I have had cats all my life and had heard of catnip and its effects, but refused to use it until I gathered enough information. When all I knew about this herb was that it had potentially psychedelic effects on cats, I was hesitant to experiment with it. After years of collecting information and using catnip and derived toys for my cats, I’m sure I can give you a simple breakdown on the pros and cons of using catnip. Things are quite simple.
First of all, you should know that catnip is an herb that belongs to the mint family, so it is absolutely safe. Now, store-bought catnip can be laced with insecticides, so it’s recommended that those of us who can, or want to, grow our own catnip plant from seed. It’s really easy, even for the most inexperienced gardeners.
Not all cats are affected in the same way by the same catnip toy. Some lack the gene that makes a cat react to catnip, and kittens under the age of ten months usually don’t have any reaction to catnip.
The cons:
Some cats can become aggressive when they get too close to catnip. Beware. If your cat is difficult to control or semi-feral, keep others, including other cats, away the first time you introduce them to this herb.
The professionals:
Catnip is safe to use even with pregnant cats and kittens. It provides cats with a lot of excitement and helps a house cat to exercise.
Which type to use:
There are many forms of catnip on the market. If you find that the catnip bags are dirty, simply buy a catnip toy. Those made by Cosmic are the most popular, but you don’t have to limit yourself to just one company. I usually buy those toys based on price. Some of my cats favorite toys are the Cosmic catnip and the banana. Mine also love cosmic bubbles.
I highly recommend the use of catnip for all cats, especially those that cannot go outdoors. Your cat(s) can play a lot and receive great stimulation for short periods of play at a time. When they get tired of it, because everyone does, just save it and reintroduce it a few hours or days later. It will have the same effect.
Now that I’ve taken the mystery out of Nepeta Cataria (the scientific name) I hope you feel confident enough to give it a try.
