Our pets are part of the family and keeping them healthy is one of our main concerns!

This is why regular veterinary monitoring and an up-to-date vaccination record are the necessary pillars for their protection!

Did you know that there are, at the same time, natural remedies that can help them relieve minor everyday ailments? CBD (cannabidiol) products in particular offer solutions adapted to dogs and cats .

Without side effects or dependency, these natural products are safe for our animal friends.

The cat, a companion that is sometimes difficult to care for, can thus benefit from the effects of CBD as a preventative measure or as an accompaniment to conventional treatment.

In this article, we’ll explain how CBD works and explore the many benefits and advantages it has for your cat’s health and well-being .

 

How does CBD work for cats?

Reminder about CBD

Let’s first remember what CBD (short for cannabidiol) is!

Cannabis or hemp is a flowering plant that provides two particularly studied molecules:

• A psychoactive substance , THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is primarily sought for its recreational properties.
• A non-psychoactive substance , CBD (cannabidiol) is used to make natural products that are calming, soothing and beneficial for the health of humans, but also pets.

CBD therefore has absolutely nothing to do with a drug, it is not a narcotic product!

On the contrary, it is a completely healthy product, with multiple benefits for human and animal health .

Today, its use is becoming more and more widespread in France and elsewhere, thanks to scientific studies proving the effectiveness of this hemp extract , but also to increasingly positive user reviews.

Cat and CBD

Like humans and dogs, the cat’s anatomy is equipped with an endocannabinoid system . For this reason, your cat can benefit from the many benefits of CBD products.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a system that encompasses a network of receptors in the central nervous system and other biological systems that can interact with cannabinoids such as CBD.

This interaction is what allows CBD to provide many benefits to animals , especially cats, such as pain relief, stress management, reduction of aggressive behavior and much more.

Dr. Bedossa adds that many clinical studies have been carried out on the action of CBD on animals and in particular that ” the anxiolytic effects of CBD in animals have been reported since 2012. “

 

CBD for cats: 7 benefits for my animal

In the form of oils, lozenges, treats or drops, CBD for cats offers many benefits for the well-being of our felines.

Calming and soothing, it is an effective natural solution to combat certain problems, and presents itself as a gentle and healthy solution for our favorite animals.

1. CBD for cats: Against stress & anxiety

Like us, our cats can suffer from stress and anxiety episodically or chronically.

Common stressors in cats include:

• Changing their environment
• A change of routine
• A phobia (veterinarian, car, etc.)
• Conflicts with other cats
• Bad relationships with humans
• A health problem

Moderate stress can affect your cat for a day and cause no ill effects, but prolonged stress can lead to adverse effects such as poor health, poor grooming habits, behavioral problems and eating disorders.

In addition to simple actions to limit your pet’s stress, CBD can help your cat relax naturally.

Studies** have in fact shown that CBD can help reduce stress and anxiety by moderating the production of cortisol in animals (stress hormone).

2. CBD for cats: Against joint pain

It was previously believed that dogs were more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis . This is false! In cats, the risk factor is the same as in dogs from the age of 7 years and common from the age of 10 years.

However, cats express their daily problems less. And the pain they feel is even less perceptible than in dogs!

That said, there are a few signs and symptoms that can alert you that your cat is suffering:

• Dull, dirty coat due to the cat’s difficulty in carrying out its daily grooming
• Uncleanliness because the cat may have difficulty entering the litter box (presence of edges)
• Difficulty moving, running, jumping, climbing on the sofa, trees
• Lack of enthusiasm and interest in activities he previously enjoyed (outings, games, meals)
• Changes in behavior: the cat may avoid contact and caresses related to pain. It may become irritable or even aggressive if contact is imposed.

Although joint problems are often inevitable as we age, CBD can help improve the situation.

With powerful anti-inflammatory properties* , CBD can help reduce inflammation while slowing its spread.

Additionally, researchers have found that CBD can decrease perceived pain levels by activating and desensitizing vanilloid receptors in the brain.

CBD therefore provides benefits in terms of inflammation but also pain caused by inflammation.

3. CBD for cats: To regulate appetite

A proper and healthy diet is fundamental to ensuring the good health of your cat . It is therefore essential to understand why a cat stops eating and act accordingly.

A decreased appetite in cats can be caused by a variety of causes, including:

• Dental problems
• A change of diet
• Mood disorders
• Stress
• Many pathologies

Dr. Isabelle Mennecier 2 , veterinarian, advises starting by thinking about ” trivial causes, such as a change in food or location of the bowl, the arrival of a new animal, etc. “

However, if no cause is found, Dr. Mennecier continues: ” if nothing works, do not wait more than 24 hours to consult: in this case it is important to identify the cause of the problem. To do this, your pet may be hospitalized for additional tests, may be put on a drip, and fed highly palatable, highly digestible food enriched with vitamins .”

Once the cause is found, CBD can help stimulate your cat’s appetite *** but can also relieve certain factors causing a loss of appetite such as stress, mood disorders, hormonal imbalance or IBD.

4. CBD for cats: To improve mood

A cat may exhibit mood disorders such as depression.

This disease manifests itself through various signals (sleep, appetite, behavior, cleanliness, condition of the coat) which will affect the animal’s entire organism.

Treatment for depression often involves changing habits that allow the animal to be more stimulated and therefore less sad.

Treatment with antidepressants can also be prescribed by the veterinarian but it remains rare.

As a preventative measure and/or as a support, CBD is a solution to combat depression ****, but also to promote relaxation, rest and calm, and helps your cat regain its usual enthusiasm.

5. CBD for cats: To reduce epileptic seizures

Like humans, cats can unfortunately suffer from epilepsy .

Seizures occur when there is an abnormal level of electrical activity in the brain and are usually caused by brain damage or other brain conditions.

Dr. Bedossa states that ” the interest of CBD in the fight against canine epilepsy has been specifically studied and one experiment in particular showed a significant reduction in the frequency of seizures in dogs that received CBD at a rate of 2.5 mg/kg twice a day for twelve weeks, in addition to a classic anti-epileptic treatment, suggesting increasing the dosage for better efficacy. Another experiment justifies this indication by confirming that the endocannabinoid system is altered in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. “

Since cats have the same endocannabinoid system as dogs, these studies on the effectiveness of CBD on epilepsy are also relevant for our felines.

6. CBD for cats: Against nausea and vomiting

Cats are known to be sensitive and vomit quite regularly for a variety of reasons. Some are benign (like hairballs ) but others can be a sign of a serious problem (like poisoning).

It is therefore, as with any abnormal sign, essential to understand the cause of your cat’s vomiting before trying to limit it.

Once the diagnosis is made, it is possible to relieve vomiting and nausea with CBD , as demonstrated by various studies around CBD for animals*****.

7. CBD for cats: Against the signs of aging

Older cats often suffer from many of the problems mentioned above.

Discomfort, joint problems, food sensitivities, increased stress… With age, our animals are more fragile and CBD can therefore be a solution that works to improve their quality of life on a daily basis, thanks to its calming and soothing benefits.

Because it can help naturally relieve many ailments , CBD improves a cat’s overall quality of life and helps them stay healthy longer.

Be careful, however, to always get the opinion of your veterinarian before offering CBD to your pet. It is unique, has strengths and weaknesses. Only your veterinarian knows it well enough to know if CBD will be the right solution for it.