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How do I get my not-so-curious cat to eat CBD?

Cat owners, just like any other pet owner, have a lot of love and often worry for their furry feline friends. Naturally, when their cat starts to show signs of illness, owners quickly start to look for a solution. There have been many leaps and bounds in the world of pet healthcare in recent years. However, the medications that are often used may not always be the solution. Some cats are allergic to medications, or the prescription is not sufficient to return the cat to health on its own. 

This leads to many pet owners looking for other solutions to help their cats get back to their frisky selves. Recently, CBD has risen as a potential option. Come and learn about it with Companna.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical compound that found in cannabis plants, like hemp and marijuana. There is a lot of misconception surrounding CBD. One of these is that people often confuse it with another compound found in the same plants, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These compounds are ach found in cannabis.  However, CBD and THC produce radically different effects in our bodies.  

THC is the compound that creates the high that is most often associated with cannabis. But CBD’s effects are much milder. CBD does affect the brain effectively to promote a calming effect and will not give you the high that THC does. CBD also does not impair cognitive functions as THC can. Remember that THC is toxic for cats and should not be given to them.

CBD may be found in all plants in the cannabis family. However, most CBD manufacturers are more likely to use hemp instead of marijuana. This is due to the fact that hemp has more CBD and less THC than marijuana.

CBD is often used by humans to relieve stress, help with their epilepsy, use for skincare, or to help with any number of ailments. Now pet owners and holistic veterinarians have started using CBD for similar benefits for their household pets, including cats.

What could CBD do for cats?

Cat owners have been using CBD to help their cats with several different problems. Cats and humans both have cannabinoid receptors (the receptors that interact with cannabinoids like CBD and THC); this could be the reason why cats and humans seem to be affected by CBD in similar ways. Because CBD affects the same system in cats and humans, it is believed that CBD may be able to benefit cat in ways that are not unlike how it benefits people.

Inflammation may be a side effect of all kinds of pain issues in cats, including arthritis and pancreatitis. A study done at Cornell University showed that CBD could help with pain experienced by arthritic dogs. The researchers found that CBD was able to help reduce inflammation in some of the more troubled areas. This could possibly lead to less pain and better movement. As this study showed, CBD had great effects on dogs, and it is likely that it could work well with cats too.

Epilepsy is not exactly a common affliction that cats face. But that does not mean that cats never suffer from these issues, and CBD may be able to help. Many holistic vets and cat owners have reported a drop in the number of seizures their epileptic cat has suffered since they started giving them CBD. This doesn’t mean that CBD will cure your cat’s epilepsy. But it may be able to help. 

CBD has been known to help increase the production of serotonin and dopamine. Both of these are compounds that could have a positive effect on mood and attitude. Many studies that have been focused on people, this one for example, have found that CBD may be helpful in dealing with anxiety. However, many pet owners and vets have reported improvements in a cat’s anxiety after starting with CBD. This could possibly help with separation anxiety, former feral cats who may still be skittish at home or anxiety caused by situations that are potentially distressing for cats (like car rides to the vet).

It’s not uncommon for cats to have dry skin, which leads dull coats. CBD is becoming a common option to improve skin health among humans. Now holistic veterinarians are recommending CBD to help with pets’ skin. CBD may be able to help hydrate your cat’s skin, making their coat softer and shinier.

There are other owners who give their cats CBD just to improve their overall health. These owners often report their cats having higher activity levels and better skin and coats with less shedding.

How do I give my cat CBD?

Cats may sometimes be difficult to give medication to. Cats aren’t quite as food driven as dogs, so hiding CBD in food may not work as well. In fact, getting a cat to sit still long enough to do anything may often be a challenge. So, how do you get them to take CBD?

There are a lot of CBD products out there for you to pick from. However, most of the forms are made with humans in mind. If you are trying to give a CBD product to your cat, the easiest way is CBD drops. CBD drops are generally just CBD oil. You may simply put a drop directly into your cat’s mouth or mix it in with their food or treats. 

Because of the plants that CBD is derived from, some of the oils may be rather bitter in taste. If you have a picky cat, you may want to try and find some CBD oil drops that have flavoring in them.

If you would like to use CBD to help with your cat’s coat and/or skin, the easiest way to go about it is by applying it directly to their skin or fur. Feeding them, the CBD may also help, but the direct application seems to work better for skincare. You can even put CBD oil on your cat’s paws. Being the clean animals they are, it’s likely that your cat will like the CBD off the paw to clean themselves, getting the CBD into their system as a result. 

There are not many CBD products made for cats. However, there are some that are made for dogs, and cat owners have reported that those work just as well.

If your cat is already on medication, be sure to talk and work with your vet before starting your cat on CBD.

Anyone with a pet knows that they are more than just a pet; they are a part of the family. This, of course, includes cats. So, it is understandable that owners want to find the best way to take care of them. CBD may not be the solution for all of your pet’s problems, but it appears that it may help. To find some good CBD products for cats, why not check out what we here at Companna have to offer? We carry a wide range of high-quality CBD products!