Last updated: 10 November 2026
CBD for cats means cannabidiol given to a cat, usually as an oil, paste or treat. In the UK, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate treats CBD for animals as a veterinary medicine: no CBD product is authorised for cats, and the legal route is a vet prescribing one. If you’re thinking about CBD for your cat, ask your vet first.
Below: the UK rules, how a vet can prescribe, why cats handle some compounds differently from dogs and people, what the small number of cat studies found, and what to do if your cat eats a CBD or cannabis product.
Can I give my cat CBD oil in the UK?
Not without your vet. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) says CBD products for animals are veterinary medicines that need a marketing authorisation before they can be sold or supplied, and none is authorised for veterinary use in the UK. Giving your cat an unauthorised CBD product without a veterinary prescription is an offence. A vet can prescribe a suitable product.
- The VMD’s short answer to “can I buy CBD oil for my pet?” is no. Its advice is to speak to your vet first.
- Pet CBD sold online: oils, treats and pastes marketed for cats and sold without a prescription shouldn’t be on sale in the UK, and the VMD warns some may contain significant THC and be illegal to possess or supply.
- Human CBD sellers must not indicate or recommend their products for animals, according to RCVS Knowledge.
Evopure’s products are made for people, and we don’t recommend giving them to pets without your vet’s advice. The rules for dogs are the same: see CBD oil for dogs. For the law on CBD for people, read is CBD legal in the UK?
How a vet can prescribe CBD for cats
Because no CBD product is authorised for animals, a UK vet can use the “prescribing cascade”, which lets them prescribe a legally obtained human product when no authorised veterinary medicine exists. The VMD says your vet can then advise on the right product, the dose for your cat’s species and size, and any precautions.
Questions to ask your vet:
- Is CBD likely to help my cat’s condition, and what are the licensed alternatives?
- Could it interact with my cat’s other medicines? The VMD notes CBD can interfere with other prescribed medication.
- Which product, what dose, and how will we monitor it?
- Do we need blood tests to check liver values?
If your cat has a reaction to any medicine, you can report it to the VMD online.
Why cats are different
Cats process many compounds differently from dogs and people, which is one reason a dose or product that suits one species can’t be assumed safe for another. Cats lack a working form of a liver enzyme (UGT1A6) that other species use to clear certain substances, which is why paracetamol is so dangerous to them.
- Essential oils and terpenes: Cats Protection says essential oils can be toxic to cats through skin contact, swallowing and breathing them in, and can cause liver failure, seizures and death. Many CBD oils sold for people contain added terpenes, flavourings or essential oils.
- Carrier oils: in one cat study, oils made with MCT oil caused more stomach upsets than those made with sunflower oil. Cats Protection also notes that fatty carrier oils can make cats ill if swallowed.
- Absorption: at the same dose per kilo, cats had far lower CBD blood levels than dogs in a 2019 study, and they licked and shook their heads a lot when given the oil.
- THC: the VMD warns that THC can be toxic to animals. In cat studies, oils containing THC caused more drowsiness, low body temperature and unsteadiness.
Cats, dogs and people all have an endocannabinoid system, but that doesn’t mean they respond to cannabinoids in the same way; our endocannabinoid system guide explains how it works in people. For more on essential oils at home, see the pets note in lavender for sleep.
What the research in cats shows
Research on CBD in cats is small. A 2025 systematic review of cannabis-based products in dogs and cats from 2014 to 2024 found 22 studies, of which only two looked at medical use in cats. Most cat studies are short, involve fewer than 30 cats, and were funded by companies making cannabinoid products.
| Study | Cats | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Deabold, 2019 | 8 healthy cats, 12 weeks | Much lower blood CBD than dogs; one cat had a raised liver enzyme throughout; licking and head-shaking. Author consults for a pet CBD maker |
| Kulpa, 2021 | 20 healthy cats, rising doses | Side effects mild and short-lived; more with THC-containing oils. Funded by Canopy Growth |
| Coltherd, 2024 | 20 healthy cats, 26 weeks | THC-free CBD at 4mg/kg a day was tolerated; a liver enzyme rose at 4 weeks in an earlier 4-week study. Mars Petcare authors |
| Mulder, 2025 | 26 cats with osteoarthritis | Pain scores fell in the 14 that finished; 12 dropped out, mostly refusing the paste, some vomiting. Funded by ElleVet |
A 2025 study on CBD and fear responses in cats was retracted by its journal, so we haven’t relied on it. None of these studies tells you whether a product sold online is safe or suitable for your own cat, which is the question your vet can answer.
Is CBD safe for cats?
Nobody can say CBD is safe for cats in general yet. Short studies in healthy cats found mostly mild side effects such as licking, head-shaking and stomach upsets, but they were small and often industry funded, liver enzymes rose in some cats, and long-term effects are unknown. Product quality, THC content and added ingredients vary. That’s why the UK route is your vet.
RCVS Knowledge notes that safety studies in veterinary species are only beginning to be published, and that consumer CBD products aren’t assessed for safety. If your cat is stressed or in pain, a vet can also look at causes and licensed treatments first.
What to do if your cat eats CBD or cannabis
If your cat has eaten a CBD product, cannabis, an edible or an essential oil, contact your vet straight away, even if they seem fine. If your cat has collapsed, is having a fit or is struggling to breathe, contact your vet immediately. Don’t try to make your cat sick at home.
- Animal PoisonLine: 01202 509 000, open 24 hours, run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service. Calls are charged, and its vets and scientists tell you whether your cat needs to be seen now.
- Have ready: your cat’s age and weight, the product (keep the packaging), how much and when, and any symptoms.
- Signs to watch for: drowsiness, wobbliness, dribbling, vomiting, trembling, a low body temperature, breathing difficulty or collapse.
Keep CBD oils, edibles and essential oils shut away where pets can’t reach them. Fireworks season is a common time for worried owners to look at calming products: our guide to pets and fireworks includes Cats Protection’s advice for calming cats.
Next step: If you’re wondering about CBD for your cat, book a chat with your vet. Take the questions above, a list of your cat’s current medicines and any products you’ve been looking at, and ask about licensed options too.
Evopure makes broad spectrum CBD oils, a magnesium drink powder and a reishi cacao drink for adults (18+). For adults who use CBD, 10mg of CBD is about 0.2ml of the 500mg oil. Read more on the FSA’s CBD novel food decision.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
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Sources 11
- Veterinary Medicines Directorate (2022). Can I buy CBD oil (cannabidiol) for my pet?
- Veterinary Medicines Directorate (2018). VMD statement on veterinary medicinal products containing cannabidiol. GOV.UK: Report a problem with an animal medicine.
- RCVS Knowledge (updated January 2026). The use of cannabidiol (CBD) in animals.
- Moreno-López N et al (2025). Cannabis-based products for medicinal use in dogs and cats: a systematic review. Journal of Small Animal Practice.
- Deabold KA et al (2019). Single-dose pharmacokinetics and preliminary safety assessment with use of CBD-rich hemp nutraceutical in healthy dogs and cats. Animals.
- Kulpa JE et al (2021). Safety and tolerability of escalating cannabinoid doses in healthy cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
- Coltherd JC et al (2024). Healthy cats tolerate long-term daily feeding of cannabidiol. Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
- Mulder LM et al (2025). Field safety and efficacy study with a cannabidiol/cannabidiol acid-rich hemp paste in cats with osteoarthritic pain. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
- Court MH, Greenblatt DJ (2000). Molecular genetic basis for deficient acetaminophen glucuronidation by cats: UGT1A6 is a pseudogene. Pharmacogenetics.
- Cats Protection. Cats and essential oils. Animal PoisonLine: 24-hour advice for pet owners.
- FSA. Cannabidiol (CBD) guidance.
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Evopure products are made for people.
