How Much CBD Can Cats Have?

CBD and other cannabis-based products have been around for human use for many centuries, even millenia. As our cats are just as much a part of the family, it’s only natural that we’d want to use these products to help them live their best lives as well. Felines also have an endocannabinoid system like humans, and there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that CBD can help them with pain, stress, anxiety, and inflammation. Some studies have, however, suggested that cats absorb and eliminate CBD differently than humans, which means we need to adjust doses for our furry friends. This then begs the question, “How much CBD can cats have?”

Several factors including weight, age, diet, and health condition affect the CBD dose that’s the most therapeutic for your cat. Keep in mind that cats are more sensitive to CBD than dogs, which means they typically require a smaller dose.

Choosing A Dose

If you’re looking to help your cat with daily health and wellness issues such as digestion, anxiety, stress, and old-age-related concerns, a 0.5mg/kg daily dose of CBD should be sufficient. This dose also works for inflammation as well as minor aches and pains. For chronic pain, cancer-related symptoms, and other severe issues, 1mg/kg is recommended. For the average 10 lb. cat, these doses translate to around 1mg twice daily for minor issues and 2mg twice daily for severe pain. However, it’s vital to note that cats don’t react the same to similar CBD doses.

When you’re just starting to introduce your cat to a CBD treatment regiment, you should start with a low dose and observe the cat’s reaction. If there doesn’t seem to be any adverse reaction, you can hold that dose for 2-3 days, then gradually increase it until you achieve your desired outcome. It’s essential to note that different products take varying amounts of time to kick in. That’s why you should try to give your cat CBD before she starts experiencing any discomfort. For example, if you want to help with your cat’s appetite, you can administer CBD a few minutes before her mealtime. It may take a bit of experimentation to figure out the right dose and number of times to give your cat CBD, but once you hit the right spot, you’ll get the most benefit for your kitty.

Calculating CBD Dosage

It’s unlikely that you’ll find CBD products that are divided into 1mg units. Once you know how much CBD can cats have, you need to know how to calculate the correct dose. CBD doses are usually measured in metric units, so you’ll need to convert your cat’s weight from pounds to kilograms.

Using our standard 10 lb. cat, you’ll need to divide 10 pounds by 2.2, which gives you around 4.5kg. You then have to multiply this weight with the dosage by mass. If you’re giving your kitty 0.5mg/kg for minor pain, you should multiply it by 4.5kg to get a daily dose of 2.25mg. For severe pain, you should multiply 1mg/kg by 4.5kg to get a daily dose of 4.5mg.

The final step is to calculate the volume of oil or chewable product you should administer. For example, if you’re using oil with a 10mg/ml CBD concentration, you simply need to divide 4.5 by 10 to get the number of milliliters of oil to give your kitty. This calculation would give you a daily dose of 0.45ml, which you can round off to 0.5ml for practicality. You could use a 1-milliliter syringe or a dropper that comes with the CBD to estimate the amount of oil you’re administering. Chewable products typically have a predetermined dose, so it’s a matter of breaking them into fractions.