Many pet parents use CBD cat treats and CBD oil for cats to help their feline friend experience a more regulated sleep schedule. Cats' sleep habits can be perplexing, and it’s important that cat owners are respectful of the unique rest patterns of their pet. If you’re wondering whether CBD cat treats will make your cat sleep more, or if increased sleep is one of your goals for your cat’s health, here is what you need to know about CBD for cats and how it impacts your cat’s sleep.
Understand Healthy Feline Sleep Patterns Before Introducing CBD for Cats
It’s important that you understand your cat’s natural, existing sleep patterns before you start using CBD for cats in an effort to change their sleep habits. Cats don’t keep to a normal human sleep schedule, so it’s not uncommon if your cat is driving you crazy when you’re trying to sleep at night. While humans are diurnal, meaning we are typically awake during daylight hours, cats are crepuscular, which means their most active natural hours are during dusk and dawn.
Cats need to sleep a lot in order to stay healthy. Typically, a feline will sleep between 12 and 20 hours a day. That’s a big range that’s affected by a lot of factors, including age, exercise, and stress level. If you’re worried your cat isn’t sleeping enough, or is sleeping too much, the first step – before trying CBD oil for cats or CBD cat treats – is to talk to your veterinarian and get an idea of what might be impacting your cat’s sleep schedule.
CBD for Cats Can Support Relaxation, Which Leads to Better Sleep
One of the greatest benefits of CBD for cats is that it promotes relaxation and calm in your pet. A more relaxed, chilled-out cat is more likely to fall asleep easily and stay asleep for longer periods of time. You’re probably familiar with this experience – when you go to bed calm, you sleep better. When you go to bed stressed or hyperactive, it’s harder to get to sleep and stay asleep.
Providing your cat with daily CBD cat treats can help with the management of everyday stress signals. A cat who is taking CBD daily might be less likely to react to a stranger ringing the doorbell or the barking frenzy of the dog next door. When your cat feels more confident and composed during their daily life, sleep will come more naturally and also be more restful, leaving your cat with plenty of energy for their favorite activities.
CBD Oil for Cats Can Improve Physical Comfort, Making Sleep Positions More Comfortable
Another way that CBD oil can improve your cat’s sleep patterns is by helping your cat maintain better physical comfort. If your cat’s muscles and joints are limber and they’re feeling pain-free, it will be easier for them to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Older cats often lose some muscle mass and become boney, which makes it much harder to find a sleep position they can stay in for a long time without pain. CBD oil can soothe some of their physical discomfort and thus allow them to sleep in the same position for a longer time, which means they can experience full, restful sleep cycles without interruption.
Consider CBD with Additional Sleep-Supporting Ingredients
If you want your cat to sleep more or more soundly, consider using a CBD oil for cats that has additional sleep-supporting ingredients. While CBD alone has the power to improve your cat’s comfort and relaxation, which will lead to improved sleep, you can enhance their sleep experience with a CBD oil for cats that includes melatonin.
Melatonin is a powerful, naturally occurring hormone that regulates sleep and wake patterns in your cat’s body. In Paw CBD’s calming CBD oil for cats, we combine melatonin with the beneficial properties of CBD and a soothing herbal blend to help your cat feel more calm, relaxed, and ready for sleep.
Carefully Choose the Dosage of CBD for Cats
Dosage is extremely important when it comes to CBD for cats. If you give your cat too much CBD, they might be inappropriately sleepy – lethargic and sluggish and just generally not themselves. This negative outcome can be easily avoided by using the right serving size of CBD for cats and being consistent with your cat’s daily dose. Always start with the smallest amount of CBD for cats and stick with that regimen for 30 days to monitor your cat for benefits. If you notice your cat seems sluggish or just not-quite-right, stop using CBD and consult your veterinarian. Your cat may be sensitive to CBD and need a smaller daily dose in order to experience the benefits.
While CBD oil for cats can be used to help encourage and maintain a regulated sleep schedule, it alone is not a sleep aid. It’s meant to support your cat’s daily wellness by making it easier for them to enjoy their favorite activities, stay calm and comfortable, and be relaxed if unavoidably stressful things happen (like that neighbor-dog-barking-frenzy we mentioned earlier).
CBD Cat Treats Can Help Your Cat’s Sleep Schedule – If That’s Your Goal
At the end of the day, CBD cat treats improve your cat’s overall wellness and make them more relaxed and happy. That ultimately contributes to better sleep. But if you want a more pointed approach, opt for using a CBD oil for cats that has added sleep support like melatonin and soothing herbs. Whatever you choose, always make sure you’re using a high-quality, pet-safe CBD oil for cats – like our Paw CBD line of CBD cat treats and tinctures!