Catnip is in the mint family, and considered an herb
Native to Europe and imported to the United States, Canada and other countries
The plant is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant
The chemical, Nepetalactone, found in the plant to be a stimulant to cats, is also a natural mosquito and fly repellent
It’s all in the genes
Male cats are more often attracted to catnip than female cats
Catnip is a feline attractant that has a genetic component
About ⅓ of cats lack the gene, meaning these kitties show no response to catnip
Wild cats like cougars, leopards, servals, and bobcats also respond to catnip
Lions and tigers are less consistent at reacting to catnip
To sniff or not to sniff, maybe to eat.
Most cats react to catnip through inhalation
Inhaled catnip has a stimulating and euphoric effect
Ingested catnip tends to have more of a calming effect
Common Concerns for Kitty Parents
Cats cannot overdose on catnip
The response lasts about 10 - 15 minutes
After exposure it takes about 2 hours to reset and be able to be stimulated by catnip again
Catnip is not addictive
What are some other plants that are like catnip?
Valerian Root
Acts as a stimulant for cats
Cats that are not affected by catnip, often are excited about valerian root
The smell is often described as smelly socks
Silvervine
Effects generally last from 5 - 30 minutes
Contains two cat attractant chemicals, as opposed to catnip’s one chemical stimulant
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle aroma is stronger than catnip, so great for cats struggling with their sense of smell
Honeysuckle berries, flowers, and leaves are toxic to kitties, they should only get the wood parts of the plant
What nip does The Luminous Pets use?
We use a blend of catnip and valerian root. It is locally grown, harvested and packaged not far from where we live. We buy directly from the company, so our nip blend is much fresher than the store bought nip. Interested in our products, we have jars of catnip, catnip pillows and even refillable mats. Check them out here.
