CBD oil has become a household name today. With the wave of legalization taking over the world and the benefits of CBD coming to light, many people are resorting to it. But, it’s not just people who are enjoying the benefits of the oil. Even pet cats and dogs are benefiting greatly from the goodness of CBD oil.
Are you planning to use CBD oil for your cat? Do you wonder how your cat can benefit from the oil? If your answer to the above questions is yes, you are in the right place. Read on to find out everything about CBD oil for cats.
What is CBD oil?
Before we begin discussing the advantages of CBD oil, let’s understand what it is. The cannabis plant is abundant, with over one hundred different chemical compounds known as cannabinoids.
Among the plenty of cannabinoids, CBD or Cannabidiol is the most prominent one. It is a non-psychoactive compound that will not get you high. CBD is known for its medicinal properties that may help cater to a series of mental and physical troubles.
The manufacturers use various parts of the cannabis hemp plant, including flowers and stalks to get CBD oil. They use a Co2 extraction process to get pure CBD oil. It is an edible oil that comes from hemp plants, industrially grown without any traces of THC. It ensures that the oil is entirely safe and legal for use and will not get your cat high.
With its increasing popularity, you can get CBD oil from any local dispensary or online store.
How does CBD oil work for cats?
Much like humans, cats also have an endocannabinoid system present in their bodies. It is due to the endocannabinoid system that your feline friend can enjoy the benefits of CBD oil.
Do you remember what the endocannabinoid system is? While you may have learned about it in school, there are fewer chances that you will still remember it. Well, for those who don’t know, the endocannabinoid system is a complex structure of cells that regulate a series of functions. It can impact mood, memory, sleep, appetite, and reproductive health.
The endocannabinoid system manages to regulate it by producing transmitters called cannabinoids. If the term cannabinoids sound familiar, it is because the ones you get from cannabis are identical to the ones produced inside the cat’s body. The cannabinoids go on to different parts of the body and stick to the receptors present there. By binding with the receptors, cannabinoids can alter physical and psychological processes.
When CBD goes into the cat’s body, it can either reduce or amplify the level of transmitters presents inside. CBD can stick to the CB1 and CB2 receptors to help them. Researchers believe that the cannabinoid CBD can also prevent the breakdown of natural cannabinoids that are already present.
What are the benefits of giving CBD oil to cats?
The goodness of CBD oil can help your cat, both mentally and physically. Here are a few benefits of the oil:
- May help with pain
Cats are known to be mischievous. You can often find them jumping and running around the house, which makes them prone to injuries. Besides that, researchers believed that dogs were more likely to suffer from arthritis. But, recent evidence shows that cats are more prone to this disease, especially in older age. More than 61% of cats over the age of six have arthritis.
Arthritis is a degenerative disease that can affect cats who are old. With age, the cartilage that forms cushioning between the bones of a joint deteriorates and loses flexibility. It can also develop due to infection, injury, or dislocation. Even felines that are overweight can suffer from arthritis.
It majorly affects the cat’s elbow joints, causing immense pain and inflammation. Arthritis can also hinder your cat’s mobility and lead to a lack of energy, making its life dull.
How CBD oil helps: CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It may significantly help reduce inflammation and stop the spread of inflammation. Besides that, when CBD oil interacts with the receptors present inside the cat’s body, it can alter how they react to pain. It may help reduce the feeling of pain, bringing much-needed relief to your furry friend.
- Might alleviate anxiety
Does your cat look aloof or anxious? Well, fret not, for it is very common. Like humans, cats can also experience emotions like anxiety and stress and suffer from their symptoms. Frequent environment changes, an unhealthy relationship with their human, discord with other furry members, and health troubles can often put stress on your cat.
While it is okay if your cat feels stressed for a day or two, dealing with anxious thoughts for a prolonged period can prove detrimental to their health. It can lead to behavioral issues, bad health, poor grooming habits, loss of appetite, and much more.
If it goes unnoticed by you, it can further aggravate the situation and prove detrimental for your cat.
How CBD oil helps: CBD oil is a relaxant that can calm your cat’s body and mind. It may bring instant relief from stress and anxiety. Cortisol is the hormone released in your feline’s body during stressful situations.
According to studies conducted on humans, it is seen that CBD oil may help moderate the level of cortisol in the body and reduce stress. Experts believe that cats can also experience a similar effect when given CBD oil for stress.
Due to this interaction with the endocannabinoid system, CBD oil may also reduce fear and anxiety. If your cat gets anxious while you are taking her out in the car, giving CBD oil before the ride may help calm her.
- May boost the appetite
Besides a healthy environment, a good diet is also crucial for every cat. A lacking diet may lead to a series of health troubles in your pet cat. If you think your furry friend is getting sick frequently and has frequent mood changes, it can be due to loss of appetite.
Poor appetite can simply mean that your cat isn’t feeling too good. Here, you might want to get a quick solution, but it is best to find the root of the problem. It could be the cat food, eating schedule, or maybe an underlying health issue as well.
While you can spend days trying to figure out the problem or spend plenty of dollars visiting a veterinary doctor, CBD oil may prove to be an effective and affordable solution. Make sure you buy CBD from the best pet supplies company online for better results.
How CBD oil helps: The goodness of CBD oil may also extend to your furry friend’s lacking appetite. CBD oil may aid the digestion and metabolic rate of your cat, thus increasing the appetite.
If your cat isn’t able to eat due to stomach issues, like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), CBD oil may also help with it. The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD may bring relief from swelling and discomfort. While CBD oil cannot cure inflammatory bowel disease and other digestive troubles, it might help prevent the symptoms.
- May reduce seizures
Much like humans, cats also suffer from epilepsy. Epilepsy is a severe disease that can induce seizures and blackouts in animals as well. Besides being scary, epileptic seizures can also be dangerous for your cat.
While there is no definite cause of epilepsy, doctors believe that brain damage or any brain condition can lead to it. Any abnormal electrochemical activity or disruptions in your cat’s brain can cause epileptic seizures. These abrupt changes lead to violent shaking throughout the body, which we term seizures.
There are plenty of artificial medicines and drugs to help with epilepsy, but they come with their own set of side effects. The medications can affect your kitty’s mood, energy, and overall health. Here, CBD oil can help treat it organically.
How CBD oil helps: CBD oil is emerging as an effective way to help reduce epileptic seizures. It can counteract seizures by reducing the electrical disruptions in the cat’s brain. While it will have an instant effect in suppressing the seizure each time you give it to the cat, it may also help prevent future seizures.
The cannabinoids present in the oil can induce a biochemical effect on the nerve cells, which may help bring down the frequency and intensity of seizures in humans, and it may help cats as well. It can boost the number of cannabinoids present in the body, and improve the communication between your feline’s brain and organs.
- Can help improve the mood
Almost all cats tend to have a naughty and happy temperament. While the internet generation has popularized the image of a ‘grumpy cat,’ it isn’t healthy. A series of factors, from health factors to environmental reasons, can be the culprit behind the cat’s bad mood.
If you feel your cat is in a bad mood, it can be a thing to worry about. CBD oil might help them become happier and more playful. Wondering how? Read on and find out.
How CBD oil helps: As we have discussed before, CBD oil, when it goes inside your cat, interacts with the endocannabinoid system. Due to this interaction, CBD oil may also help in keeping your cat’s mood in check. The cannabinoids can communicate with the receptors and help improve mood.
Serotonin is the happy hormone produced in the body that is responsible for regulating mood. CBD oil may also change how the chemical receptors in the brain react to serotonin already present in the human body, and the same goes for your cat.
It can ensure that there is a sufficient level of serotonin present, which can regulate your cat’s mood. After consuming the oil, the feline may feel much happier and more playful.
Other benefits:
- If your pet cat is suffering from cancer, CBD oil can also prove beneficial for them. Many studies are going on, which suggest that CBD promotes homeostasis throughout the body. It may help prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells in your cat’s body. CBD oil might also help with pain, nausea, and loss of appetite that comes with the chemotherapy session for cancer.
- The skin and coat of your cat are also prone to many skin infections and other diseases. The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD oil may help soothe their skin and reduce infections. Your cat can have a healthy and shiny coat.
- CBD oil may also prevent any disease, promote overall health, and ensure your cat lives a long and healthy life.
How to use CBD oil for your cat?
Now that you know how CBD oil can benefit your furry friend, the next important thing is how you can give it to her. CBD oil is very versatile, and can be used in the following ways:
- Orally
CBD oil is edible, and you can give it orally to the cat. The oil comes in a tiny bottle with a dropper, and by using it you can put the oil directly into the cat’s mouth. There are bloodstreams present inside their mouth that absorb CBD. For faster results, you can try to put the oil under their tongue, for a majority of the bloodstreams are present there. It is the most effective and fastest way and gives you results within a few minutes.
- Topically
If your cat is suffering from localized pain, swelling, or infection, you can use CBD oil topically as well. Rubbing a few drops of oil on their skin can help bring instant relief to them. You can also get your hands on topical creams or lotions that are infused with CBD oil.
- Edibles
Is your cat the fussy kind who refuses to take CBD oil? Well, you can trick them into having CBD oil in the form of edibles. For those who aren’t aware, edibles can be treats infused with CBD oil that you can give your cat.
Besides being an excellent way to treat them, edibles like biscuits or candies can also provide them with the goodness of CBD oil. Your cat might run from CBD oil, but she will not say no to the treats.
How to know the right dosage of CBD oil?
If you are only introducing CBD into your cat’s life, it is best to go with the age-old philosophy of ‘less is more.’ But, if you are looking for the ideal dosage of CBD oil that you can give to your cat, you can decide it on the basis of a few factors:
- Weight of the cat:
The weight can determine how CBD oil will impact your cat. Ideally, pets that weigh more will undoubtedly need a higher dose of CBD oil to get the necessary results. But, if your pet weighs less, it can get similar effects with a limited dosage.
Here is the ideal CBD oil dosage according to weight:
– 1-10lbs: 4.2mg
– 11-25lbs: 8.4mg
– 26-40lbs: 12.6mg
– 41-55lbs: 16.8mg
- Condition:
There are times when people resort to using CBD oil only for a certain health condition that their pet is suffering from. If this is also the case with you, the dosage of CBD oil will depend upon the number of cannabinoids required to help with that condition.
Here are a few common conditions and the suitable CBD oil dosage for treating them:
– Arthritis: 0.5mg per kg of their weight twice a day
– Seizures: 0.5mg – 3mg per kg of their weight twice a day
– Inflammatory Bowel Disease: 0.2mg per kg of their weight twice in a day
– Respiratory Infections: 5mg per kg of their weight twice in a day
Start with a less dose of the oil, and keep a check on your cat and notice the effects. They will appear to be much calmer, but not lethargic. You might notice a difference in mood and temperament within an hour, but if you don’t, your cat might need a little more of the oil.
Final Thoughts
The therapeutic effects of CBD oil are already making the lives of many pets around the globe. With the legalization and increasing awareness of CBD and CBD oil, it is becoming a go-to wellness product for humans and animals alike.
With CBD oil, your cat can combat many mental and physical diseases, get healthy, and live a long life. If your cat is sick or unhappy, you might want to give CBD a try. Get your hands on the best CBD oil today and let your cat enjoy a holistic and organic life with it. If your pet is not comfortable with Oil you can try lab-tested CBD gummies that really work.
