Introduction to The benefits of CBD for cats
CBD is one of the best health supplements you can give for your cat. After all, it is very easy to give them because it has no side effects and comes in a lot of forms. CBD also greatly helps in boosting their health by reducing their anxiousness, body pains, and symptoms of epilepsy.
However, CBD is still new for many pet owners mainly because it has only been legalized recently. Research is still ongoing, too, but has supported anecdotal evidence that says that CBD is effective. Here, we discuss the benefits of CBD for cats in detail to help you in deciding whether you should use it for your cat.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol or CBD for short is a compound found in the hemp (cannabis sativa) plant. This plant also has other contents like THC, phytonutrients, and flavonoids, but CBD is the one that is best used for boosting health. First, it does not have any side effects when used properly. Your cat will not become “high” from consuming it. This is because CBD does not have psychoactive properties.
Next, CBD can boost the function of your cat’s endocannabinoid system. This part of their body has a huge role in homeostasis or the process of keeping bodily functions stable and running properly. Specifically, it can help in improving your cat’s mood, reducing inflammations in their body, and protecting their nerves.
Finally, CBD is very easy to give to cats. It comes in multiple forms such as oils, creams, tinctures, and treats, all of which are effective for improving their health. You can also control CBD’s dosage to ensure that your feline companion will receive the best care.
CBD for Cat arthritis
Feline arthritis mainly results from the slow degeneration of the cartilages in between their bones. It makes moving painful for them which then causes them to be stationary. This can greatly affect your cat’s physical and mental health as they are used to climbing tabletops, running around the house, and being active.
There has been a lot of promising research which points to CBD’s effectiveness in reducing the symptoms of arthritis. First, it can help by reducing the inflammation in their joints which can greatly reduce their discomfort. CBD has also been seen to reduce any chronic pain that they feel. Finally, there has also been evidence which shows that it can protect the nerves in the body from further damage.
CBD for Cat anxiety
While some degree of anxiety keeps your cat active, it is not healthy for them to always be like this. After all, anxiety can result in physical ailments which can greatly reduce their quality of life. This also applies even for cats who only occasionally experience this as a result of their environment such as when strangers visit your house, when there are fireworks shows, and when you move into a new place.
Anxious cats are very suspicious of everyone including their owners which is why it can be stressful for everyone in the house. They may also destroy some objects, not use their litter box, and become aggressive to other cats.
CBD is now being thoroughly researched to see if it can be an effective anxiolytic or anti-anxiety medication. After all, there are multiple preliminary findings and anecdotal evidence pointing to this. Specifically, it has been seen to reduce the release of cortisol (stress hormone) in cats to prevent them from being anxious.
What makes it especially good is that it can be used either temporarily or as a regular health supplement. For example, you can give it to your cat before you have a party in your house as this event is stressful for them. After this, you can either stop giving it completely or continue to use it to improve their overall health.
CBD for gastrointestinal health
Another common disease for cats is inflammatory bowel disease or IBD. This happens when the microbiome in their gut starts to lose its natural balance. Cats experiencing this have irregular bowel movements and difficulty defecating. This results in weight loss, vomiting, and lack of energy for them.
CBD can help them by making sure that these inflammations are controlled. Furthermore, there is also evidence that it can help protect their gastrointestinal system from tumors. This is because research shows that endocannabinoids, such as CBD, play a big part in maintaining the balance of the bowel.
Other benefits of CBD
Because of its interaction with the body’s homeostasis, CBD can bring many more benefits for your cats other than the ones listed above. For example, many owners say that CBD helped in improving the shine and quality of their coat. It has also been seen to make them friendlier as a result of less discomfort. Finally, CBD has been seen to make older cats return back to their youthful selves in terms of energy and health with regular consumption.
Conclusion to The benefits of CBD for cats
By giving CBD, you can improve your cat’s health through an all-natural way that won’t have side effects. Aside from helping reduce the symptoms of the ones we stated above, its overall boost to their health makes it a must-have for all cat owners. CBD is also easy to give which is why you should try it at least once to see its effects for your feline companions.