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Fun with Catnip!

Posted Fri, Jun 15, 2007, 10:00 am PDT

Catnip is fun for most cats, and it's a powerful behavior tool for owners. If you haven't offered your adult cat some catnip, you and your kitty have been missing out on a really good time.

Catnip is totally harmless, and the effects are non-addictive. The herb contains a volatile oil that when inhaled, causes kitty to become less inhibited. It can be a great way to jump-start a play session, ease stress, use as a trust-building tool, or merely just for the joy of watching your refined feline act silly.

You can buy dried catnip at your local pet supply store or you can grow your own. When choosing catnip, look for brands that say they only use leaves and blossoms. The more stems in the catnip, the lower the quality.

Some toys come pre-filled with catnip, and that's fine. But I like to keep a tightly sealed container with the herb so I can fill toys myself. That way, the catnip stays fresh. One inexpensive way to create a catnip toy is to fill the toe of a sock with the herb, knot the sock, and offer it to your kitty. I also keep a few fuzzy fake mice marinating in the catnip container so they'll be ready to go when it's time to party.

The volatile oil is locked in the dried herb, so when you offer it to your cat in a toy or even just loose, rub the catnip between your fingers to realize the oil.

If your cat doesn't react to catnip, don't assume there's anything wrong. The catnip response is an inherited gene that about one-third of the cat population lacks. Certain cats, especially males, may also get so exuberant in their response that they get a little assertive. The first time you offer catnip in a multi-cat home, do so with each cat individually so you'll know whether a specific cat gets too revved up.

Don't leave catnip-filled toys around all the time, and don't offer catnip to your cats more than two or three times a week. If exposed to catnip on an ongoing basis, cats can develop an immunity to its effects.

The catnip effect lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. After that, your cat will probably take a well-deserved nap.

Enjoy the party!

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213 Comments

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1. CC - 12:26PM on 06/15/07

I MADE SOME CLOTH MICE AND FILLED THEM WITH THE CATNIP, ALL OF MY NINE CATS LOVED TO PLAY ALL AROUND THE HOUSE WITH THEIR MICE.
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2. labfan213 - 2:49PM on 06/15/07

My cats must be in that 1/3 that don't like catnip because it doesn't have any effect on them! Instead, their favorite toys are the little plastic loony loops--totally without catnip. Thanks for the information because I really did wonder about my cats not enjoying catnip.
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3. Jacqueline S - 4:14PM on 06/15/07

My cats love to eat it and roll around on it.
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4. David R - 4:42PM on 06/15/07

what are the little plastic loony loops?
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5. flasteamer - 5:33PM on 06/15/07

i keep a special burlap catnip bag in the freezer...when we visit the vet, i remove it and place it in her carrier...it relaxes her for the journey and impending experience...if i leave catnip in any drawers , she smells it and goes rummaging thru the areas to seek out her secret addiction...chloecat is a catrnip addict, i believe...!!!!she luvs it...sheree
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6. oomagirlie@sbcglobal.net - 6:43PM on 06/15/07

my four year old female domestic short hair tuxedo loves her catnip! but I did know crushing leaves opened the aroma . my girl queen latifah,plays and rolls around in it,then she eats some it seems to help her digestive system. Its great to plant a small container inside so your cat can eat the leaves as if the cat was out side.It willlove you for it!
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7. Precious's Mom - 7:06PM on 06/15/07

Even my 16 yr old Precious loooovvvesss her catnip. She acts like a kitten again when she has her "mousie"
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8. ceserous - 7:52PM on 06/15/07

I use it like an attractant....I will rub it all over the scratching post and they will use that instead of my couch!
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9. Locket - 8:23PM on 06/15/07

I have found that male cats are more affected by catnip than most females. Actually, I've never had a female who reacted strongly to the "Kitty Pot." But my two big male cats, Tigger and Punkin just adore the stuff!!! They get all silly and act higher than a kite! LOL!
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10. sweet_jane - 9:24AM on 06/16/07

My Ash just likes to eat it,but the other 6 cats who own me looove their catnip.I buy them balls(they are sort of spongey and come with feathers,but the feathers only last about 2 days)and "marinate" them in the catnip jar for a few days,they go crazy,playing extreme basketball!!
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11. JJ M - 11:06AM on 06/16/07

My cat Baxter loves to eat and roll around in the catnip. Then I'll hide it in a drawer/cupboard and he'll do everything in his power to get them open to get at it. But Baxter is one that definately enjoys his addiction. (kidding)
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12. Janesway - 6:08PM on 06/16/07

Did anyone know that.............Honeysuckle is even more potent to cats than catnip?
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13. Tamurile Halfelven - 9:03PM on 06/16/07

My 2 kitties, both females, react differently. The older one likes to eat it & it has helped her use a scratching pad instead of furniture. The younger one just rubs it & rolls on her scratching pad & makes her "purgling" noises. I plan to grow my own & keep the container accessible to both cats.
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14. mskitt2 - 7:44AM on 06/17/07

Catnip is such a treat for my 17 1/2 yr. tomcat...he LOVES it. I noticed several summers ago..had a trail of little ants in the kitchen & the scent they leave for the others to follow is so powerful...my cat would go 'crazy' rolling in their trail... just like it was catnip. Anyone else had this experience???
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15. Lyly - 12:22PM on 06/17/07

My cat is a sweet cat, who is immune to catnip. If I put mineral ice on my arthritis he goes crazy as if it were catnip. I have to avoid it so he doesn't bother me!
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16. fliss_64 - 6:14PM on 06/17/07

My 2 cats Sally and Joey are immune to catnip. They're favourite toys are plastic bags!
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17. blujenznl8ce - 9:07AM on 06/18/07

My 5 yo male would NOT sleep in his new bed (bought to keep him off new furniture) so I put some catnip under the pillow and now I catch him napping there instead of my new couch. (Yea ..no more white hairs.)
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18. fnbug - 3:45PM on 06/27/07

I have several cats and I did not know that the cat nip toys were not to be left out. My cats at first loved the cat nip toys and now even with a new toy they ignore it. Hmm thanks for the cat nip update.
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19. dupuisbutterfly96 - 8:17PM on 06/27/07

my cat is always a nut when she plays with it
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20. Fiona - 8:18PM on 06/27/07

We have 3 fifteen month old kittens and several older cats at home and they all love it!! Some of them just eat it and others like to roll around in it. We bought a new scratching pad over the past weekend and at first our oldest kitty (Louis) took one look at it and went "What the HECK is that thing??" Once I rubbed some nip onto it...he fell in love and since then they take turns sitting on the scratch pad thinking that it is theirs. They decided that it makes the best bed and even swat at the others if they come too close.
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21. dupuisbutterfly96 - 8:19PM on 06/27/07

my cat is always a nut and she doesn't really play with it but than we do buy it for her and she's more a nut
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22. n_schuchmann - 8:25PM on 06/27/07

omg! it's like marijuana for cats! some get paranoid, some get mello. chemically altering the behavior of your furry little friend, how sad...
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23. adie a - 8:25PM on 06/27/07

animal abusers
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24. Deanna S - 8:26PM on 06/27/07

My tortoiseshell female shorthair loved her catnip (RIP), she would play for hours with it... I even tried the catnip bubbles.. but they didn't interest her too much. But what was funniest is one of my dogs loved it too, she would try to teal the catnip mouse from the cat to hide in her crate
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25. Robert R - 8:31PM on 06/27/07

I read that catnip was also good for their digestion.
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26. robert - 8:42PM on 06/27/07

i have a 2 year old cat that weighs 19 1/2 lbs - what can i do to help HER to lose weight - i have tried everything
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27. gail s - 9:07PM on 06/27/07

I have3 kitten that are less then a year old and they love playing with there catnip toy a lot!
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28. gail s - 9:11PM on 06/27/07

and the frist time they get they stad awak for 4 days!
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29. elpita l - 9:19PM on 06/27/07

missing u
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30. Belle - 9:36PM on 06/27/07

My cat Jewel, RIP 06-26-07, was both immune to it & loved it. She had a mouse that I could pour it into & close with velcro. That mouse would get beat up so badly, LOL. Then she'd wander off from it, leaving it for days at a time. I tried using it consistently for 3 months on her scratching post, rubbing it to release the oil. She'd sniff the post, give me the evil-cat-eye, then saunter off, swishing & flicking her tail in disgust. She loooooved the catnip bubbles the best. I'd blow them for her all the time. She also loooooved regular bubbles, even bath ones when my son was still bathing (he showers now because it's faster). She'd also lick the water off him when he'd get out of the shower. I'd tell him to close the shower door or she'd be in there, licking the shower & drain. It didn't matter that she'd have a fresh, full bowl of water either.
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