Safety and tolerability of escalating cannabinoid doses in healthy cats

The interest in using cannabinoids for therapeutic uses in companion animals is growing, particularly that of cannabidiol (CBD).

In dogs, there is evidence that CBD reduces pain and increases mobility in osteoarthritic patients. Also, CBD has been shown to decrease seizure frequency in dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy. Both canine and human studies suggest that higher doses may be required for CBD efficacy, depending on the progression of the disease.

In cats, there is scarce data on these compounds and, until 2021, no study had evaluated the safety and tolerability of different doses of CBD (> 4mg/kg/day) and/or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in this species. The possibility of accidental access to human cannabinoid products is another clinical gap. In dogs, consequences of exposure to THC (with or without CBD) have been studied. Regarding feline patients, there are only two published case reports on accidental cannabis intoxication. This study tried to understand the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of well-defined cannabis formulations.

The results of this study stated that healthy cats can safely tolerate CBD. Also, cats on CBD had no significant changes in CBC and serum biochemistry analysis. Compared with formulations containing THC, CBD was associated with a fewer number of adverse effects and behavioral changes. THC containing oils led more frequently to lethargy, ataxia, hypothermia, protrusion of the nictitating membrane and vocalization.

This study was conducted with a small group of healthy animals, which may not be representative of client-owned animals or diseased cats. Overall conclusions support that continuing research should be made on the potential therapeutic uses of orally administered CBD in cats, suggesting it might be considered a safe treatment option in veterinary medicine.

Kulpa, J.E., Paulionis, L.J., Eglit, G.M.L., Vaughn, D.M. (2021) ‘Safety and tolerability of escalating cannabinoid doses in healthy cats’, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 23(12), pp. 1162–1175.

DOI: 10.1177/1098612X211004215 journals.sagepub.com/home/jfm