Keeping kitty kalm: Dixie Brands subsidiary to offer CBD-infused, soft-chew cat treats to relieve stress

Dixie Brands Inc.’s pet wellness subsidiary, Therabis LLC, is entering the feline market with hemp-based soft chews the company reports are meant to promote stress relief.

 

 

The Calm and Quiet soft-chew treats “will be Therabis’ first product for cats, building upon its successful line of hemp-based treats and food toppers for dogs,” notes Dixie Brands, which offers development, packaging design, product innovation and quality control for the commercial production of cannabis-infused products.

The treats include CBD and other natural ingredients, including L-theanine and L-taurine, “which have been shown to have efficacy in cats,” states a company press release. “Therabis has filed for a U.S. patent relating to its unique formulation, which was first used in canine products in 2016,” the company statement adds.

Therabis partnered with a specialty pet chewables maker to develop a flavour that appeals broadly to cats, and the product has been tested with actual patients at the veterinary clinic of Therabis co-founder, Dr. Stephen Katz.

“We were also very satisfied with the efficacy results observed in our trial patients, including some cats who had been unresponsive to other treatments over the years,” Dr. Katz reports. “Anxiety is one of the most under-diagnosed conditions affecting cats, as their owners, and even veterinarians, can miss signs such as hyper-responsiveness to stimuli,” he explains.

Pointing out that this is the first cat offering targeting a specific indication, “our goal is to ease stress in cats and help them maintain a calm demeanor in situations that may cause them to be apprehensive,” says Therabis president Bob Rubin. “Pets are members of our families, and we believe people will respond very favourably to an all-natural product that can help improve their cats’ quality of life,” Rubin continues.

Cats are increasing in popularity globally, driven by trends including urbanization and busier lifestyles, Dixie Brands reports. “Worldwide, cat owners are estimated to have spent more than US$30 billion on cat food in 2018, including US$2 billion on cat treats.”

Citing figures from Euromonitor International, the “global cat treat market is expected to grow at an average rate in excess of 7 percent annually over the next four years,” the statement notes. “Pet food sales growth is being driven in part by premiumization, as pet owners focus more on high-quality ingredients and the health and wellness of their pets.”

The new product is scheduled to be available starting in April through www.therabis.com and a growing number of specialty pet stores and traditional retailers across the U.S.

Dixie Brands has secured international distribution for Therabis through agreements with domestic licence holders in Latin America, Australia and Canada, with additional partnerships being negotiated.

 

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