As a devoted cat owner, you are probably very keen to help improve your cat’s health and well-being. Did you know that Herbal medicine can safely treat over 50 common conditions suffered by cats?

Common complaints ranging from allergies to arthritis can be helped by using safe, cutting-edge herbal supplements and extensively researched veterinarian herbal medicine, licensed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Herbal Medicine is becoming increasingly popular and more and more cat-owners are turning to it as a safe and gentle alternative to pharmaceutical drugs with their sometimes unpleasant side-effects. Many of the common health problems, which you would normally take to your vet, can usually be effectively tackled with a drug-free approach.

For example, the common problem of anxiety, excitability, nervousness and apprehension, which are the most common cause of travel sickness in cats rather than true motion sickness, can be helped by giving Scullcap and Valerian tablets to relieve anxiety, calm and relax your cat and to reduce excessive salivation during the journey.

Another example is troubling skin conditions, which are unable to be diagnosed. Herbal medicines have proved to be particularly effective in controlling these “non-specific” skin conditions by dealing holistically with the problem. It is important to try to deal with the cause and this can often be the diet. It is advisable to avoid high protein foods, red meats, vitamin and mineral supplements and foods containing colouring and flavouring agents. All of these have been found to be responsible for an allergic reaction in some cats. To treat the condition, Garlic and Fenugreek tablets deal with any minor infection on the skin and Mixed Vegetable tablets relieve the irritation and cool the skin. This should be continued for at least one month of treatment, reducing to the lower maintenance dose as the condition improves.

For cats, who have a susceptibility to skin problems of this kind, it is sensible to keep to a white meat diet to reduce the likelihood of the condition recurring. If hair loss has occurred as a result of scratching this can be improved by giving Kelp Seaweed tablets to encourage good coat growth, but this should only be given after all irritation has subsided. Why not help your cat enjoy life even more?

Deborah Grant BSc (Hons) Herb.Med.