CBD for cats is a supportive, functional health resource that can contribute to your cat’s overall wellness. You make choices for your feline friend every day – from choosing the very best food to keep them healthy to picking the right kind of litter to use in their litter box. Being a cat parent is a full-time job and your priority is keeping your kitty healthy, happy, and active for years to come – and CBD can easily fit into those lifestyle goals for your pet.
Making an educated decision about your cat’s health and wellness requires a solid collection of information and a deep understanding of every tool you use. When it comes to CBD, which is relatively new in the pet products industry, finding reliable facts about CBD, how it affects your cat, how CBD products are made, and which ones are safe to use can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve created this Ultimate Buying Guide to help you decide whether pet CBD is right for your cat. And if it is, we’ve included everything you need to know to get started with a successful, effective daily CBD routine for your feline. Happy learning!
What Is CBD for Cats?
We all know about the five Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Since there isn’t much of a “who” when it comes to choosing the right wellness support for your cat, we think it’s most important to start with the question of “what.” What is CBD, really? To understand CBD, we’ll look at:
- How it’s made
- What we know about its safety
- How it interacts with your cat’s bodily systems
How CBD Oil for Cats Is Made
CBD stands for cannabidiol, a compound found in the hemp plant. The hemp plant is a very specific type of cannabis that has extremely low levels of another compound – THC. Hemp plants are regulated in the US and required to have less than 0.3 percent THC in order to be legally grown and sold as industrial hemp.
High-quality CBD oil for cats is derived from domestically grown hemp plants, most often via one of two methods: CO2 extraction or alcohol extraction. It’s important that, whichever process is used, the CBD products you buy for your cat are THC-free.* THC causes the psychoactive effects that many people associate with marijuana cannabis. CBD will not create that experience for your cat – one of the most appealing things about this wellness resource is that you get all the powerful health benefits of hemp with none of the sensations of being “high.” This is what makes it so great for pets.
Once the CBD is pulled from the hemp plant, it sometimes undergoes additional processes to remove or add back in various compounds, creating a final array of cannabinoids that is then added to a carrier oil like MCT oil. This oil can then be sold as-is or added to other products like CBD cat treats (purchased or homemade).
Is CBD Safe for Cats?
Safety is obviously a primary concern for pet parents when it comes to introducing something new to your feline friend. Cats have sensitive systems and tend to experience issues with their kidneys and skin, so many pet parents are wary of what they incorporate into their cat’s diet and daily lifestyle.
While the bulk of studies about CBD and its impact on the feline body are still ongoing, there is preliminary research that indicates CBD affects cats in much the same way it affects us. Because we have more information about how CBD affects humans, we can feel comfortable and safe giving this resource to our cats with the knowledge that they will have a similar experience to the human experience. Of course, the most important thing when it comes to safety is purchasing a reliable, reputable, trustworthy CBD product for cats. This requires time, research, and knowledge, but all that energy investment is worth it when you know you’re giving your cat the best product on the market.
How CBD Impacts Your Cat’s Body
The most direct way for a pet owner to feel comfortable about using CBD for cats is for them to understand exactly how this resource is processed within their feline’s body. What exactly happens when your cat eats a CBD soft chew or a tasty drizzle of calming CBD oil for cats?
Like humans, cats possess something called the endocannabinoid system, or ECS. CBD is a naturally occurring phytocannabinoid that triggers the ECS when it enters your pet’s body. Receptors in the ECS receive information from CBD. These receptors fall into two categories – CB1 and CB2 – and depending on which type of receptor is triggered by the CBD, a different reaction will result in your pet’s body. The receptors in the ECS communicate messages from your pet’s brain to other parts of the body, including the skin, immune system, and organs like the spleen and liver. This communication keeps your pet’s body in a balanced state.
What Makes a Great Cat CBD Product
If safety is your priority – and we know it is – then choosing the best CBD product will be crucial to ensuring that your cat reaps the benefits of CBD and that you feel confident using this new wellness tool. As with anything you introduce into your cat’s life, you only want to give the best to your best friend. A great CBD for cats will be:
- Certified THC-free*
- Independently lab-certified
- Available in various strengths
- Well-reviewed
- Cat-specific
- Superior Broad Spectrum
Why It’s Important for CBD to Be THC-free*
All hemp grown legally in the US will have less than 0.3 percent THC concentration, which is low enough that your pet won’t feel any psychoactive effects from a CBD product derived from this hemp. So why is it important that your CBD for cats be certified as THC-free*?
THC, like CBD, is a compound found in cannabis plants, but it will affect your cat’s body in a much different way. Especially in high concentrations, THC can have a really negative impact on your cat, possibly causing seizures, slow heart rate, and low body temperature. It’s simply not worth it to risk your cat ingesting any THC, which is why THC-free* CBD products are so important. (This is also why you never want to give human CBD products to your cat, as the rules and limitations regarding THC content in human products are much looser.)
THC-free is defined as undetectable at the lowest level which can be consistently detected using valid scientific analytical tools. A high-quality CBD product for cats will have undergone the additional processing to ensure that as much THC is removed as possible, providing a wholesome, health-focused experience to your pet when they consume the product.
The Meaning of Independent Lab Certification
While there are some restrictions on what you can legally put on a label, it is much easier to bend those rules if you keep everything in-house. That’s why independent laboratory certifications are so important when it comes to CBD for cats.
A Certificate of Analysis (COA) from a third-party laboratory means that a company has gone the extra mile to have their products shipped off to a laboratory that then provides completely independent testing, free from any pressure from the company. These certificates should be available for customers (and potential customers) to view easily on a company’s website, and the ingredient list should be completely verified by these certificates. This is one of the only ways to be sure that an ingredient list for a given product is truly accurate.
Why It’s Important That Cat CBD Products Are Available in Various Strengths
Not all cats need the same amount of CBD. Choosing the right daily amount of CBD for your cat is a relatively simple calculation and requires a little trial and error. When a CBD product is available in various strengths for different sizes of cats and cats with different needs, it not only makes the experience easier for the customer, but it also demonstrates that a company is well aware of how CBD works within a pet’s body. By offering various strengths of a product, they are ensuring the safety and efficacy of their products.
Reviews Are Crucial to a Quality CBD Product
When you book a hotel, or buy a household item on Amazon, or visit a new restaurant, you probably read the reviews before giving it a try. So why wouldn’t you do so when purchasing an item that your feline friend is going to consume?
Reviews are vital to your peace of mind around the quality of a product. While it’s not a guarantee – as we’ve said over and over again, what works for your friend’s cat might not work for yours – it’s beneficial to hear from other pet owners who have had first-hand experiences with a product. Especially if a company posts its reviews right on the website (and doesn’t make you go digging for reviews on a third-party site), you can feel confident that they are proud of their product and what their customers have to say about it.
CBD for Cats Should Be Just That – Specifically Made for Cats
While CBD impacts your cat’s body in a way that’s similar to how it affects your body, it’s best to stick to cat-specific CBD products for your feline. A CBD product made for humans or dogs might contain other ingredients that are unsafe for cats. THC content is one risk that you take with giving your cat a human CBD product – recreational and medical marijuana are legal for people in many states across the US, and therefore the THC limitations are different for some human products.
But even if you are confident that a human product is free of THC, it might still contain some human-safe ingredients that aren’t good for cats (such as raisins or chocolate). It’s best to stick to specifically formulated CBD for cats when introducing this resource to your feline friend.
Understanding the Different Types of CBD
There are different types of CBD oil that can go into a CBD for cats: isolate, full spectrum, and broad spectrum. These terms all refer to the level of processing that happens during and after the extraction process to create the desired array of cannabinoids in addition to CBD. There are other components of the hemp plant besides CBD that are considered effective wellness supports, especially when delivered in conjunction with CBD.
This is why Paw CBD’s parent company, cbdMD, created the Superior Broad Spectrum hemp extract that is used in all Paw CBD products. This formula was specifically designed to deliver all the best parts of the hemp plant without any psychoactive effects or unnecessary components, which makes it especially perfect for our feline friends.
The Benefits of CBD for Cats
Here are some ways that introducing CBD into a complete wellness routine might benefit your feline friend:
- CBD for cats can help your cat manage stress signals
- CBD can make your cat more physically comfortable
- CBD with melatonin can support your cat’s rest schedule
- CBD with other supportive ingredients can promote kidney health
CBD Can Help With Feline Stress Management
You don’t want your cat to feel anxious or scared, and you can prevent some of these sensations by creating a safe and wholesome environment for your pet. But for the times when your cat simply can’t seem to chill out – maybe when you start vacuuming or the baby starts crying – CBD can act as a functional support to help them stay calm.
Cats are prone to mood swings, and introducing a steady, appropriate CBD routine into their daily life can help them tap into a feeling of calm centeredness. Stress signals are going to be a part of your cat’s day – that’s unavoidable – so you want to give them all the tools and resources you can to manage that stress. Because many of the ways that cats communicate their stress can be destructive (such as going to the bathroom outside the litter box or scratching furniture, for example), finding a way to keep your kitty calm and happy can keep you relaxed, as well – and save your rugs or furniture in the process!
How CBD Can Support Your Cat’s Physical Comfort and Activity
The best way to support your cat’s physical health is with a proper diet and regular, daily exercise. But even with the perfect wellness routine, cats will start to experience joint stiffness and discomfort as they age. This can make it difficult for them to play their favorite games, stay healthy, and maintain a normal weight.
Agility and physical comfort are crucial because they allow your kitty to enjoy fast-paced games of chase-the-laser and scampering up their cat tower. CBD can help your cat stay physically comfortable so they can continue to get exercise and maintain a healthy schedule. Especially if your cat is entering their senior years or they’ve had to undergo a surgery of some kind, CBD can be a wonderful wellness resource to maintain their mobility and ease of movement.
CBD with Melatonin Encourages Healthy Sleep for Cats
One of the most impressive benefits of CBD for cats is that it can be used in conjunction with other wellness resources to support your lifestyle goals for your kitty. For example, our calming CBD oil for cats includes melatonin and cat-safe herbal blend that will promote a healthy, normal sleep schedule. Getting enough rest is very important for your cat’s overall health – cats spend more than half of their lives sleeping, after all! CBD with melatonin can help ensure that their waking and sleeping hours are normalized.
Support Your Cat’s Kidney Health with a Specific CBD Formula
Like our calming CBD oil, CBD Kidney Support Chews for Cats help address another specific wellness goal for many kitties: kidney health. Cats tend to have prevalent kidney issues, including bladder and urinary tract discomfort of all kinds. With a daily regimen that introduces supportive ingredients like licorice root and astragalus powder, along with the balancing properties of CBD, you can feel good about giving your kitty a chewy treat that not only tastes good but is good for them!
How to Give CBD to Your Cat
There are many ways to administer CBD to your cat. Versatility is part of what makes CBD for cats such a wonderful wellness resource. Here are some tips for giving CBD to your cat safely:
- Talk to your veterinarian
- Decide on the right amount of CBD for your cat to take daily
- Decide on the best method for giving CBD to your cat
Always Consult Your Veterinarian First
Let your pet’s veterinarian know if you’re considering introducing CBD for cats into their daily routine. You don’t need to make an appointment for a check-up, necessarily (unless your cat is overdue for a visit – regular visits to the veterinarian are crucial to a cat’s long lifespan). Simply call your veterinarian and let them know you are thinking about giving CBD to your cat.
Your veterinarian will be able to advise you about whether or not any of your cat’s current medications might interact with (or be negatively affected by) CBD. While this is rare, it is possible. Plus, your veterinarian will be able to offer detailed advice on how to introduce the CBD to your cat, or other strategies you can implement to achieve your lifestyle goals with your pet.
What Is the Right Daily Amount of CBD for Cats?
Every cat will have a slightly different CBD regimen, depending on their size, personality, and needs. Figuring this out might take some time, so be patient. Always start with the smallest recommended daily amount for your kitty’s size, and stick to that for a minimum of 30 days. This will give the CBD time to build up in your pet’s body and it will also provide a window for you to monitor your cat for benefits or side effects.
If you need to increase your cat’s daily amount to get the desired effect, do so after 30 days and then maintain the new amount for another month. Again, your veterinarian can use their intimate knowledge of your pet’s health to offer some insight into how much CBD you should give your cat each day.
There Are Many Delivery Methods for CBD
With a variety of flavors and applications, you will have to make some decisions about how to give CBD to your cat. Soft, chewy CBD cat treats make a great solution for most pet parents because they are easy on your cat’s teeth and they make it simple to ensure your cat is getting a specific amount of CBD every day. Tinctures are a popular choice because they allow you complete control over how much CBD you give to your cat. Plus, the dropper can be directly put into your pet’s mouth or the oil can be drizzled over food – super easy. You’ll also need to decide if you want other supportive ingredients, like those found in our Kidney Support Chews and Calming CBD Oil for Cats.
If you’re not sure what your cat might like, try different CBD products for cats and decide what will work best for you and your feline friend. Once you come up with a regimen, don’t be afraid to mix it up. Many people like to give their cat his or her daily CBD in a variety of ways – a couple of differently flavored soft chews and a drizzle of oil can create a lot of fun and variety in your kitty’s day!
CBD for Cats Can Be an Effective Wellness Tool
CBD for cats can make your feline friend’s life better, and that’s really what it’s all about. We want our beloved kitties to live long, happy, healthy lives, and CBD can support them in doing just that. We hope that you feel empowered as a pet parent to make decisions about your cat’s lifestyle and what they consume with the detailed information provided in this guide. Follow our tips to ensure your pet gets only the best CBD for cats!