Your Cat Eats Pot Plant: Find Out Why

cat eats pot plant

Having or getting a cat means you have someone to compete with your marijuana stash. It doesn’t mean in terms of smoking as a cat eats pot plants. You might see a cat rolling around the plants, sniffing or licking them. Does this animal also like getting high? You will find out in this article.

Connection Between Cannabis and Catnip

Cannabis and catnip have a few things in common. Here’s a short description of catnip. It is an herb that belongs to the mint family and it can be seen almost everywhere. Its presence can be in some gardens as it shoos insects away and it can tolerate drought. 

Catnip has an intoxicating compound called nepetalactone which is a stimulant for cats. It can make them feel high. The smell makes them go crazy and when a cat eats a pot plant, it becomes sleepy. 

When cats eat catnip, pupil dilation takes place and they will act as if they’ve gone mad. You can compare this situation to the Sativa high. After ingestion, they will feel a weight that is similar to Indica so they get to experience the couchlock effect as well.

In the case of Cannabis, the main cannabinoids are THC and CBD. The euphoric high is caused by THC while CBD gives a relaxing effect. They can attach to the body’s receptors which are responsible for activating certain parts of the brain. So they can interfere with how these receptors control your behavior and emotion.

The cats would likely think that Cannabis is catnip. Just like humans, these fluffy felines have an endocannabinoid system too. This system regulates several physiological systems like mood, sleep, appetite, immune response, coordination, and movement. It should be balanced as it is a part of the well-being of both people and cats.

They are all facts. But when a cat eats a pot plant or its fresh leaves, the THC is not present yet as it is still in the form of THCa. If the buds are not decarboxylated, it means it doesn’t have THC. Thus, it’s not psychoactive. So, it won’t harm your cat if you give it marijuana leaves like a treat. 

Some Consequences When Cat Eats Pot Plant

What Can Happen to your Garden

As long as you don’t allow your cat to eat your stash, it will be fine. A few leaves for a treat is not bad at all. But the fondness of furry felines towards Cannabis can be harmful in another way around. It means you, as a marijuana grower, will suffer some consequences. 

If your cat discovers and learns what is so tasty for them, it will keep on consuming as long as it’s not out of reach. The cat will think that your garden is the perfect place to eat and have some snacks. 

Aside from possible chaos that the cat can make, issues will come up because of urine and defecation. It mostly happens to those who grow their plants in soil. Cats would tend to do the call of nature on the dirt. You may think it’s a blessing in disguise but it’s not.

It’s not considered as a fertilizer as urine contains a high amount of ammonia which can bring destruction to your marijuana plants. Poop is not nourishing too. It would only attract insects and pests that would crawl around. As long as you keep cats away from your garden, they won’t add up to your struggle on cultivation.

Getting Into Your Stash

You’ve already arranged things to keep your cats away from your garden. Remember that they can sniff and identify weed as it was introduced to then. It knows so well the wonderful effects and how delectable it is. If you’re not careful in hiding your stash or you just leave some of it when consuming, the cat will be engrossed in it.

Contrary to the fresh leaves, dried buds have a different effect on cats. Aside from ingestion, your cat can also be exposed to the smoke so inhalation is possible. These kinds of situations can result in extreme excitation or sleepiness, low blood pressure, dilated pupils, and hypersalivation. 

Other symptoms that cat may experience are falling over as a sign of no coordination, vomiting, slow heart rate or bradycardia, seizures, and depression which can change into anxiety and agitation. When a cat experiences seizures, it can sometimes lead to a coma. In instances of low body temperature, death can happen but it’s a rare case.

If you see your cat having these symptoms, better call your vet. Quick treatment can ameliorate severe cases. 

Can Cats Benefit From CBD?

THC can be harmful to cats as they also get high with it. With a great number of strains, some don’t have THC as it was bred for CBD content. CBD has a big contribution to the development of the Cannabis industry. It relieves so many users and it will have the same effects with your fur babies.

CBD will be able to help your cats fight inflammation, pain, and behavioral disorders. So you can give your cat a treat but bear in mind that they don’t require the same amount as the human does. 

You can search for the right dosage which is 4% CBD oil. A single or two drops can be given to your fur baby twice or three times a day. The minimum amount that your cat needs are one to two drops a day. You can just mix it with cat food. Start with one drop per day and observe the effects first.

An excessive amount can’t be taken back. So allow your cat to start with a small intake first. Then you can add a bit later.

Conclusion

You now know different points when your cat eats pot plants. Fresh Cannabis leaves are fine as a treat. But the buds with THC content are a big ‘NO” for cats to ingest. Even the smoke during your consumption can also affect them. So be a responsible parent for your fur baby. 

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By LGM Admin

LearnGrowingMarijuana.com is an online destination for marijuana growers who want to succeed in growing marijuana. The team behind the site enjoys growing their own weed, trying different strains and experimenting on different growing techniques to get the best marijuana harvest.