As interest grows for complementary therapies, having options that cover both people and the cats in the family is ideal. This discussion is focused on two such therapies, acupuncture and cannabidiol or CBD.
Acupuncture
Yes, acupuncture. Which is a safe and painless treatment for both cats and humans. For over 3500 years, people have made use of its benefits and about a quarter of the world’s population rely on it as a main treatment. During an acupuncture session, very thin needles are inserted into specific points in the skin to rebalance energy flow. Depending on the specific patient needs, the needles are positioned along a network of pathways (called meridians).
Acupuncture is thought to regulate and restore the normal flow of Qi, (pronounced “chee”) or the body’s life-force energy for health. Acupuncture has been shown to have pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, hormone-regulating and immuno-stimulating effects in both cats and humans.
Herbal Medicine
For the majority of human history, plants have been used in medical treatments. One such plant, Cannabis, has been used for thousands of years, with emerging research on the medicinal properties and compounds within, like cannabidiol, or CBD. CBD is the non-psychoactive, major compound in cannabis. When administered with additional plant compounds, it is known to provide therapeutic benefits in a host of disorders.
A recent survey found a growing number of those with cats are turning to CBD and view it as a natural and safe way to help their cats with sleeping and reducing pain and inflammation. Most of the survey respondents used it for a veterinarian-diagnosed illness such as cancer, anxiety and arthritis.
