10 Facts About Catnip And Cats
June 1st, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
1. Catnip is the popular name for a plant of Asiatic origin called Nepeta Cataria.The stem and leaves have a volatile oil containing a chemical called Nepetalacone which is responsible for creating that ‘catnip effect’
2. Catnip” and “catmint” are two different varieties of nepeta, a perennial ground cover and member of the mint family, growing 2- to 3-feet high. Catmint is Nepeta Faassenii which forms soft mounds about 2-feet high. Both varieties grow throughout North America.
3. Catnip is native to Europe and Asia. Over 2000 years ago Romans used it for cooking and healing. During the Middle Ages, catnip was used for the treatment of nervousness, colds, and gastrointestinal complaints. It was introduced to the New World by early settlers who cultivated the herb for medicinal purposes and food.
4. Not all cats have the same response to catnip. Only about 2/3 of the cat population will feel the effects of catnip. The other 1/3 will not feel anything because they do not possess the inherited gene that is needed to respond to to catnip.
5 Young kittens don’t show the typical reactions to catnip until they are over 3 months old, and are often repulsed by it.
6. A cat can eventually become immune to catnip if continually exposed to it. Care should be taken not to overexpose a cat to catnip if it is being used to modify behaviour.
7. Sniffing catnip is harmless and non-addictive to the cat
8. Catnip is easy to grow, and the fresher the product, the more the reaction a cat will show. Many toys for cats are sold as “with catnip”. These are supposed to encourage the cat to play,but if they have been on the shelf for any length of time I find that they lose some of their effectiveness. Toys which are made with fresh catnip are better.
9. Catnip has a completely different effect if taken internally - instead of making the cat frisky it actually sedates the cat.
10.There are other plants which have the same effects as catnip on felines. Valerian is one example,as are plants which contain Actinidine.
Technorati Tags: cat toys, catmint, catnip, catnip and cats, catnip cat toys, catnip toys
Related Tags: catnip and cats, catnip toys, cat toys, catmint, catnip and cat behavior, catnip cat toys, improving cat behavior
Using Catnip To Improve Your Cat’s Behaviour
May 30th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Catnip is an hallucinogen that minimizes a cat’s inhibition. Its safe effects can be used to successfully improve a cat’s behaviour. Catnip creates a feeling of euphoria that can last about fifteen minutes but is very safe for cats and is not addictive at all.
On coming into contact with catnip, cats will roll in it, lick it, or even devour the herb.They will rub up against it repeatedly with head and chin, then purr loudly, growl, meow, roll over and even leap about. Many of these movements are similar to a cat in heat, leading to the theory that catnip is a female feline aphrodisiac. However this is debatable as it affects both male and female alike.
Catnip is so powerful that it can make even the laziest of cats become playful. It is an amazing reliever of tension, so it’s great to be used after your cats have experienced a tense or stressful situation. An example would be after your cats were car traveling with you, or if you have had company in the house that caused them to become uneasy.
Catnip is also a great tool to use when helping a very timid or frightened cat become more confident. Whether you have purchased a new cat that is timid or have rescued a scared one from the shelter, catnip will almost always do the trick to get them to react in a more vibrant and friendly manner and this is a great time to start a play session for these timid felines.
If you own more than one cat and are introducing one of them to catnip, it would be best to keep it away from the other cats until you can assess the effect of the catnip. Some males may have a tendency to cross the line from friendly play to dominant aggression while they are under the influence of catnip. By separating the first-time catnip user from the rest of the group, you can easily see what his attitude will be in response to the herb. If your cat turns out to react in a friendly manner, then it is safe to allow him to have catnip with the rest.
Technorati Tags: catnip, catnip and cat behavior, catnip and cats, catnip toys, improving cat behavior
Related Tags: catnip and cats, catnip toys, cat toys, catmint, catnip and cat behavior, catnip cat toys, improving cat behavior
