD oil, research is filtering through while anecdotal evidence leads the way.
From human and other animal studies, including dogs with pain from osteoarthritis, we know that CBD oil can reduce pain scores and inflammation, as well as improving mobility and quality of life.
CBD and Anxiety in Cats
Cats can exhibit worry and anxiety much like us. Whether moving to a new home, travelling, adjusting to another animal or child in the house, cats may showcase their anxiety as excessive vocalisation or grooming, arched back, urine spraying and destructive behaviour to name a few.
Each cat will exhibit anxiety behaviours in its own unique way. Through observation and discussion with a vet you can identify anxiety in your cat and adapt to suit their needs.
CBD interacts with hormones and neurotransmitters attributable to anxiety behaviours and may reduce anxiety in pets.
Most knowledge on CBD of anxiety in cats is coming from veterinary doctors clinical experience internationally.
However, a recent (Feb 2024), new paper was published following a study of 10 healthy domestic cats and their attachment to their caregivers using a Secure Base Test (SBT).
The aim was to see how CBD helped the separation anxiety felt by the cats when taken away from their caregivers.
What they found, they believe, is the first demonstration of the anxiolytic effects of CBD on feline response to a brief separation.
Regulations have become less restrictive allowing for more research to be conducted in the arena of cats wellbeing and even CBD for cognitive decline.
Is CBD Safe for Cats?
In the past five years, there have been a handful of safety trials on CBD oil involving cats. Cats seem to show a poorer absorption and faster excretion of CBD than dogs.
At doses of 2mg of CBD oil per kilo bodyweight, twice per day, the main side effects cats showed were excessive licking and head shaking, and less commonly, pacing and chewing.
Further research is warranted and considering current knowledge cats should steer clear from THC containing products.
Many online CBD products have not been tested for their cannabinoid content and may contain additives that could be harmful to cats. CBD may be applied safely but always under the guidance of a medical cannabis informed vet.
Prescribing and Monitoring
CBD oil for Cats
Many vets continue to be hesitant in considering medical cannabis as a veterinary medicine. This is understandable given decades of stigma and potentially hands-on experience treating pets who have accidentally ingested toxic amounts of cannabis.
Nevertheless, anecdotal evidence abounds on the internet and recent research is showing positive results, so more vets are becoming educated on why and how you use CBD for cats.
While anecdotes and clinic observation may inform future research, for the safety and wellbeing of your cat it’s important that any medications including CBD are prescribed and monitored by a vet.
At CBD Vets Australia we provide training to veterinary doctors and our team has extensive education and experience in administering CBD oil for pets including cats.
To find out if CBD could benefit your cat call CBD Vets Australia on 02 8294 9303 and talk to your local vet.
By Jessica Kindynis
Updated May 9th 2024
