Most cat owners will of heard of catnip but what is catnip and what does it do? If you have given catnip to your cat you will of experienced their strange behavior such rolling around in it, smelling it, or even drooling in a relaxed state.
But what causes this behavior? How does catnip affect your cat? What is catnip used for, and is catnip safe for your cat? All of the questions will be answered in-depth inside of this post.
What Is Catnip?
Catnip or Nepeta cateria as it is scientifically known is a plant that is a member of the mint family. The catnip plant is native to southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of China.
Catnip also effects big cats such as tigers and lions as well as domestic cats who respond in many different ways when in contact with catnip.
The active ingredient found in catnip is a chemical called nepetalactone. This chemical produced by the plant can be found coated on the leaves, stems, and seedpods in microscopic bulbs.
Nepetalactone is released into the air each time the fragile bulbs rupture. This is the reason why cats chew on the catnip plant so that it releases more nepetalactone.
What Does Catnip Do To Cats?
How Does Catnip Affect Your Cat?
All cats will react different to catnip but they will generally react to catnip with the following behavior:
- Lick
- Sniff
- Chew
- Eat
- Rub against it
- Roll in it
- Stretch
- Drool
- Jump
You may also find that your cat will sit quite still after a euphoric reaction.
How Does Catnip Work?
When the nepetalactone from the catnip enters a cats nose, it will bind with the receptors on the sensory neurons inside of the nasal cavity which will activate different areas of the brain that control behavior and emotion.
There’s still uncertainty of why catnip actually causes these strange effects in cats but a theory amongst experts is that the brain may interpret catnip as cat pheromones.
Is Catnip A Drug?
Although catnip has drug-like effects and causes strange behavior, catnip is not a drug and it is completely safe for cats. Catnip is actually a plant from the mint family.
What Is Catnip Used For?
Catnip is mostly used for playtime and to encourage good behavior.
- Playtime: You should be have a number of play sessions with your cat on a daily basis. Catnip can make playtime more exciting. This is the reason why a lot of cat toys available on the market contain catnip.
- Behavior: Catnip can be used for litter box training or to prevent them from scratching your furniture. We will cover this more in-depth in a section below.
How Long Do The Effects Of Catnip Last?
If your cat consumes catnip then the effects will only last anywhere from 5-10 minutes. A cat will just walk away once they have had enough of the catnip. Once the effects have worn off, a cat will generally not respond to catnip again for a couple of hours.
Does Catnip Make Cats Hallucinate?
The answer is no, catnip does not make cats hallucinate. They are fully aware of their surroundings but are just a lot more happier about everything.
Why Do Some Cats Not React To Catnip?
Not all cats respond to catnip because according to experts, it is a genetically inherited trait that is passed down from parents, and one in three cats do not inherit the the gene that is responsible for causing catnip reactions..
Kittens do not have the ability to react to catnip until they reach a certain age which is generally three to six months old.
Is catnip dangerous for my cat?
There has never been any evidence to suggest that catnip is harmful in any way to cats. There is also no chance of a cat overdosing on catnip because they will simply just walk away when they have had enough of it.
Can Cats Eat Catnip? Is It Safe?
As the catnip plant is non-toxic, cats can eat catnip and it’s perfectly okay of they consume it. The only thing to be careful of is to ensure they do not consume too much, as this can lead to digestive upset.
Can Too Much Catnip Kill A Cat?
No, too much catnip cannot kill a cat. As previously mentioned, your cat will walk away once they have had enough cat nap, and even on the rare occasion that they may consume too much, the worst that could happen is an upset stomach.
Is Catnip Cruel?
Since catnip is natural, non-toxic, and only lasts a short time, giving catnip to a cat is not cruel.
Is Catnip Safe For Kittens?
Catnip is perfectly safe for kittens but they generally do not react to catnip until they are at least 6 months old.
Catnip Products
Catnip Toys
A lot of cat toys available on the market contain catnip. It does wear off over time but you can invest in catnip spray and just spray the toys. You can see a selection of the best ones available below.
Other Catnip Products
Catnip also comes in dried form and in a spray.
How To Give Catnip To Cats
Here’s how you can give catnip to your cat:
- Toys: As mentioned above, you can spray catnip on your cats old toys to enhance play sessions.
- Scratching Posts: If you cat is scratching your sofa or carpet, spraying catnip on their scratching posts will attract them to scratch that instead.
- Litter Box: If you find your cat is urinating outside of the litter box and around your home, spraying the litter with catnip will attract them and encourage them to use it. This is a trick we have tried and it works like a charm!
- Lower Stress Levels: If your cat seems anxious or if they stress about seeing a veterinarian, using catnip will help to keep them calm.
What Not To Do With Catnip
The only real thing to be concerned about is to not give catnip to cats who are aggressive or bullies. If your cat has a temperament like this then giving them catnip can make them even worse as they feel that they can get away with anything.
Can I Give My Cat Catnip Everyday?
As catnip is non-toxic, safe and is very hard for a cat to overdose on it as they will just walk away when they have had enough, it’s perfectly fine to give your cat catnip on a daily basis.
The only thing to be careful of is to make sure you do not give your cat catnip more than once a day. If you do this then your cat can become desensitised to it which means it will less effective.
Can I Grow My Own Catnip?
Catnip is easy to grow and is very inexpensive to buy. Most local garden centres will sell catnip in the form of seeds and after planting them you should get a crop every year, providing you do not get a severe winter.
It’s always best to plant them in early spring in sandy soil and in a spot that will provide plenty of sun. It’s best to leave around 10 inches between each plant as catnip can grow quite large.
When the plants start flowering you can cut them off at about 8 inches above the ground. You can then continue to strip the leaves from the stems. Place the leaves on a tray in a well-aired spot to allow them to dry and discard the stems.
The leaves will become flaky and brittle after a couple of weeks which means they are ready to use.
Do Humans React To Catnip?
We have answered of what is catnip and you know how much cats love it, the effects it has, and that it is perfectly safe. But does catnip effect humans?
Catnip does not have the same affects on humans as it does on cats, but it is used as alternative medicine to treat things such as migraines, insomnia, swelling, and arthritis.
Conclusion
Remember that catnip is not a drug, it’s non-toxic and it is perfectly safe to use with cats. If you are a cat owner, how does your cat react to catnip and what products do you use? Let us know in the comments section below.
