Aren’t cats sleeping enough already?

Well, sometimes your cat might need a little extra help to go to sleep. While many cat sedatives are prescription only, this article offers some alternatives. Below is a list of the best cat sedatives over the counter.

Cat sedatives over counter

The two best over the counter cat sedatives are Feliway Relaxivet and Virbac Anxitane chewable tablets.

Feliway

This sedative is not ingested; instead it comes in the form of a spray, wipes, or a diffuser used within the cat’s environment. Feliway acts by releasing into the atmosphere a cat pheromone that cats release when sleepy and calm. Thus, once a cat senses Feliway in its environment, its brain gets the message, and these emotions are induced into the kitty. Hence, the cat will feel less anxious and also fall asleep.

I used feliway because my cat kept biting my feet. It calmed my cat down and caused her to take a nap.

Virbac Anxitane

Virbac is another over the counter that does a great job of calming down a cat. It is great for grooming, thunderstorms, and anxiety.

Diphenhydramine

Commonly known under the Benadryl brand name, this drug is a popular anti-allergy medication that presents sedation as a side effect. Benadryl’s side effects, namely; sleep-inducement and calming, which are more pronounced in young children and small animals, help cats to stay calm and relaxed in stressful conditions. You should consult your veterinarian before giving your cat Benadryl.

Before using any drug on your cat, and for whatever reason, you should first ask your vet. And although most of the O-T-C sedatives are usually considered safe for cats, the advice of your vet remains vital as being O-T-C does not automatically translate to being safe.

Why Sedate A Cat?

There are several reasons why you will need to sedate a cat. And outlined below are some of them:

• Recovery Purposes: While recovering from surgery or an injury, many cats will need mild sedation to keep them from hurting themselves accidentally. They might also need to recover from a spay incision.
• Anxiety: You might need to sedate a cat that is very anxious or jumpy.
• Travel: Some cats do not like to travel. For these felines, the whole experience tends to leave them feeling anxious, ruffled, and stressed out. So, if you love traveling with your cat, sedating your kitty in preparation for a trip will be a good idea, mainly if your feline furball is prone to get agitated and anxious at the slightest chance of distress. Sedation will help to keep your cat calm and quiet throughout the journey.
• Veterinarian Visits: Many cats tend to need sedation to handle or deal with the stress of vet visits. From having to fit into and remain in the uncomfortable carriages, to the journey to the hospital, and then, the usually crowded vet hospital waiting rooms.
• Routine Grooming: Besides petting, which can successfully happen when they are in the mood, cats seldom tolerate any handling. More so, the mere task of holding down a cat, even with help, can be almost impossible. Not to mention holding the feline down in one position long enough to complete the routine grooming Due to these challenges, most cat owners or professional cat groomers often use a cat sedative when preparing a kitty for grooming. And once sedated, the feline goes off to sleep to awaken after the entire process.

What Are Cat Sedatives?

Cat sedatives are medications or cat calming substances that help felines to sleep or stay calm in stressful situations like when traveling, visiting the vet, and other events that leave them feeling anxious or panicky.

Over the counter cat sedative for grooming

One of the main reasons you need to sedate your cat is for grooming. I have to do this once a month to remove matted cat hair. Since you have to groom your cat regularly, I would suggest using a natural sedative for grooming a cat. I would suggest some form of hemp oil, and if that doesn’t work you could try cat nip.

Hemp Oil

Hemp oil is safe (usually in small amounts) for both cats and dogs. Hemp oil does not contain THC, the marijuana component responsible for intoxication; rather, it contains other hemp compounds like CBC oils and flavones, which are useful for making a cat feel relaxed and sleepy.

Due to these favorable properties of Hemp oil, it is used as a mild sedative for cats to help with stressful situations or behavior problems, as well as for treating joint pain and other symptoms in cats.

Cat Sedative Side Effects

Cat sedative side effects include:

• Hypothermia
• Cardiovascular complications
• Respiratory issues

Final Thoughts

Administering sedatives is the most effective way of calming your cat. And although it is unlikely that anyone would want to sedate their pet, certain situations make it necessary.

However, because most sedatives come with some complications, you must use them on your cat with care. But, provided you are using the right sedative over the counter, and also “armed” with your vet’s advice on how to use the same, your feline fur ball’s safety is assured.