Herbal treatments are viable treatment option for your cat, however one must exercise caution as many carry harmful side effects.
Since the dawn of man humans have being using herbs to treat various illnesses, it's only natural we'd want to try the same with our beloved cats.
There are many factors which influence the effectiveness of an herb, namely what portion of the plant is used, how old the plant was when harvested and how it was processed after harvest.
Most of the time there have been few to no studies on the effects of particular herbs on animals so your cat's health is not guaranteed in their use.
Various plants and herbs are often the base for conventional medicine so it's entirely possible for too much of an herb to cause something like an overdose.
One herb that is especially dangerous to cats is pennyroyal.
It makes a good insect repellent but it is highly poisonous to both cats and dogs and should never be used around them.
White willow bark contains salicylates and can work well as a pain and fever reducer.
Aspirin also contains salicylates and was developed from the white willow bark.
But just as aspirin is hazardous to cats so is white willow bark.
Another potential problem with herbal medicines are that they may interfere with the workings of more conventional medicines.
Take for instance bitter melon, it can increase the duration of insulin action thus wreaking havoc on regulating diabetes in a cat.
Regardless of these dangers, there are some herbs which can be a benefit to our cats and their health.
Echinacea can stimulate the immune system in general ways and contains no known levels of toxicity.
Although is has no toxic qualities you still need to be careful with Echinacea if your cat suffers an auto immune disease.
Marshmallow can ease coughing and also stimulates the immune system.
Licorice is good for easing skin inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. But one must also be cautious using this with any cats that suffer heart, liver or kidney problems.
Ginger can ease sickness experienced from travel and sooth the digestive system. But even too much ginger will be a bad thing, it can cause depression and should not be used on a pregnant animal.
Milk thistle is good for the liver, St. John's Wort can decrease anxiety and encourage relaxation.
Because so few studies out there focus on the use of herbal remedies with cats and because of the possible conflicts they may have with existing medication, one should only try herbals remedies under the instruction of a professional veterinary herbalist.
There are many veterinarians which use herbs and other natural remedies in cats, including acupuncture; many of these treatments can be combined with a conventional medical treatment.
