Is Melatonin Safe for Cats? 3 Safety Tips For Cats Of All Ages

Is Melatonin Safe for Cats? Many people around the world are having issues with their sleeping habits. Most suffer from insomnia which is caused by low levels of melatonin in our body. This is also the reason why doctors give people with insomnia melatonin in order to sleep well. We human knows how exhausting and grumpy we can be if don’t have enough sleep.

What if our cats suffer from sleeping disorders? Is it safe to give melatonin to cats that have a sleeping disorder? Is it possible to give melatonin to cats? Can melatonin for cats help them sleep?

Melatonin as hormone

Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by our bodies. It is primarily released by our pineal gland. This hormone is responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle of our body. It gives us a signal when it’s daytime or nighttime. The melatonin levels increase when it’s dark and will send us to sleep. When melatonin is low in the body and even nighttime appears, the body can’t be signaled to go to sleep, which usually results in disturbed sleeping habits, sleeping disorders, or insomnia.

Melatonin as a Drug

Melatonin is an over-the-counter all-natural supplement that you can buy at the local drug store without any prescription. One can consume melatonin as a supplement, to ease trouble in sleeping.

In humans and animals, melatonin is involved in synchronizing the circadian rhythm or sleep-wake timing, it also helps in blood pressure regulation, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and seasonal reproduction.

In some surprise, melatonin drug helps in defending plants against oxidative stress.

Is Melatonin Safe for Cats?

Veterinarians prescribed melatonin to dogs and felines. This then predicts that melatonin is safe for your loving pet. However, the usage of this supplement depends on a lot of factors, including the purpose behind the usage, and as well as the dosage to use.

Why Melatonin is good for cats?

Melatonin is used for cats that have a sleep disorder that is somehow caused by some factors, cats as uncontrollable nervousness, hair loss, and weight issues.

Our feline organism is quite different from humans. They also needed melatonin in some cases:

Our beloved cats sleep a lot, that’s why the phrase “cat-nap” is coined for them. They spend approximately two-thirds of their entire lifetime in slumber. However, even though we have the sleepiest cats, we can still suffer post-traumatic stress. Whilst, our elderly cats can still experience emotional and physical sickness which may result in sleeping disorders. Lastly, even if you have the most frenzy cat, it may still experience fear of the new surroundings and unexpected strangers. This is why melatonin comes into place for your cat’s health.

Uses of Melatonin for Cats

As described earlier, the use of melatonin for cats will depend on the case. Cats suffering from anxiety, hair loss, and sleep disorders are often treated with melatonin.

Melatonin can treat stressful cats. These situations are like long-distance travel, being groomed, and exposure to loud noises. In the short term, your cat can consume melatonin.

Otherwise, some pet owners use melatonin in training their cats to loud noise. They feed the cat with melatonin content while they slowly raise the sound. This kind of training lowers the anxiety of the cat caused by the loud noise.

Melatonin dosages

There are different dosages that may be assigned to your cat. Always refer to the prescription of your veterinarian, especially, since melatonin is given with different factors. Meaning, knowing the proper dosage will depend on the medical case of your cat.

Melatonin for cats is available in the form of tablets, capsules, chewables, and sprays.

Guidelines for using melatonin for cats

Here are a few guidelines for using melatonin for cats:

• Melatonin comes in a variety of sizes: 1 milligram (mg), 3 mg, and 5 mg tablets.
• The dose for cats is usually between 3 to 6 mg by mouth, administered 30 minutes before sleep time. Do not exceed 6 mg per dose. Start with the lowest dose of 3 mg to see how your cat responds, then gradually increase as needed.
• If you have observed melatonin isn’t working for your cat and there’s a need to increase the dosage, communicate it to your veterinarian. However, if you are uncomfortable with the increasing dosage, you may need to seek further medical attention from your veterinarian. There may be some other cause for your cat’s insomnia or medical case that needs additional or alternative treatment.

Side effects of Melatonin

Like other medications that have side effects, melatonin also has its share of side effects for your cat. Your cat may experience the following when taking melatonin:

Contraindications

Melatonin for cats has its contraindications that we cat parents should know and understand:

• If your cat is taking immunosuppressant or diabetes medication, melatonin is not a good idea to personally decide to add it to your cat’s medication. It is better to consult your veterinarian for alternative or additional treatment.

• Do use melatonin for your pregnant and lactating cat.

• For some cats, it may cause an allergic reaction.

Summary

So, Is Melatonin Safe for Cats? Our beloved feline companions can take melatonin. It may treat different cases such as sleeping disorders, hair loss, unusual nervousness, and anxiety. Lastly, it can also help a cat with a weight problem.

Melatonin is available in different forms such as tablets, capsules, chewables and sprays. Never use medicines designed for human consumption for your cat, it may be too strong for your little kitty.

In case of any negative reactions from your cat such as nausea, allergies, or discomfort inform your veterinarian so that your cat will be given an alternative or additional treatment.

Lastly, make sure to give your cat the best quality and legit melatonin products to avoid any negative health response.

Have you tried to give your melatonin to your cat? For what reason do you use it? Share your experience.