We love our furry friends, and we would do anything for them. But cat owners know that cats will be cats, behavior-wise. And that’s without the added bonus of anxiety. A cat with anxiety can be a destructive force in your life.
There are a lot of reasons that a cat may be anxious. These include:
- Improper socialization
- Outside stimuli (like loud noises they can’t escape–fireworks, car backfiring, etc.)
- Separation anxiety
- Taken too young from their mother
- Trauma
An anxious cat may become aggressive, or claw furniture and carpeting. And even if their behaviors aren’t destructive, you don’t want your cat feeling on edge all the time. There are some behavioral training techniques that can be used to help manage anxious behaviors, but sometimes a little something more is needed.
Your vet can prescribe drugs, but many of these anti-depressants can cause unpleasant side effects, and even cause damage to the body if used in the long term.
CBD Tinctures for Animal Anxiety
More and more people are turning to CBD to help with animal anxiety. Just like humans, cats and dogs (and in fact, almost all animals) have an endocannabinoid system. Therefore the same kind of CB1 and CB2 receptors that interact with CBD in the human body also work for pets.
Studies have shown that CBD is effective at calming cats down. And the anti-inflammatory benefits even help with cat dementia–another stressor that can exacerbate cat anxiety. It is also very safe to use, as long as it’s purchased from a trusted source and does not contain THC. (THC is NOT safe for animal use).
The Top 8 CBD Tinctures to Help Anxious Cats
If you’re looking for a CBD tincture to help your feline feel better, let us help you. We’ve done the research, so our top picks are only from reputable companies that are known for quality products. Here are the top 8 on the market.
#1 Joy Organics Premium CBD Tincture for Dogs, Cats, and Pets
This CBD tincture for pets is made with your pet’s health in mind. It only contains two ingredients: CBD sourced from organic, domestic hemp, and organic olive oil. The CBD is broad spectrum, which means it offers other beneficial cannabinoids and hemp compounds, but absolutely no THC. It’s available in a 3.75 mg dose per dropper, and a more powerful 7.5 mg per dropper.
Like all of their products, this tincture is third party tested for purity and potency, and is backed by a full money back guarantee.
#2 Bluebird Botanicals Companion Blend
Another trusted name in the CBD business, Bluebird Botanicals offers a CBD tincture with 4.2 mg of high quality CBD per serving. The only other additions are hemp seed oil and cod liver oil, which add vitamins and essential omega 3 oils. They are fully transparent, with third party lab test results displayed on their website.
#3 CBD Hempindica’s Health Pet CBD Oil Tincture
Hempindica formulates its CBD oil with real salmon oil so that it can be given directly as well as put into food. Most cats will find the taste pleasant and not kick up a fuss. It’s made with organic ingredients as well, so you know that you’re only putting good things into your furry friend. Comes in three potencies: 200, 400, or 1000 mg per bottle.
#4 NuLeaf Naturals CBD for Pets
This tincture is made from a company that offers third party testing to ensure that you know you’re getting a product that is 100% natural and organic. It comes in three strengths so that you aren’t giving too large a dose to your cat (or too small of one if you’re giving to a dog). These include 300, 900, and 1800mg per bottle. It’s made only with hemp extract and olive oil, and you can buy it in bulk for a discount.
#5 Lazarus Naturals Pet Oil Tincture
Lazarus Naturals offers their CBD pet tinctures in three potencies so you can find the perfect dose for your cat or dog. Their products are created with hemp sourced from organic domestic farms. It comes in flavorless and salmon flavor if you want to try to give it directly. Like all of their products, their pet CBD tincture is third party tested. For qualifying individuals, they offer an assistance program to help bring down the cost.
#6 American Shaman Cat CBD Oil Tincture
This formulation from American Shaman is specially formulated for your feline friends. Each measured dropper offers 10mg of high quality CBD oil sourced from domestic hemp. The only other ingredients are MCT coconut oil and real catnip flavor, to make it more palatable. Like Lazarus Naturals, they offer an assistance program for low income individuals, veterans, or people with disabilities.
#7 cbdMD Paw CBD Tincture for Cats
cbdMD is another big name in the industry, and it also offers a formulation made especially for cats. Their Paw CBD delivers a full spectrum CBD–it offers other cannabinoids like CBG and CBN, but contains no THC. It’s GMP certified, vegan, and gluten free as well. A delicious (to cats, anyway) catnip flavor seals the deal.
#8 Honest Paws CBD Oil For Cats
Made with full spectrum, THC free organic CBD, Honest Paws offers another quality product for cats. It’s made without any kind of fillers, just hemp extract and hemp seed oil. As with all of our other products, it’s third party tested to ensure quality.
Dosing Recommendations for Cats
While many of the CBD company websites offer dosing recommendations, the best practice is to talk to your vet. There are many vets that are open minded toward CBD, and if you are lucky enough to see one, have them suggest an appropriate dose. They will likely start with a low dose and have you watch to see how your cat reacts. Then, they may decide to increase the dose in small increments until your cat has just the amount he or she needs.
