Are herbal remedies safe for cats?

Answer 1

Hi there...Rescue Remedy is more commonly used for cats to help reduce their anxieties.

http://cats.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/stress_3.htm

Many others may not be safe so please use caution and speak with a veterinarian before self-medicating: http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/showarticle.cfm?id=371

Answer 2

That's rather a sweeping statement. It depends on the herbal remedy and what it's expected to do.

I personally know just enough about herbs to be dangerous, so I would never dose my girls with anything.

Herbal remedies sound so wonderful and natural - and they are. But they can be dangerous and potent if you don't know what you're doing.

Remember the fuss over St. John's Wort? It suddenly became popular and everyone started taking it. And then we started hearing of people having bad reactions to it.

So the lesson here is natural doesn't necessarily mean safe.

I would only give an herbal remedy IF I totally knew what I was doing with herbs, and IF I understand how they would affect felines as opposed to humans, OR under the advice of a vet.

Answer 3

Yes, they are safe to use on your cats. But, you should use caution because there have not been many tests on weather or not all remedies are safe. Because herbal remedies have become so common for humans, many brands are being sold. Make sure you know what the ingredients are, so that you are not actually poisening your cat. You should discuss a brand with your vet so you can be sure that all of the ingredients are good for your cat. Remember, just because the product is all natural, doesn't mean that it isn't nontoxic.

Answer 4

I agree with Seattle, I have used Bach Flower Essences Rescue Remedy with my cats. A rescue in my area uses Rescue Remedy with new cats and dogs to the sanctuary to help ease the fears and anxiety with the new home.

Before I started using any of the Bach Flower Essences, I purchased the book "Bach Flower Remedies for Animals" by Helen Graham and Gregory Vlamis. It describes in great detail about using the essences with animals.

I also have the book "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats". I have used several of the natural remedies. I have the 1995 issue and found it on eBay. I have seen the 2005 issue at the pet store.

Purrs to you and your kitty.

Answer 5

Some are and some aren't.

Here are some websites with information about herbal remedies for cats:
http://www.nativeremedies.com/petalive/index.html
http://www.enaturalremedies.com/pet-remedies/index.htm
http://herbalmusings.com/natural_products_for_pets.htm
http://www.petnherbs.com/index.html
http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?ei=UTF-8&p=herbal+remedies+for+cats&fr=yfp-t-501-s&u=www.herbalstudies.org/DWCHS/LinkClick.aspx%3Flink%3DStudent+Projects%252fHerbal_Therapies_for_Domesticated_Cats.pdf%26tabid%3D501%26mid%3D1087&w=herbal+remedies+remedy+cats+cat&d=BqoA5LXiPypP&icp=1&.intl=us
http://www.nationalpetpharmacy.com/store/product1.asp?pf_id=10456401&affiliateCode=PFNPP01&cm_ven=Performics&cm_cat=Yahoo%20Search%20Submit%20(SMX)&cm_ite=DDI%20Link
http://www.herbalremediesforpets.com/servlet/StoreFront
http://www.herb-doc.com/petcare.htm
http://www.masterjules.net/catmed.htm