Catnip is a perennial herb from the mint family, sometimes referred to as "Catmint".
Its scientific name is Nepeta cataria and its active ingredient is an oil called Nepetalactone, which is found in the leaves of the plant.
Catnip has the ability to alter a cat's behaviour, and generally affects about 50% of adults cats – less for poorer quality catnips, and up to 70% for stronger organic strains.
Whether a cat will react to Catnip is a genome that may be inherited.
Kittens typically will not
react to Catnip until they're about 3 or 4 months of age and sexually
mature, while older cats are likely to have a less marked reaction to Catnip.
For this reason some people think that the Catnip effect may be similar to a reaction to sexual pheromones or aphrodisiacs: supporting this view is the fact that a sexual pheromone in the urine of male cats is similar to nepetalactone.
Interestingly ,Catnip can act either as a stimulant, when a cat sniffs it - or, conversely, as a relaxant, if the cat eats it.
Catnip can prove to be a useful in dealing with a few common problems in cats if they are susceptible to it.
Firstly, Catnip can be used to stimulate a lazy cat, providing that it is sniffed rather than eaten.
Many adult cats will respond to Catnip by behaving like a
kitten, displaying hyperactivity, jumping, playing and running around. The effect typically lasts from a couple of minutes to a quarter of an hour, and may be repeated some time later if the cat returns to the catnip.
Catnip can also be very helpful with cats that scratch furniture.
If you rub or spray Catnip onto the cat's scratching post or cat tree, with luck and possibly a bit of encouragement, your cat will sniff and inspect the post and
then begin clawing at it.
After a few times (you may have to re-Catnip the post)
hopefully kitty will be trained to use the post rather than the sofa.
Using Catnip with Multiple Cats
If you've never used Catnip before and you have more than one cat it is
advisable to
try it out individually on each cat before introducing it to all of your cats at the same
time. The reason is because Catnip affects some cats in a negative manner causing
the cat in question to become aggressive rather than merely playful.
Introducing it
to your cats individually enables you to control the situation and keep a cat that may
react aggressively isolated from your other cats.
This of course means avoiding a
possible catfight that could result in broken furniture, hurt kitties (possibly
requiring a vet visit), annoyed neighbors (and probably owners), or a combination of
all of the above.
Growing and Keeping Catnip
Growing your own Catnip can be rewarding as it can save you money, give you
the satisfaction of doing something yourself and ensuring that you always get fresh,
high-quality Catnip for your cat.
A word of caution however; the exact kitty
reaction you want to grow your own Catnip is something to be wary of. If you plan
on growing your Catnip out of doors and other cats can access your Catnip garden
then be prepared for unwelcome feline visitors.
This may not be a problem for you
personally, but cats are by nature territorial and if you have a cat that lives alone
without the company of other cats this could prove to be an area of stress for your
cat.
Even if you keep your cat inside at all times, your cat may get agitated if he/she
looks out the window to see another cat frolicking in territory your cat considers his
or her own. If you choose to grow your Catnip indoors, be careful to keep it out of
reach of kitty.
Otherwise you'll likely have Fluffy jumping up on furniture even to
the most out of the way place to get access to the tempting herb.
Cats are great
jumpers and not really known for respecting precious household knick-knacks. So
if you do decide to grow it indoors for a cat that reacts to Catnip, be careful to grow
it in a place that your cat won't be able to access it.
A room that you always keep
closed to the cat is probably the best solution for indoor grown Catnip.
If you do find that your cat reacts positively to Catnip you should be sure to use it
sparingly so as not to dull the effect which can be the result of overexposure. A
good rule of thumb is to not treat your kitty more than once a week on average to
Catnip.
Given all the positive effects that Catnip may have on your cat you owe it to yourself
(and naturally your fluffy little ball of affection) to see how he/she reacts to this
strange and well known herb.
It will provide enjoyment and exercise for your cat
and most likely an entertaining show for yourself as well. It's a win win situation
Incidentally, Catnip is not only good for cats, it is also used by
humans as an herb for medicinal tea which is believed to aid sleep, soothe toothaches, and alleviate coughing.
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