Cat Nip...

[Karenluvs6]

Someone told me once, that catnip is like drugs for your cat.
How true is that statement?
I used to buy the catnip balls on christmas for my cats...every year. I've seen ppl over the years, giving it to thier cats just to get a good laugh.
What exactly is catnip and is it bad for your cat?
Do you give it to your cats?

[Anat]

Catnip is great fun but as with most fun things, should be used in moderation.

It's a herb called Nepeta Cataria which most cats respond to with great pleasure.

It affects only adult cats and not all of them too. About a third of all cats have no reaction to catnip.

To check if your cat like catnip, you should try the dried catnip leaves. Give a little bit to your cats about once a week and watch them roll in the stuff.

If you give catnip to your cats too often, you risk desentithizing them to the effects - a shame if you're a cat.

To the best of my knowledge (and I read tons of books and articles about cats) - it's not dangerous or addictive.

[kezzer]

I bought a scratching post that had catnip in it. My cats tore it to shreds! Then they rolled around in it! It was sooooo much fun. I think I'll have to get another one for them for Christmas!

[blinc]

Oh we had a cat "Maco" that used to adore catnip!! I've heard that if they eat some in small quantities it's actually good for their digestive system. Maco used to go nuts after playing, rolling and attacking the stuff. We actually had some growing outside and used to pick some fresh once in awhile for him to play with. Crazy!! {toothy}

[Alpha]

Our Cats "Mishmish" and Gezer (Apricot and Carrot) love Catnip. From time to time we buy it and make them excited. I want to grow it but I can't find the seeds. I sewed seeds from dried Catnip in a pot in my office, but nothing grew. I guess it was dried in a furnace.

[blinc]

Alpha, have you tried a nursery? A lot of plant places, around here anyways, carry small plants of the stuff. It grows really well outside... almost like a weed. Of course, it depends on the climate... but we have real sandy soil here, like beach sand. It's worth a try? Maco used to go absolutely bananas over the fresh stuff. But of course, we used a lot less then the dried.

[Anat]

Actually, from what I've read, dried catnip is supposed to be more effective because it's more concentrated. Haven't tried the fresh stuff, as my Alpha said.

[blinc]

{toothy} I heard just the opposite... that catnip leaves lose their oils as it's dried, so it loses some of it's potency. Well Anat, I consider you the cat expert, so I'll go with your idea! Sounds like good reasoning to me. :)

Maco did seem to enjoy the fresh more then the dried, but that very likely was his own personal preference. He was a strange cat from the get go. The sad thing is, none of our other cats seem to care for it at all... I miss seeing a cat get goofy on catnip. :)