Cats love catnip. But do we know why? And what actually catnip is? The market is vast for your pets and you can find various presents for your cats in the form of stuffed toys, feeds or other things. All these things can include catnip too. So, your cat can interact wit catnip in fun and many ways. A catnip is a herb and is a member of the mint family. This herb causes certain receptors in cats to go on which causes them to act crazy like flipping over, rubbing or sniffing madly.
Knowing all this, why do we purposefully make our cats crazy by giving them catnip toys? Well, catnip is a great way to train your cats, you can teach them control and discipline and it is also a fun way to make your cat workout and not get bored.
before we go on to explain the different uses of catnip in detail, lets first discuss what is catnip and why cats love it so much and why some don’t.
What is catnip?
As mentioned above, catnip is a herb from the mint family and it contains a chemical compound called nepetalactone tat causes the cats to go crazy. This chemical is responsible for the effect of high created in cats and lasts about 10-15 minutes. It is a fun detail to know that not all cats have the same effect to catnip, and they don’t give any response at all while some cats will be seen drooling and sniffing madly before a catnip.
Effects of catnip
Catnip chemicals are extremely strong and even a few sniffs are able to make your cat go in complete bliss. More than 80% of the cats will feel the affects of this chemical while a few may not. So, if you are a new cat owner, only placing catnip in front of your cat will prove it.
The affects of catnip can go from mild to extreme and some of these include; sniffing, rubbing, chewing and moving around like crazy, some stay in ecstasy and drooling is involved, while some might get aggressive and this could result in biting and chasing around.
Upon the magnitude of effects of catnip on your cat, you can determine if its safe to use or not. The effects last for only about 10-15 minutes no matter how potent it is, after that your cat will be back to normal.
Uses of catnip
As a treat
A catnip is an excellent treat for your cat, it doesn’t only involve eating but can also turn out to be a great activity for your cat. You can just sprinkle some catnip over her toys and then leave her to her own enjoyment. It can also help you to control your cat and add some nice workout in her routine.
Use it on the scratching post
Catnip is a great way to lure your cat into new places you have created just for her. Cats are creatures of habit and they are not ready to leave your space even if you got them their own. Well don’t worry, all you need to do is sprinkle or rub some catnip over the scratching post to make it more appealing to her. You can do the same for her new bed or any other place or thing you want her to use.
Making them comfortable
If you have a cat that’s shy and doesn’t like going to new place and meeting other cats, well using catnip at a party is a great way to get it going. Make sure to give catnip is small doses, because your cat will tire of it eventually and if there are a lot of cat present, make sure they all have their own catnip toys to avoid any ill behavior.
Precautions using catnip
Although, catnip is a fairly safe thing and you can use it as much as you want, there are still some precautions you should keep in mind while using catnip.
- Catnip has no affect on kittens and adult cats. You will only start seeing the effects of catnip when your cat is a few months old. So, stop wasting your money when your cat is older.
- Don’t give catnip to cats which have severe symptoms when exposed to it, such as aggressive cats. These are extremely dangerous for you cat and for you.
- Too much exposure to catnip can cause your cat to become sick or nauseous. If you feel like your cat is not feeling well, take the catnip away from her.
- Too much catnip can also cause your cat to become unresponsive towards it, so keep the doses to a minimum and let her play only 2-3 times a week.
Ways to give catnip
Catnip is available in many forms and you choose the best one for your cat and what she likes the most. The most common among these is catnip infused toys or catnip filled stuffed toys, these are a great way for your cat’s entertainment and are also easy to use.
You can also use dried catnip, catnip spray or use catnip plants. Catnip is nontoxic and completely safe for your cat.
Conclusion
We all know cats love catnip, but too much of catnip can be hazardous for your pet’s health and should be avoided. Catnip can be used in many fun and creative ways, it can be used as a treat to teach your cat some tricks or as a reward, it can also be used to encourage your cats to new places and environment. Catnip can also affect your cat aggressively and should be avoided is your cat has severe symptoms to it.