Your cat’s worked up, and you want a quick and easy solution. Calming treats are readily available, easy to give, and while they probably won’t work miracles, they might help.
Calming Ingredients
“L-theanine (an amino acid found in green tea) is a supplement that may have calming effects in cats and dogs,” says Pamela J. Perry, DVM, PhD, board-certified veterinary behaviorist at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Some examples of products that contain L-theanine include Anxitane, Solliquin, and Composure Pro.
There are other options out there too. “Alpha-casozepine, a protein found in cow’s milk, is reported to reduce anxiety and is available as a supplement (Zylkene) and as an ingredient in several prescription diets,” says Dr. Perry.
Both L-theanine and alpha-casozepine may block stress-related neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain) to alleviate anxiety.
Recent research has also found that certain probiotics can be beneficial for alleviating stress and anxiety in our pets. The best-known one is Bifidobacterium longum BL999, which is used in Purina’s Calming Care.
Much to Learn
Unfortunately, as with so many things in cats, we do not have much high-quality data on how effective calming treats are for them. A few studies show decreased inappropriate urination and a decrease in stress markers and behaviors in cats after taking some of these compounds, but lots of questions about efficacy and bioavailability remain unanswered.
Bioavailability is how well a compound is absorbed into the cat’s bloodstream after being consumed. It doesn’t matter how good a compound is or how much of it you are giving if your cat just poops it out. Compounds can also be affected by the process of incorporating them into a tasty treat that your cat is willing to eat.
And then, of course, there is the matter of calming treats being a nutraceutical (supplement) rather than a medication.“There are few if any regulatory controls over efficacy, safety, or quality of nutraceuticals,” says Dr. Perry. “Therefore, owners should look for a reputable brand with data to support claims of efficacy for the product.”
If you are considering trying a calming treat for your cat, don’t just grab the first one you see. Supplements are not strictly regulated, so the amount of a compound could vary widely even within a single product, and the chew may not have been tested to see if it helped cats.
Instead, ask your veterinarian which product(s) she recommends and check out your options online. Reputable companies should have research trial information available on their website, or at the very least be able to answer your questions and refer you to published data if you give them a call. For example, VetriScience has their product research data online at vetproline.com/research.
Should I Try a Calming Treat?
The upside is that calming treats formulated specifically for cats are likely to be safe to give. So, for many of us cat lovers, these products go under the “can’t hurt, might help” category of pet care.
Giving calming treats a try is best for cats who:
- Have mild anxiety that is not causing harm to anyone in the house
- Are only anxious in specific situations where they need some extra support
- Are food motivated and will eat new treats
If your cat is on other medications, check with your veterinarian to be sure that the ingredients in the calming treat won’t cause any drug interactions. If your cat has food sensitivities, check the ingredients carefully before choosing a calming treat.
For our extremely anxious cats, veterinary intervention is often necessary. Your cat may be prescribed medication to help her cope with anxiety. These meds might need to be given only before stressful events such as travel or home renovations or may be given daily to support your cat’s well-being every day.
Choosing a Calming Supplement
The three boxes you need to tick before buying a calming supplement are: safety, efficacy, and tastiness.
For safety, choose a product that is formulated for cats. It may have been designed just for cats, or for both cats and dogs. But if the product labeling only talks about dogs and only gives dosage amounts for dogs, stay away. It may contain ingredients that could be harmful for your cat.
We’ve already discussed efficacy a bit. Choose a product from a reputable company that has done clinical trials to test how well it works for cats. Ask your veterinarian which products they carry or have had success with. Also keep in mind that some calming supplements are supposed to work quickly, while others may take several weeks to “kick in.”
Taste is up to your cat. A calming treat is no good if your cat refuses to eat it. Most calming supplements for cats are either a soft chew or a powder. Powders are easy to mix in with canned food (this trick works for capsules too, as you can open the capsule and pour out the powder). Treats can be tossed for extra fun. Consider what textures and flavors your cat usually enjoys and ask your veterinarian or even a product manufacturer if they have samples your cat can try.
Dr. Pamela J. Perry is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
