Do you ever end up asking, “Why do cats like catnip?” Or perhaps you might be questioning what catnip (nepeta cataria) is, precisely. It seems that catnip, a uniquely stimulating plant for a lot of cats, is sort of as puzzling as cats themselves.
Whether or not you’re watching a cat in the midst of a catnip excessive or learning the secrets and techniques hidden inside the ‘nip itself, the dynamic between the plant and the feline is a continuing supply of fascination. On this article, we’ll dig deeper into the mysterious methods of catnip, discovering what it’s, the way it impacts cats, and how one can get began with utilizing catnip your self.
What Is Catnip?
The catnip plant resembles different members of the mint household, bearing pointed, serrated leaves and white or lavender blossoms.
If you have a look at a catnip plant, your first impression is of a weedy inexperienced perennial herb, generally topped with a bundle of white or lavender blossoms. Branching off the stalk are serrated leaves that appear to be softer, dustier sprigs of lemon balm.
The plant is a member of the mint household (Lamiaceae) and is well mistaken for lemon balm, catmint, and peppermint.
What makes it completely different from these crops is one thing you may’t see—a chemical compound referred to as nepetalactone.
Secreted in fragile microscopic bulbs coating the plant’s leaves, stems, and seed pods, nepetalactone constitutes between 70% and 99% of the important oil in catnip.
The Catnip Craze
Between 67% and 80% of the grownup feline inhabitants is delicate to catnip and its results. Delicate cats react to catnip by going a bit loopy—rolling round on the ground, licking up as a lot ‘nip as they’ll, rubbing their heads within the plant, and frisking across the room. Some cats even begin drooling. Others get agitated and violent.
Each small and massive cats react to catnip. Lions, tigers, leopards, and different massive cats exhibit all the identical reactions to the herb. However whereas the expertise is widespread amongst all forms of cats, they’re the one animals that get such an enormous buzz out of catnip.
For the remainder of us, catnip is something between a repellent and a gentle sedative. Brewed right into a tea, smoked, or blended into treats, catnip, and catmint are soothing to people, canines, and different animals. And when you’re not excited by stimulated cats or chilled-out people, you may like understanding that the lively compound in catnip is a mosquito repellent extra highly effective than DEET.
How Does Catnip Work?
To grasp how catnip impacts your cat, we’ve got to take a more in-depth have a look at two issues—what catnip consists of, and what makes your cat tick.
When these tiny bulbs rupture, nepetalactone molecules float off of the catnip plant and get inside a cat’s nostril. From there, they bind to protein receptors, which stimulate sensory neurons that attain out to different neurons situated within the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is a nervous construction within the cat’s mind that acts as a processing middle for smells.
The olfactory bulb initiatives this odor info to a number of areas of the mind, together with the 2 neuronal clusters referred to as the amygdala. This gland controls behavioral responses to stimuli. In different phrases, the amygdala will get the message that it’s time to rev up the emotional response and get the physique shifting.
In the meantime, the olfactory gland additionally initiatives to the hypothalamus or “grasp gland” of the mind, which controls nearly every part within the physique. It seems that the hypothalamus interprets the nepetalactone of catnip as one thing similar to feline sexual pheromones, regulating the response via the pituitary gland and triggering a behavioral response.
What Does Catnip Do to Cats?
No matter intercourse, cats affected by catnip begin performing rather a lot like females in warmth—with a twist.
You’ll discover estrus-esque behaviors like rolling round on the ground, frenzied cheek rubbing, purring, and vocalizing. Along with these behaviors, cats turn into usually excitable, chasing invisible mice, and frisking round the home.
How Lengthy Do the Results of Catnip Final?
The impact of catnip lasts for 5-Quarter-hour after which it fades away, leaving your cat catnipped-out for as much as two hours. Throughout that point, cats lose their sensitivity to catnip and want a while for the immunity to put on off.
So, since it seems that catnip causes one thing of an emotional response much like these created by feline pheromones, is it some form of plant-derived pseudo-pheromone?
Not Fairly.
Not like pheromones, the risky oils in catnip solely have an effect on cats via the nostril. Cats don’t decide up nepetalactone with their Jacobson’s organ—also called the vomeronasal organ—situated on the roof of their mouth. It’s a nose-driven expertise.
Although cats typically eat catnip after they’re in the midst of excessive, ingested catnip doesn’t have the identical impact. When cats eat catnip, they expertise it roughly the identical manner we do once we eat it or brew it right into a tea—they could really feel a light sedative impact.
We are able to’t say precisely what cats are experiencing after they scent catnip. Within the scientific group, there’s no consensus on precisely why catnip impacts cats.
Catnip Security and Advantages
For all of its euphoric results, catnip is fairly secure. It’s not possible to overdose on and is non-addictive. Cats of all ages can attempt it, however solely grownup cats have the wiring to expertise a excessive. Most cats develop their curiosity in catnip across the time they attain sexual maturity (6 to eight months outdated).
Whether or not your cat is nibbling it recent or rolling round in a pile of dried buds, catnip could be useful to their well being.
When eaten, catnip will help stressed-out cats to calm down and really feel a bit calmer, and when inhaled, the lively parts of catnip encourage your cat to play. Frisking, pouncing, and different types of play act additionally as highly effective stress relievers.
Catnip is a secure, light different to harsh behavioral redirection instruments.
When sprinkled or spritzed on a brand new scratching publish or mattress, catnip will help to encourage your cat to go to and use the designated object. Paired with a mild deterrent, this sort of constructive route is an efficient solution to change your cat’s patterns with out hurt or stress.
Alternate options to Catnip for Cats
What in case your cat is without doubt one of the roughly 1/3 of the feline inhabitants who doesn’t react to catnip? You’ve gotten a number of options. Whereas silvervine is essentially the most promising catnip different, it’s also possible to attempt valerian root, Tartarian honeysuckle, and different sorts of catmint.
Silvervine
Alternate options to catnip like silvervine are nonetheless an excellent deal with to your cat to take pleasure in.
Although catnip will get extra press, silvervine—also called matatabi—is a potent different. This native of China and Japan is a species of kiwifruit from the Actinidiaceae household.
As an alternative of nepetalactone, silvervine accommodates excessive concentrations of a chemical referred to as actinidine. Actinidine triggers a response much like nepetalactone, but it surely seems to have an effect on a bigger proportion of cats. In keeping with a research revealed in BMC Veterinary Analysis, virtually 80% of cats in a 100-cat group reacted to silvervine, together with 75% of the cats who didn’t get something out of catnip.
Silvervine additionally causes an extended excessive. Whereas catnip wears off after 5-Quarter-hour, a silvervine frenzy can final for as much as half-hour.
Like catnip, silvervine is secure for cats and the enjoyable comes side-effect-free. In case your cat is a part of the inhabitants that doesn’t get something out of a dose of catnip, take into consideration making an attempt silvervine as an alternative.
Valerian Root
Valerian root has a fame in herbalism for having soothing qualities.
Valerian root is a flowering perennial maybe finest identified for its soothing properties. It’s additionally reasonably stimulating for cats, triggering a response in about 47% of cats. And simply as valerian will help to alleviate insomnia and nervousness in individuals, this plant will help cats calm down as soon as the excessive involves an finish.
Tatarian Honeysuckle
Whereas not all cats reply to catnip, there are fortunately quite a few options to attempt – such because the tatarian honeysuckle.
Tatarian honeysuckle is a flowering shrub that, like catnip, accommodates the monoterpenoid nepetalactone. Its wooden triggers catnip-like reactions in about 50% of cats. Whereas even catnip-sensitive cats don’t begin reacting to the plant till they’re about six months outdated, it seems that cats of all ages can get a buzz out of this honeysuckle species.
Different Kinds of Catmint
In case your cat doesn’t reply to catnip, give different herbs wealthy in nepetalactone a attempt.
Of the Nepeta species, nepeta cataria has the best focus of nepetalactone and essentially the most highly effective results, however catmint varieties like Blue Marvel, Persian, and Faassen’s catmint may also set off a response.
How To Give Your Cat Catnip
Giving your cat catnip is straightforward. In case you’re utilizing catnip leaves or a toy, pinch and therapeutic massage it earlier than giving it to your cat. This helps to heat issues up, burst the floor bulbs, and launch the catnip’s risky oils. In case you’re utilizing a sprig, no preparation is important. Simply spritz it in your chosen space.
Catnip lasts longest if saved in an air-tight container in a darkish, cool space. When you’ve got freezer area and need to maximize the longevity of your catnip, place your sealed containers of catnip within the freezer and thaw them out whenever you’re prepared for some enjoyable.
Catnip is all the time the identical herb, but it surely is available in a number of codecs. Listed below are a number of of the choices accessible.
Dried Catnip
You should purchase dried catnip nearly anyplace you should buy cat meals. Efficiency varies from product to product, with lower-quality catnip merchandise containing an excessive amount of stem and never sufficient bud.
Catnip Toys
Catnip toys are additionally accessible, giving your cat one thing to kick, drool on, and bat round whereas they’re buzzing.
Catnip Spray
You can even use catnip sprays, that are a much less messy different to catnip leaves scattered on the ground. Catnip spray is beneficial for refreshing catnip toys and will help to get your cat taken with new furnishings like scratching posts, beds, and timber.
Develop Catnip at Dwelling
In case you like the concept of a recent plant, take into consideration rising catnip in your house backyard. It’s a perennial plant that’s hardy and straightforward to develop in a variety of climates. Decide and dry the catnip as wanted. Although cats react to each recent and dry catnip, dehydrated catnip is stronger and simpler to retailer for the long run.
How A lot Catnip Ought to You Give a Cat?
Somewhat little bit of catnip goes a great distance—only a teaspoon of dried catnip is sufficient to induce a full response. And simply as there’s no clear minimal dose at which the consequences start, there’s no solidly-defined restrict to how a lot catnip you may give a cat. Nevertheless, cats who eat an excessive amount of of it might expertise GI misery as a result of plant’s excessive fiber content material.
Do not forget that a cat’s response doesn’t improve in proportion to how a lot catnip they’re given, so it’s finest to begin small and monitor your cat’s response. In case your cat licks up all the catnip and nonetheless appears to need extra, you may need to drop an additional teaspoon or so. In case you’re left with a large number of unused catnip, attempt dialing it again just a little bit.
Do not forget that publicity to leftover catnip might lower your cat’s sensitivity to it, so it’s finest to scrub up afterward to ensure your subsequent session is simply as enjoyable because the final.
In the end, Catnip Stays a Thriller
Whereas we will go into extra depth on how the compounds in catnip work together together with your cat’s mind, we will’t reply precisely why one species—catnip—has such an intense impact on so many members of one other species. It’s a thriller as intriguing and enchanting as our cats themselves.
Additionally Learn: The 5 Finest Catnip Merchandise
Incessantly Requested Questions
What does catnip do for cats?
For a lot of cats, catnip may cause a little bit of a nice and innocent “excessive,” due to a chemical compound in catnip referred to as nepetalactone. It could actually trigger cats to roll round, rub up in opposition to and lick on the catnip, frisk round, drool, and usually expertise euphoric sensations. Different cats turn into agitated, and nonetheless some in a small minority have no response to catnip in any respect.
Is it secure to present my cat catnip on a regular basis?
Whereas catnip is innocent for cats, overindulgence can boring the consequences over time, which is why each day use of it’s not thought-about optimum. It’s higher to present your cat a small quantity of catnip at a time – a couple of teaspoon’s value – after which clear it up afterward to keep away from overexposure.
How lengthy do cats expertise a catnip
Sometimes, a cat’s response to catnip lasts between 5-Quarter-hour. After cats come down from the consequences of catnip, it usually takes 1-2 hours earlier than they’re able to really feel the consequences once more.
