CBD for cats & dogs: Benefits, dosage, best products & more

You’re probably familiar with CBD for humans. You might even use it yourself. However; the chances are high that you’ve stumbled upon CBD products for cats and dogs as well lately. But what is the difference between pet and human CBD oil? What is the best brand? What is the recommended dosage? And what are the potential benefits of CBD for cats and dogs? These and several other common questions about CBD for pets get answered in this guide.

The potential benefits of CBD for cats & dogs

Let’s start this guide by looking at the potential benefits of CBD for cats and dogs. Every human has an ‘endocannabinoid system’ (‘ECS’) in their body. This is a system that interacts with the compounds that are present in CBD products. The ECS regulates a lot of functions in your body, such as sleep, stress, mood and more. Just like humans, pets have an endocannabinoid system as well. Therefore, CBD can benefit your furry friend in the same way it can benefit you. So, some of the potential benefits of CBD for cats and dogs include reducing stress, (separation) anxiety, (arthritis) pain and depression. You can find research about CBD for animals in this World Health Organization report.

CBD products for cats & dogs (How to give CBD to pets?)

So, how do you give CBD to pets?: There are different kinds of CBD products for cats and dogs available. These are generally quite similar to CBD products for humans. Some common CBD pet products include CBD oil drops (which you can administer ‘sublingual’ or by adding to food) and edibles (such as CBD treats, chews and capsules). Every product type has its own pros and cons. For example; CBD edibles for dogs and cats are really convenient and their effects last longer as they are absorbed slower. CBD pet tinctures on the other hand are more effective due to a higher ‘bioavailability’ when absorbed sublingual (which means under the tongue). If you can’t decide which kind of CBD product to give to your cat or dog, our advice is to try out several ones and see which one your pet likes the most.

The best CBD products for cats & dogs

As you may have noticed, there are a lot of brands on the market that sell CBD products for cats and dogs. However; not all these brands offer good quality products unfortunately. When it comes to CBD, it is very important to use high-quality products only. Low-quality CBD products can for example contain potentially harmful ingredients or contain not enough CBD.

The brand we recommend ourselves when it comes to CBD products for cats and dogs is this one. All their products are lab-tested by a certified third-party, and the results are published on their website. The ingredients they use are 100% organic and natural as well. For extraction they use CO2, which is the best method to extract CBD. They basically have all the products you need; CBD pet tinctures, treats, capsules and spray. Our own dog especially loves their CBD treats, and has a noticeably improved mood since using them. Besides CBD products for cats and dogs, they even offer CBD products for horses as well. And last but not least; everyone can try this brand out as they offer a ‘satisfaction guarantee‘, which means you’ll get your money back if you’re not satisfied within 30-day.

How many mg CBD to give to a cat / dog? (Dosage)

Another thing you probably wonder is “how many mg CBD to give to cats and dogs?”. There is no standard CBD dosage for pets, since pets differ in size. That’s why it is best to determine the CBD dosage based on the weight of your pet. The baseline recommendation for this is 1 mg of CBD for a cat or dog weighing 10 pounds and under, and adding 0.5 mg of CBD for every extra 10 pounds of weight.

Another thing you could do (that most likely will have a similar outcome) is looking at the recommended serving size and instructions on the packaging of the product you’re using. This serving size is usually based on an average-sized pet. So; if you have a very small cat or dog simply give a bit less, and if your pet is very large give a bit more. Giving your pet a bit too much CBD is most likely not a big deal, but it’s still best to not overshoot the recommended dosage guidelines excessively.

The difference between pet and human CBD oil

We will finish this guide by looking at the difference between pet and human CBD oil. A lot of people seem to wonder “can humans use pet CBD oil” and “can dogs use human CBD oil”. Generally there are two main differences between pet and human CBD oil:

● The first difference is that CBD pet products are flavored in a way that your cat or dog likes to consume them. Most humans will not like the taste of pet products, and most pets will not like the taste of human CBD oil.
● The second difference is that the concentration of CBD in CBD oil for humans is way higher than the concentration of CBD in pet tinctures. Therefore, the CBD content in most human products is most likely too high for pets, and the CBD content in pet products is usually too low for humans.

So; although CBD pet products are similar to CBD products for humans, it’s still recommended to give your cat or dog CBD products that are designed for pets, and to use CBD products that are designed for humans for yourself.

Wrap up

After reading this article you will understand the basics of CBD for cats and dogs. If you still got any questions about this subject, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below so we can help you. If you’re seeking more information about CBD for humans we highly recommend checking our other articles as well, such as our CBD beginner’s guide.

Disclaimer: We do not claim that any testimonial or experience is representative of what any other consumer might experience. Individual results may vary, and no experience has been clinically proven or evaluated. All opinions expressed are strictly the views of our team.
CBD is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information on this website is not meant as a substitute for information from health care practitioners. Always consult your health care professional before using CBD.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate CBD for treating health conditions.