How Much CBD Should Small Cats Get?

Your small cat has a collection of stolen hearts that rivals the bits and bobs they have squirreled away under your refrigerator. With their delicate features enhancing adorably large eyes, your small cat is all the fun and playfulness of a larger cat, but in a much cuter package. Whether your small cat is healthy or having some issues, you’re wanting to try pet CBD for them. Pet CBD enhances health in healthy cats and may support them during health issues like allergies or skin irritations. You likely have a friend or three that swear by CBD, either for themselves or their pets. So, now that you’ve decided to join almost half of American pet owners in giving your pet CBD, how much CBD do you give your small cat?

What is the Correct Amount of CBD Oil for Small Cats?

When it comes to CBD for small cats, the average guideline for giving CBD is 1-2mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight. We could break this down even further and say that the quantity is 0.5 – 1 mg per 5 pounds of body weight. Now, every cat will have their own right CBD quantity that includes more factors than just weight, but we’ll talk about that later. For now, let’s keep things simple and stick with weight. When it comes to cats and CBD, there is no standard amount of CBD oil, such as 1 teaspoon for a 10-pound cat. All CBD oils will have different amounts of CBD in them, even if they’re the same size.

However, if you know your cat’s weight, you can use the formula above to figure out how much CBD they need. Let’s say you have a 6-pound cat. We’ll round down to five pounds to make things easier. So, your cat’s starting quantity of CBD is 0.5-1 mg of CBD. What this amount will look like will depend on your CBD product. Since your cat is so small, it is best to choose a CBD oil that is formulated for cats and small dogs. CBD products made for larger dogs will be difficult to measure correctly.

For example, here are all the Pet Releaf Hemp Oil for small cats and their appropriate size. Notice that their range is 0-15lbs. One dropper of their Hemp Oil 100 contains 3.3 mg of CBD. So there is a range when it comes to CBD for small cats. You could always start with half a dropper and see how your cat does, which we’ll also discuss more in a later section.

Pet Releaf’s Hemp Oil 100: for 0-15lbs, give 1 dropper a day.

Pet Releaf’s Liposome Hemp Oil 100: for 0-15lbs, give 0.25 dropper a day.

How to Compute CBD Oil Quantities for Small Cats

Ok, let’s say you have a 5 lb munchkin cat and a 125mg bottle of hemp oil. What next? Let’s do our basic calculation based on 1-2 mg of CBD per 10lbs of bodyweight. Their CBD starting amount is 0.5-1 mg of CBD. Now, look on the bottle of CBD oil for how many milligrams of CBD each dropper, or serving, contains. If this information isn’t on the product labeling or packaging, it may be on the company’s website. Once you find this information, you can start to calculate your cat’s quantity based on how many milligrams of CBD a dropper of your hemp oil contains. If that information isn’t available, look on the bottle for how many servings it contains. If you can’t find that number, don’t despair. We’ll assume thirty since many hemp oils are designed to last a month. Divide the amount of CBD, 125 mg, by the number of servings, 30, and you have roughly 4 mg of CBD per dropper. So, your cat’s starting CBD amount with this CBD oil is 1/8th – ¼ of a dropper. To give the smaller amount, fill the dropper a quarter full and drip out the CBD oil until you’ve used half the liquid.

To show how CBD for small cats can vary between CBD products, here is a complete CBD quantity chart of Pet Releaf’s CBD products.

Factors that Affect CBD Amounts for Small Cats

There are several other factors, in addition to weight, that will influence how much CBD your cat needs. It’s important to remember that every cat is physically unique and will process CBD a little bit differently. That, in addition to the following factors, means that two cats who weigh the same could need different amounts of CBD.

• Is your cat healthy?

The health of your cat is a good indicator if they’ll need a low strength amount of CBD or a higher strength quantity. Generally, a low amount is enough to support and maintain good health. However, if your kitty is struggling with its health, then you might need to try higher amounts to see beneficial effects. Start with your cat’s amount based on weight. And then if you don’t see results after an hour, give them some more CBD, starting with 0.25-1 mg increments, and see how they do. Or you can simply up the amount of their next regularly scheduled administration. The ultimate way to know what your cat’s right CBD amount is by how they act. So, keep experimenting and watching your cat. They’ll tell you when you’ve got it.

• What brand of CBD are you using?

The amount and quality of bioavailable CBD, other cannabinoids, and beneficial compounds like terpenes will vary from brand to brand. Factors that influence the quality of CBD include the health of the hemp used, and the type of extraction method. Some extraction methods use heat, chemicals, or solvents. Heat damages the delicate hemp compounds, while chemicals and solvents may leave traces behind in the finished product. Choose a pet CBD product that was made without heat, chemicals, or solvents for the most potent, and safest, CBD. Looking for CBD that is certified USDA Organic is another way to ensure quality.

• What type of CBD are you using?

CBD for small cats comes in four main forms: oil, capsules, treats or chews, and topicals.

1. CBD oil is the gold standard when it comes to pet CBD. It is easy to use, offers the most bioavailable CBD, and is cost-effective. Most CBD is designed to be administered by mouth using the bottle’s dropper. It can also be dropped into your cat’s food bowl to be licked up. If you need to administer the oil during mealtime, choose Pet Releaf’s Liposome hemp oil that is designed to withstand the digestion process. It’s also much easier to fine-tune your cat’s CBD amount with oil since you give it drop by drop. Look for organic carrier oils that use natural preservatives.
2. CBD capsules are filled with CBD oil and might be a good choice for some cat owners. Those of you whose cats hate taking pills can just skip ahead. If your cat will take capsules by mouth or mixed into food, then these are an easy way to give CBD to your cat. And, there’s no guesswork on the amount—each CBD capsule contains the same amount of CBD. However, this does make it harder to adjust your cat’s quantity, if you think they need a little more or a little less. Be sure to choose a CBD capsule made for cats.
3. CBD “treats” or chews is your cat’s number one choice for CBD. This is by far the easiest way to administer CBD to your cat. However, you’ll be paying more for the CBD and it’s not as easy or accurate to adjust the amount with treats. And, it’s important to remember that CBD treats are not treats, they are supplements. Not that your cat will agree, of course.
4. Topicals are creams or lotions that contain CBD. They’ll often have other skin-healthy ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, vitamins, and herbs. Topicals are great for supplemental CBD use and are excellent for cats who have skin issues. They are used like any other cream or lotion. Don’t use them on broken skin and avoid the eyes and nose.

Pet Releaf CBD for Small Cats

Pet Releaf never uses heat, chemicals, or solvents when making their award-winning pet CBD from American-grown hemp. This means they can extract the full cannabinoid profile from hemp. Did you know that there’s more to hemp than CBD? CBD is just one of many cannabinoids and other helpful plant compounds, like terpenes. They all work together to increase the strength and effectiveness of CBD. CBD supports your small cat’s best health and is there for you when your cat isn’t feeling well. Because of how CBD supports the central nervous system, it may be helpful for a wide range of health issues, including digestive, emotional, skin, and immune issues. Pet Releaf makes several CBD products for cats.