Green tea calms cats. Anxiety in cats is fairly common under a wide range of circumstances and a cat may be timid and therefore anxious quite a lot of the time at home even though the environment is okay.
The active ingredient in green tea is L-theanine. The pharmaceutical companies manufacturing pet drugs and food supplements have manufacture one called Anxitane® S which contains L-theanine.
You can see a picture of the packaging at the head of this page. In a study that was published online in The Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Dr Amy L Pike studied two dozen dogs with a history of sensitivity to storms. These are dogs who are frightened by the sound of storms. She treated their fears with Anxitane.
There was a significant reduction in anxiety. L-theanine is a nutritional supplement. There are no known side effects. It modulates brain function resulting in a calming effect.
The study by Dr Pike indicates that it is an effective treatment for storm sensitivity. I suppose it will also be an effective treatment for cats and dogs who are frightened of fireworks or any other environmental noise and activity which causes distress. Fireworks are an annual problem for some cat guardians and their companion animal alike. In the UK fireworks go on for a much longer time than in the past.
The study also found that L-theanine was effective in reducing specific anxiety symptoms and dogs. It helps to return dogs to normal behaviour quicker after a storm.
The study found that owner satisfaction of this product combined with a desire to continue using the product was 94%. On Amazon it receives a four-star rating out of five.
The first review one reads (I will presume this review is genuine) says that Patricia adopted a dog from a shelter. The dog was at that time afraid of sudden movements, children messing around and loud noises. Pat gave her dog Prozac for 18 months which helped. It did not help to alleviate the dog’s fear of men which included her husband, sadly.
Her dog would not voluntarily go near to her husband. She began to give her dog Anxitane. She reports that within about 3 weeks her dog was calmer around her husband and she did not bark. She even takes a treat out of his hand which Pat found very surprising.
She believes that Anxitane has had a dramatic effect on improving her dog’s anxiety in less than one month. She continues to use it. This is simply one review of many and clearly people must make their own judgements on its effectiveness and whether it is suitable for their cat or dog.
A cat owner remarked that it helped her cats on a drive:
Hi, I have only used it on my cats on a 7 hour drive and it does take the edge off. All of my cats except for one responded to it very well. It makes them relaxed but you do have to give it as directed. For my cat it was a 1/2 tab every 6 hours. Sorry I don’t have dogs but it should help. I liked it because…..
On a simple evaluation having read about this product it appears to be less troublesome then classic anti-anxiety and mood enhancing drugs such as Prozac which have side effects.
I looked up the ingredient list for Anxitane S, and they weren’t easy to find, even on the website for this product. I had to go elsewhere to get them. Also, please note that there are certain behaviors this SHOULDN’T be used for (one is separation anxiety, and others) Read the label and insert ONLINE before you buy this from your vet:
Only available through a licensed veterinarian.
Active Ingredient (per tablet)
L-Theanine (Suntheanine®)
50 mg
Inactive Ingredients
Colloidal silica, magnesium stearate, mannitol, micocrystalline cellulose, polyvinyl,polypyrrolidone, poultry flavor.
You may want to research these ingredients. I think Mannitol is a sweetener that gives me the runs. Polyvinyl? Polypyrrolidone?
PLEASE, PLEASE do your research before you submit to vet recommendations. Try natural ways first. They claim this product is “natural”. Anything with “poly”
in the name doesn’t seem natural to me!
In researching green tea as a calmer for cats, I also found this product. But notice that many ingredients aren’t advisable:
Product Label:
Felix Calm with Suntheanine
Active Ingredients Per 1 Chew: Thiamine (Vitamin B-1), 31.25 mg; L-Theanine (Suntheanine® brand),10.56 mg; Colostrum Calming Complex, 5.28 mg.
Inactive ingredients: Brewer’s yeast, calcium sulfate, canola oil, chicken liver flavor, citric acid, glycerin, maltodextrin, mixed tocopherols, propionic acid, rosemary extract, silicon dioxide, sodium alginate, soy lecithin, vegetable oil.
CAUTION: Safe use in pregnant animals or animals intended for breeding has not been proven. If animal’s condition worsens or does not improve, stop product administration and consult your veterinarian.
Wash hands after handling. Store in a cool, dry place.
For use in cats only.
Directions for use: Up to 15 lbs: Give one chew per day. During times of increased stress: It is safe to double or triple the above amount, as needed.
WARNING: For animal use only. Keep out of reach of children and animals. Your pet may consider this a treat. In case of accidental overdose, contact a health professional immediately.
Felix Calm does not contain ingredients such as Kava Kava, Valerian, St. John’s Wort or L-tryptophan. The ingredients are non-addictive and do not cause impaired motor skills.
Suntheanine® L-Theanine is Patented and Licensed by Taiyo International, Inc.
Terms and Ingredient Definitions
Felix Calm with Suntheanine
Swanson $3.99
Quantity:
Also, be aware that if green tea is listed as a therapeutic ingredient in pet food, it needs to be high on the list, or it’s considered “gimmicky”, according to the “ingredient analysis” by Dr. Lisa Newman at PetFoodRatings.
I’d try Bach Flower Remedies or Homeopathics before using anything else.
We need to be aware that some reviewers may be paid or otherwise compensated. Not to say this is the case here, but I’ve become distrustful unless there are many positive reviews, and some negative ones. I’ve noticed that many manufacturers only print positive ones.