CBD products are not only popular with humans for themselves, many CBD fans are also treating their pets with various CBD products. The majority of information you will find online will relate to dogs, but is CBD oil good for cats?
For all you out there wondering whether to consider CBD products for your furry feline friends, let’s get into what is available, and the science behind firstly whether it is safe, and secondly whether it’s a good idea to use CBD products on your cat.
(Firstly though, a warning, if you Google CBD and cats, you will find a huge volume of articles that use the word purrfect in their title. It’s not particularly relevant, but if you’re a cast iron hater of puns, then you may find it more than a little unsettling.)
The Science Bit
Let’s start with the complicated science stuff, partly to get it out of the way, and partly so you can jump for the next section if you don’t fancy reading through scientific studies right now (don’t worry, we’ll give a simple synopsis of each too).
As mentioned above, most of the focus at this point is on dogs, so any science you will find about CBD and animals right now will focus there, such as this study into the safety and efficiency of CBD in dogs with osteoarthritis.
The results of this study were good, with a substantial decrease in pain and “no observable side effects”.
If you’re looking for the same study with cats, it shouldn’t be too long, as Cornell University, who are at the forefront of CBD research, are carrying out a pharmacokinetic study into its effects of cats as this article is being written, so hopefully it will not be long before feedback comes in.
Other Evidence on CBD and Cats…
As we are still waiting on the science, we have to look elsewhere to find out more about the effects of CBD on cats.
The safety of your cat is obviously paramount, and without science to back it up, we can’t make guarantees at this point.
What we can do, is bring information that is out there, and both sides of the conversation are well represented.
Dr Gary Richter, a holistic veterinarian, is an advocate, and says CBD oil is safe for cats, but suggests taking care, saying:
“I think the bigger issue, from a medical perspective, is making sure that animals are dosed appropriately. This means that the CBD oil is having the affect you want it to have, and that you’re not accidentally overdosing,”
Dr Liza Guess, a clinical assistant professor at Ohio State University’s Department of Veterinary Medicine, has a different view, saying there are enough other options available:
“I have heard that, in humans, marijuana products can be used for neuropathic pain, intractable seizures, anxiety, and appetite stimulation. I have plenty of medications in each of those categories [that are not cannabis] that have been safely used in cats for years that I am very comfortable using and understand well,” she says. “These medications have gone through rigorous studies and are approved by the FDA. Why would I want to use a poorly understood treatment that I can’t guarantee is safe or even effective?”
It is important for us to point out here, that CBD is not derived from a marijuana plant like THC is, but instead from industrial hemp plants, which are cannabis plants, but not marijuana plants.
The above opinions and more can be found in this article.
Will CBD Get my Cat High?
This is an understandable concern and one that leads on from the statement above differentiating CBD from THC.
THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid present in cannabis that causes high sensation. CBD, on the other hand, is not psychoactive.
While both molecules interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, they do so in very different ways.
So in simple terms, no, CBD will definitely not get your cat high, we do not advocate getting your cat stoned!
As with most questions relating to CBD products, it will be a while until this one has a firm answer, we have to wait for science to do what it does, and come back with firm and secure answers.
In the meantime, it is a matter of your personal choice. If you want to try CBD products for your cat(s), you can find a plethora of options here, but if you’re not sure, it’s best to wait to see what the science has to say.
Have you used CBD products on your cat? Why not let us know your findings in the comments below
