Cats are incredible animals. They can jump up to six times their own height, sleep for 16 hours a day, and have 18 toes. They are also well known for their love of catnip, although not all cats are actually attracted to catnip. Catnip is a perennial herb that belongs to the same family as mint. It grows wild and can be grown in your garden or in pots around the house. It can also be bought in packs and is often rubbed on cat toys and scratching posts in a bid to try and encourage otherwise finicky cats to approach.
What Is Catnip? Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock Catnip is a perennial herb. Its proper name is Nepeta cataria and it is a member of the mint family. The plant produces an ingredient called nepetalactone, which is found in tiny bulbs on the leaves, flowers, and stems. When the bulbs are broken, typically because the plant is rubbed or brushed against another surface, they release nepetalactone, which is the ingredient that cats respond to. Catnip is native to parts of Europe and Asia, where it can be found growing wild and in abundance. It has rough-looking leaves that are shaped like hearts and the whole plant is covered in a thick fuzz. Why Do Cats Like Catnip? Image Credit: Seattle Cat Photo, Shutterstock When nepetalactone is released, it is believed to attract cats that can smell it. Once cats are attracted to it, they will roll in it and rub themselves against it, which causes the oils in the plant to release. It is believed that the chemical triggers sensors in the brain that make the cat feel happy. Different cats respond differently to this, with some charging around and showing signs of hyperactivity and others becoming more mellow and subdued. Catnip effects usually last around 10 minutes, and a cat will not usually be attracted to the smell again for the next several hours after first reacting. The amount of catnip that a cat smells and inhales will affect the strength and duration of the high that they get. Not all cats react to catnip. Some may not notice it at all, while others will investigate but show no signs of a response. It is believed that kittens are not susceptible to catnip and its chemicals until they are between 3–6 months of age. It is also worth noting that catnip can have the same attractive and intoxicating effect on cats of all species and sizes. This includes tigers and lions. Catnip can really enrich your cat’s life, especially if you choose a fun, well-built catnip toy. Our favorite option is Hepper’s Catnip Stick Toy, which offers sturdy construction, 100% organic catnip fill, and a great range of colors. These toys are handmade in the USA and feature bite-proof double bagging.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company! How Far Away Can Cats Smell Catnip? Image Credit: Okssi, Shutterstock Cats have an incredibly good sense of smell. It is this sense of smell that means they can find their way home up to 2 kilometers away. It is estimated that a cat’s sense of smell is 14 times greater than that of a human. And cats can sense nepetalactone at a ratio of 1 in 1 billion parts of air, which means that it takes very little of the substance for your cat to be able to smell and detect it. Uses for Catnip The attraction of catnip means that it can be used for a variety of purposes:
Pleasure – Simply put, your cat enjoys the smell, the sensation, and even the taste of catnip. And as long as you don’t let your cat eat too much, it doesn’t cause them any harm. It is a good way to provide a little occasional treat.
Training – Cats respond well to reward-based training. It can also be used to encourage your cat to sit, sleep, or scratch in certain areas over others. Catnip can benefit you and your cat when used for training.
Attraction – Most cat owners have endured the experience of spending a small fortune on a new cat bed or scratch post only to have their delightful feline turn their noses up at the new item. Generally, they do this because they don’t know or trust the smell of that new scratch post. Sprinkling some catnip on the post can encourage your cats to investigate, which will help them get used to the item and encourage them to use it.
Is Catnip Dangerous to Cats? Image Credit: Pixel Cat Photo, Shutterstock Catnip is not believed to be toxic or dangerous to cats. They can’t overdose from smelling too much catnip, although if a cat does eat too much of the herb, it can lead to vomiting and diarrhea in some instances. If you have multiple cats, giving catnip to just one cat may cause competition that can lead to fighting.
Conclusion Catnip is an attractant and stimulant for cats that can cause some to become highly energetic but may cause some to become sleepy and lethargic. Some cats do not respond to catnip at all, but if yours is sensitive to the smell, it will probably be able to easily smell it across the house and potentially from even further afield. Catnip is not believed to be dangerous and can be used for training or to attract your cat to new items and toys that they have otherwise ignored. Sources
ASPCA Sweetish Hill Petmate Humane Society Martha Stewart
Featured Image Credit: Scalia Media, Shutterstock
Cats are incredible animals. They can jump up to six times their own height, sleep for 16 hours a day, and have 18 toes. They are also well known for their love of catnip, although not all cats are actually attracted to catnip.
Catnip is a perennial herb that belongs to the same family as mint. It grows wild and can be grown in your garden or in pots around the house. It can also be bought in packs and is often rubbed on cat toys and scratching posts in a bid to try and encourage otherwise finicky cats to approach.
What Is Catnip?
Catnip is a perennial herb. Its proper name is Nepeta cataria and it is a member of the mint family. The plant produces an ingredient called nepetalactone, which is found in tiny bulbs on the leaves, flowers, and stems. When the bulbs are broken, typically because the plant is rubbed or brushed against another surface, they release nepetalactone, which is the ingredient that cats respond to.
Catnip is native to parts of Europe and Asia, where it can be found growing wild and in abundance. It has rough-looking leaves that are shaped like hearts and the whole plant is covered in a thick fuzz.
Why Do Cats Like Catnip?
When nepetalactone is released, it is believed to attract cats that can smell it. Once cats are attracted to it, they will roll in it and rub themselves against it, which causes the oils in the plant to release.
It is believed that the chemical triggers sensors in the brain that make the cat feel happy. Different cats respond differently to this, with some charging around and showing signs of hyperactivity and others becoming more mellow and subdued.
Catnip effects usually last around 10 minutes, and a cat will not usually be attracted to the smell again for the next several hours after first reacting. The amount of catnip that a cat smells and inhales will affect the strength and duration of the high that they get.
Not all cats react to catnip. Some may not notice it at all, while others will investigate but show no signs of a response. It is believed that kittens are not susceptible to catnip and its chemicals until they are between 3–6 months of age.
It is also worth noting that catnip can have the same attractive and intoxicating effect on cats of all species and sizes. This includes tigers and lions.
Catnip can really enrich your cat’s life, especially if you choose a fun, well-built catnip toy. Our favorite option is Hepper’s Catnip Stick Toy, which offers sturdy construction, 100% organic catnip fill, and a great range of colors. These toys are handmade in the USA and feature bite-proof double bagging.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
How Far Away Can Cats Smell Catnip?
Cats have an incredibly good sense of smell. It is this sense of smell that means they can find their way home up to 2 kilometers away. It is estimated that a cat’s sense of smell is 14 times greater than that of a human. And cats can sense nepetalactone at a ratio of 1 in 1 billion parts of air, which means that it takes very little of the substance for your cat to be able to smell and detect it.
Uses for Catnip
The attraction of catnip means that it can be used for a variety of purposes:
Pleasure – Simply put, your cat enjoys the smell, the sensation, and even the taste of catnip. And as long as you don’t let your cat eat too much, it doesn’t cause them any harm. It is a good way to provide a little occasional treat.
Training – Cats respond well to reward-based training. It can also be used to encourage your cat to sit, sleep, or scratch in certain areas over others. Catnip can benefit you and your cat when used for training.
Attraction – Most cat owners have endured the experience of spending a small fortune on a new cat bed or scratch post only to have their delightful feline turn their noses up at the new item. Generally, they do this because they don’t know or trust the smell of that new scratch post. Sprinkling some catnip on the post can encourage your cats to investigate, which will help them get used to the item and encourage them to use it.
Is Catnip Dangerous to Cats?
Catnip is not believed to be toxic or dangerous to cats. They can’t overdose from smelling too much catnip, although if a cat does eat too much of the herb, it can lead to vomiting and diarrhea in some instances. If you have multiple cats, giving catnip to just one cat may cause competition that can lead to fighting.
- Pleasure – Simply put, your cat enjoys the smell, the sensation, and even the taste of catnip. And as long as you don’t let your cat eat too much, it doesn’t cause them any harm. It is a good way to provide a little occasional treat.
- Training – Cats respond well to reward-based training. It can also be used to encourage your cat to sit, sleep, or scratch in certain areas over others. Catnip can benefit you and your cat when used for training.
- Attraction – Most cat owners have endured the experience of spending a small fortune on a new cat bed or scratch post only to have their delightful feline turn their noses up at the new item. Generally, they do this because they don’t know or trust the smell of that new scratch post. Sprinkling some catnip on the post can encourage your cats to investigate, which will help them get used to the item and encourage them to use it.
Conclusion
Catnip is an attractant and stimulant for cats that can cause some to become highly energetic but may cause some to become sleepy and lethargic. Some cats do not respond to catnip at all, but if yours is sensitive to the smell, it will probably be able to easily smell it across the house and potentially from even further afield.
Catnip is not believed to be dangerous and can be used for training or to attract your cat to new items and toys that they have otherwise ignored.
Sources
ASPCA Sweetish Hill Petmate Humane Society Martha Stewart
Featured Image Credit: Scalia Media, Shutterstock
Sources
ASPCA Sweetish Hill Petmate Humane Society Martha Stewart
- ASPCA
- Sweetish Hill
- Petmate
- Humane Society
- Martha Stewart
