玛丽艾伦
Catnip is the absolute hit for many house tigers. With their euphoric effect, toys with the English suffix “Catnip” ensure a real intoxication in gender mature animals. But why is that actually the case and can it also be dangerous under certain circumstances?
With their sensitive noses, cats perceive even the finest smells. They react to some in a particularly droll way. One example is catnip: when a toy, scratching post, or transport box smells like this plant, most kitties can’t stop.
However, this phenomenon is only observed in gender mature specimens. There is a very specific reason for this.
The plant, which originated in southern Europe, Asia, and South America, can have two effects on mature cats: Either the smell of catnip triggers a real intoxication or it has the completely opposite effect on the four-legged friend: calming and relaxing. One of these effects can be observed in about every second cat.
Because younger kittens, as well as older cats, are generally completely unfazed by the plant, catnip’s smell is thought to be similar to the sexual attractants that cats secrete during the mating season.
The plant substance responsible for the playful behavior of velvet paws is called nepetalactone. It acts on the nervous system without being dangerous for cats. However, it can also unearth one or the other odd behavior if the desire for the fragrant herb just gets too big. So don’t be surprised if your cuddly tiger bites its own tail in the heat of the moment.
Catnip in the Garden: Caring for the Plant
Catnip smells pleasantly of lemon and mint and is generally considered an easy-care plant. The perennial bear’s calyx-like flowers in blue-purple, white, pink, or yellow blooms from July to September. Catnip can grow between 60 and 100 centimeters high. Although the plant is hardy, it still needs protection from the cold in the bucket when temperatures are low.
Tip: Catnip should be trimmed once a year. However, it is best not to cut the plant back until spring. Reason: The dried seeds and other parts of the plant also serve as protection against the cold in winter.
If you don’t have a garden at home to plant catnip, you can keep the herb indoors or use alternatives from pet shops.
Buy Products With Catnip
You can buy toys filled or treated with catnip at pet supply stores. It carries the addition “Catnip”, which is the English name for the euphoric herb. You can also get the plant in dried form there or in health food stores – for example filling in pillows.
Catnip sprays are also common on the market. In this way, you can make the 抓帖, 运输 box, or toy interesting for your four-legged friend.
Catnip can work wonders: even the most comfortable kitty will wake up with it. A good way to train overweight animals to lose a few pounds, for example.
Is Catnip Addictive?
The good news first: catnip is not dangerous and is not addictive. However, you should still not expose your cat too often to the high that the plant induces with happy effects.
Most researchers assume that around half of all sexually mature cats have a genetic reaction to catnip. The effect of catnip can be relaxing and calming as well as euphoric and intoxicating. It is the plant compound nepetalactone that affects a house cat’s nervous system but is neither dangerous nor addictive.
You Should Keep This in Mind When Using Catnip
You can use catnip in different ways. You can buy catnip toys for your cat, buy it in dried form from the health food store and rub it on the scratching post, for example, or make it available as a pure plant.
Because some cats may stagger uncoordinated as a result of the “drug high,” you should remain in the room during the performance and keep an eye on your cat to avoid injury. The effects of catnip usually last no longer than 30 minutes at most. Headaches or withdrawal symptoms do not occur.
It’s best not to intoxicate your cat more than once a week. Even if the herb is not dangerous in principle, such high means stress. Also, make sure that your cat does not eat the plant in large quantities – this could have a negative impact on its health.
Are There Any Other Negative Effects of Catnip?
Although catnip is not poisonous or harmful to your darling in any other way, you should first test how your furry friend behaves when confronted with the euphoric plant. There are definitely cases in which the euphoria turns into aggression after a short time.
Watch catnip toys carefully and don’t overwhelm them by spreading the scent all over the house. Better to only use small doses and make the smell special. Otherwise, it could happen, like with perfume, that the cat has had enough of it.