CBD Dosage for Cats: Guide & Chart

Just as CBD has many benefits for humans, so too can it help our feline friends. But since the FDA hasn’t approved CBD as medicine for pets, there are no official dosing guidelines to reference.

But we have anecdotal evidence. Through talking to thousands of customers and from our personal experience, we have a pretty good idea of how much CBD cats need, depending on what they’re dealing with.

In this article, we’ll cover the benefits of CBD for cats and dosage strengths for cats based on the use. Then, using that info, you can reference our handy dosing chart that’s based on weight and desired strength.

Benefits of CBD For Cats

Like humans, cats have an endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is responsible for regulating a laundry list of bodily functions, including sleep, inflammatory response, mood, and more. This is true for both animals and humans.

The ECS normally produces its own cannabinoids, but during times of bodily stress, its function may be inhibited. When this happens, CBD can support the ECS — this is how it delivers its benefits.

In cats, CBD can help with:

• Pain, swelling, and inflammation — research has shown CBD to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-killing) properties in both humans and animals. In addition to other types of pain, CBD is commonly used to help cats deal with discomfort from asthma and arthritis.
• Muscle & joint health and mobility — the benefits of CBD mentioned above also apply to your cat’s muscles and joints. Our customers frequently use CBD to help their older cats move about more easily and comfortably.
• Mental health — CBD has relaxing properties in animals and may have benefits if your cat is dealing with anxiety or depression.
• Cancer — preliminary research suggests that CBD may be able to kill cancer cells. However, this isn’t confirmed. What we do know is that CBD has shown benefits for pain and inflammation, so it may be able to address the discomfort your cat experiences as a result of cancer.
• Skin and coat health — CBD’s relaxing properties may be able to reduce itching, which in turn leads to a healthier coat and healthier skin for your cat. Also, many CBD tinctures are made with a hemp seed oil base, which also has a myriad of benefits for skin health in animals.
• General health and quality of life — since CBD supports the endocannabinoid system, which has a hand in regulating pretty much every vital function, CBD can help your feline friend live a better quality life on all fronts.
• Seizures & epilepsy — research suggests that CBD may be able to help with epileptic seizures in humans (there’s even an FDA-approved CBD product for epilepsy), and it’s frequently used for the same purpose with cats. Due to its neuroprotective properties, CBD may be able to reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures in cats.

How Much CBD Should You Give Your Cat?

The short answer is 2-6 mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight.

However, we can get more granular than that: based on why your cat is taking CBD, they’ll need a certain dosage strength. Then you can use our chart below, that’s based on strength and your cat’s weight, to find their required dosage.

Here are the recommended CBD dosage strengths for cats, based on their situation:

Mental health — low

General health and quality of life — low

Skin and coat health — low

Pain, swelling, and inflammation — medium

Muscle & joint health, mobility — medium

Cancer — high

Seizures & epilepsy — high

These beginning strengths are just estimates; if you’re giving your cat CBD for a condition they’re receiving treatment for, ask your vet beforehand how much you should give them (or if CBD is even right for them).

Some vets may not be able to discuss CBD with you for legal reasons, but it’s worth an ask. If you can’t speak with a vet, we recommend you start with low strength, regardless of why you’re giving CBD to your cat.

CBD Dosage Chart for Cats by Weight

Related: CBD dosage chart for dogs.

Now that you know the dosage strength your cat needs, use this chart to find how much CBD they need each day.

CBD Dosage Formulas for Cats

If you don’t have our chart handy, you can calculate your cat’s CBD dosage if you know what strength they need. Here are the formulas:

Low strength: (0.2) x (your cat’s body weight in pounds) = your cat’s CBD dosage in mg

Medium strength: (0.4) x (your cat’s body weight in pounds) = your cat’s CBD dosage in mg

High strength: (0.6) x (your cat’s body weight in pounds) = your cat’s CBD dosage in mg

If you’ve seen our CBD dosage article for humans, you might notice that this ratio is slightly more per pound — this is because very small cats still need a baseline amount of CBD to begin feeling effects.

How to Give Your Cat CBD: Types of Products

Now that you know how much CBD your cat needs each day, it’s time to pick a method for giving it to them.

There are two primary ways to administer CBD to cats: oils and treats.

CBD Oil for Cats

CBD pet tinctures consist of hemp extract and carrier oil. Our oils feature full-spectrum CBD, which includes other cannabinoids (including THC) and terpenes, naturally occurring compounds in the hemp plant that have benefits of their own.

To give your cat CBD oil, you first need to measure their dosage in the metered dropper that comes in each bottle. Then, you have to administer it directly to their mouth.

Depending on your cat’s personality, giving them CBD oil may or may not be easy (you don’t want to lose a finger). If this is the case, simply give them a treat.

CBD Treats for Cats

CBD pet treats are much like normal pet treats, but with the added hemp extract. Our soft treats feature full-spectrum CBD and additional anti-inflammatory ingredients such as turmeric, arnica extract, vitamins, and minerals.

The beauty of treats is that each contains a set amount of CBD, so dosing is predictable. And if your cat likes treats, administering the CBD is a breeze!

How Often Should You Give Your Cat CBD?

The dosage recommendations in this article are based on a once-a-day dosage. However, you can split this up into multiple smaller doses and give them to your cat throughout the day.

Side Effects of CBD for Cats

Side effects reported after giving CBD to cats include:

• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Inappetence
• Diarrhea
• Dry Mouth

To reduce or prevent these side effects from occurring, be sure to start out by giving your cat small doses of CBD, and then once it kicks in, closely observe how they react to it. Then, you can safely increase the next dose if need be.

CBD for Cats: Buying Tips

The CBD market is pretty unregulated. Finding high-quality stuff, then, requires a discerning eye. Only the best for your friend!

To help you buy CBD products for cats, here are a few tips:

• Check 3rd-party lab reports — anyone can say anything about their products, but only a 3rd-party lab report can verify if it’s actually quality. In particular, ensure that the lab report states the product contains the amount of CBD it claims it does, and that it doesn’t contain any more THC than it should. And if the company doesn’t have lab reports easily available, run fast! Our lab reports for all products are easily available online right here.
• Check reviews — if other pet parents trust a CBD product to help their four-legged friend, then you probably can, too. Make sure the company you’re going to buy from is positively reviewed by those giving CBD to their cats. To see our reviews, click here.
• Avoid THC — full-spectrum CBD contains a bit of THC, so it’s fine, but if a product lists THC as one of the main cannabinoids, don’t buy it for your pet. Unlike CBD, we aren’t sure if THC is safe for pets. Our pet line is made with lab-tested full-spectrum CBD for max effectiveness without over-indexing on the THC.

Takeaway: CBD Dosage for Cats

CBD is a versatile natural compound with many potential benefits for cats, and it’s completely safe, too. However, it isn’t FDA-approved for use with pets, so there is no official dosage guidance available.

Still, we have anecdotal evidence from our customers, our own experiences, and the industry at large. Just remember that CBD dosage for cats isn’t an exact science — start low and slow, observe how your cat reacts, and then slowly increase!

CBD Dosage for Cats: Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions we frequently get about dosing CBD for cats.

Is CBD safe for cats?

Yes! There are no reported long-term adverse side effects of CBD use in cats.

Can a cat overdose on CBD oil?

CBD won’t kill a cat, but it can cause side effects if they consume too much, so in a manner of speaking, a cat can “overdose” on CBD. To prevent this, be sure to start small with the doses.

How often should I give my cat CBD?

The doses in this article should be administered once a day, however, you can split your cat’s dose up and give it to them throughout the day.

What type of CBD product should I give my cat?

CBD oil and CBD pet treats can both work well for supporting your cat’s health!