Cats can be sensitive animals and even a small change in your daily routine can cause anxiety in some felines. Other cats are more resilient, but large upheavals such as a house move or a new baby can throw them into a tailspin. CBD oil is extracted from cannabis or hemp plants, offering calming benefits without any sort of high. If you’ve decided to try CBD oil to help with your cat’s anxiety, it’s important to get the dosage right so you’ll see positive improvements without overdoing it.
Can CBD Oil Really Calm Anxious Cats?
It’s natural to be skeptical about CBD oil and wonder if a plant-derived oil can really reduce your cat’s anxiety. Experts are still researching CBD’s affects on anxiety, but we already know a little about how it reacts with the brain to provide anxiety relief. According to Modern Cat, CBD can react with the 5-HT1A receptor in cats’ brains, which is linked in humans to reducing anxiety and depression. CBD also boosts levels of gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), which increases serotonin levels and therefore reduces anxiety.
On an anecdotal level, many cat owners have noticed a marked difference in their cats’ anxiety levels and behavior after giving them CBD oil, such as Green Garden Gold Kitty Be Good CBD Oil or HolistaPet CBD Oil For Dogs & Cats. For best results, we’d recommend adding CBD to a holistic anxiety-reduction plan for your cat, such as providing plenty of hiding spots, increasing playtime, and providing some vertical territory to make your cat feel more secure. That said, CBD can play a big part and offers some relief from anxiety in as little as 30 to 60 minutes.
What’s the Correct Dosage of CBD Oil for a Cat with Anxiety?
It’s important to get your dosage right to avoid any unwanted side effects, such as extreme lethargy, while still reaping the calming benefits of CBD Oil. Dr. Angie Krause, DVM, of Boulder Holistic Vet, recommends starting with 0.2 mg of CBD per kg of body weight twice daily and working up to 0.5 mg of CBD per kg of body weight twice daily. For an average 10 lb cat, this means starting with 1 mg of CBD twice daily and working up to 2.25 mg of CBD twice daily. Dr. Kraus also states that you can increase this to as high as 2 mg per kg of body weight twice a day if you don’t see the desired effects or as your cat builds tolerance, but for an average cat with anxiety, somewhere around the 0.5 mg per kg range is ideal. If you only know your cat’s weight in lbs, you just need to divide it by 2.2 to find her weight in kg. So an 11 lb cat weighs exactly 5 kg (because 11 / 2.2 = 5).
Petly CBD Pet Hemp CBD Oil for Cats is a good choice for cats on a moderate dose, as a single 1 ml dropper contains roughly 4.1 mg of CBD, making it easy to administer small doses of 1 or 2 mg. And don’t forget to use their code PL20 to take 20% off your purchase! If your cat requires larger doses, you’ll save money buying a stronger CBD oil, such as Sol CBD Liposomal CBD Oil For Dogs and Cats, which is twice the strength with around 8.3 mg CBD per ml.
How Do I Administer CBD Oil to a Cat?
CBD oil becomes less effective when taken with food, so the best way to administer it is by simply using the dropper or a small medicine syringe to squirt it straight into your cat’s mouth. However, we know cats can be temperamental, and some felines will flat out refuse to let you do this. In which case, look out for CBD oils that are still effective when mixed with food.
CBD Living Calming Cat Tincture benefits from a Proprietary Bioavailable System that isn’t affected by food being digested at the same time, so you can mix it with your cat’s food to make it easier to administer. Mana Hemp Pet Drops are also listed as being suitable to add to food, but it’s not clear if they work as well with food as without. Of course, you need to be sure your cat will eat their whole meal to get the full effects of the CBD. Plus, it isn’t always possible in multicat households unless you feed each cat separately.
Are There Any Other CBD Products I Can Give My Cat?
If you don’t think a bottle of CBD oil is the best choice for you and your feline friend, there are other options. Capsules, such as CBD Living Cat Gel Capsules, contain CBD oil but are less messy and avoid any chance of dosing errors. You can also buy CBD cat treats, including American Shaman CBD Kitty Nugs and HolistaPet CBD Cat Treats. As long as your pet isn’t fussy about treats, this is probably the easiest way of getting CBD into your cat.
Now you know how much CBD oil to give your cat for anxiety issues, you can start helping her feel calmer and more secure. Cat pheromone sprays may also help reduce anxiety in cats, either in conjunction with CBD or on their own for mild anxiety.