#1
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Catnip
Catnip is an herb in the mint family that 50 percent of cats seem to react to. Catnip grows wild in many places in North America and Europe and the plant can grow to 3 feet high. Once picked and processed for cats it looks quite a lot like tea but much greener. It can also come in a concentrated liquid form. You can buy either form of catnip in most pet stores.
Many cat toys are filled with catnip or have catnip rubbed on them or sprayed on them. The cats that react to catnip rub and lick and knead at the objects, often with incredible vigour. They put on quite a show when toys are sprayed with liquid catnip or rubbed with raw catnip. We have entertained guests on many occasions with this activity. Interestingly enough it seems like cats are not black or white with regard to if they react to catnip. Our cat Ziglet showed no reaction to catnip for 13 years, while his brother from another mother Zak, always went bonkers for it. Now Zig loves the stuff and reacts to it as well.
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#2
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When I had cats I used to buy toys sprayed with capnip - they all loved it
I just thought of something:if I secretly put one of these toys say under the man's pillow - ya think humans might have the same reaction?
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In rescuing animals I lost my mind but found my soul ~ anonymous ~ |
#3
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I also used catnip when I first introduced (after the first few hours) my 2 cats to each other. I put some catnip on Ziglet and Zak started licking him.
I think it made the introduction go more smoothly. I would say that strict supervision is required if you are to try this though.
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Please tactfully EDUCATE or IGNORE posters you don't agree with. Please PM me & Include URLs and post #'s for any issues and it's my pleasure to help. I'm firm - but fair. Mind the Rules and enjoy your stay. Newcomers FAQ - How do I post on this BB? Pet facebook group Check out the Pet podcast Follow me on Twitter |
#4
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That was really interesting,when i had my cat i put some catnip on her toys and she loved it.
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#5
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omg! Roland is banned from catnip unless it is a terribly special occasion! he goes completly loopy. he has more than enough energy and mischief without it! i found honeysuckle a much better alternative!
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#6
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All my cats love it,they have their own patch outside and even eat it,they refer the fresh stuff from outside,rather than store-bought.
I usually rub their toys with a leaf and they are in la-la land for a while
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"The cruelest animal is the Human animal" 3 kitties,Rocky(r.i.p my boy),Chico,Vinnie |
#7
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I have a grown patch of it too and YY thinks it's hers but she shares, lol I find it rather like shamrock in terms of keeping it growing and healthy.
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"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats" Albert Schweitzer |
#8
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Our two cats have always gone bonkers for catnip.
Our newly rescued addition, Feather, he didn't know what to make of it at first (he's very young by comparison). At first he just watched the other two rolling about and seemed quite alarmed. Then he tried it - it was really funny, the other two are so active but the first time Feather had it he was in slow motion. If he could speak it would have been like HAL at the end of 2001. "Shall I sing you a song, Dave? It's called... Daisies." Feather's first catnip experience: Now he's more or less like them, they twirl and twirl on the floor. Here's the other two ... Zotz is twirling her way to a higher plane of existance: |
#9
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That's funny my cats do the same.
Usually kittens and young cats are not bothered ny catnip.. Here's Rocky somewhere on another planet
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"The cruelest animal is the Human animal" 3 kitties,Rocky(r.i.p my boy),Chico,Vinnie |
#10
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hehe, very cute pics.
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#11
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Onnie discovered where I put the catnip tub
I don't think I'm gonna get any sleep tonight, my carpet is peppered with catnip and my cat is just a little bit high
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#12
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he got it good...
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#13
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I love the zotz twirling to higher plane of existance one!
Rocky is beautiful |
#14
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We have one cat who loves the stuff. I make little pouches of thin coton and fill them with it and he will carry them around the house. We have another who will roll and play with it on the floor but doesn't care for toys filled with it. The third one won't even look at it twice.
My brother once had a cat who would guard his stash... complete with kitty cat growling if you can imagine that! |
#15
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I love watching the cats after they've had some catnip.Their reactions are always hilarious.
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#16
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Definitely have to agree with you. Cats + Catnip = better than Mardi Gras
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#17
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I was just at the garden center and bought a catnip plant for friends who have 3 cats.
I looked up some info. on the web and it says that the oil in the leaves is 10x more effective then DEET to repell mosquitoes! Has anyone tried it as a mosquito repellant? I'm thinking or just taking a leaf and rubbing it on my skin but I'm sure you could make a spray or put the leaves in a carrier oil. Might keep the mosquitoes away but would you become a cat magnet instead? |
#18
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Probably I know my cats would go for you,they love their cat-nip patch.
I take some inside in the winter and dry it,much more potent than the storebought stuff.
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"The cruelest animal is the Human animal" 3 kitties,Rocky(r.i.p my boy),Chico,Vinnie |
#19
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Roxy has no interest at all in catnip,why do some cats care less about it??
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"With the qualities of cleanliness, affection, patience, dignity and courage that cats have, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats?" -- Fernard Mery wain |
#20
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My boys are the same, I have bought dried and grown fresh. They could care less about it. They just look at it, sniff, and then walk away from it. They have never liked it. On the otherhand, my parent's ferrel farm cats love it. It grows like weeds down there and whenever my mom digs it out of the gardens they are all over it especially the root ball. I think I read somewhere that it is a gene or something to that effect that determines whether or not a cat reacts to it, but who knows
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Everything I know I learned from my cat: When you're hungry, eat. When you're tired, nap in a sunbeam. When you go to the vet's, pee on your owner. - Gary Smith Butch and Sunny's Mom Butch (aka Fatfat) 8/11/2005 Sunny (aka LittleMan) 8/11/2005 |
#21
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She does the same thing checks it out,finds it of no use to her,and walks away,kind of sucks i would love to watch her get all feelin good off of it and going nuts,oh well..
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"With the qualities of cleanliness, affection, patience, dignity and courage that cats have, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats?" -- Fernard Mery wain |
#22
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From what I read today, it says that only 50% of cats react to the stuff. Apparently it is a genetic thing.
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#23
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Hi!
I just wanted to interject here, that I inherited a box of catnip tea bags, the kind for human consumption, and TC loves them.
After he bum-rushes the cupboard where I keep them (he has figured out how to open the cupboard now) I toss one and he pounces on it. He goes ape over it just like the other posters' cats do. I wish I could catch an audio clip of him asking for a tea bag---he almost sounds human with some of the noises he makes. I'm told that the tea bags are somehow a better "grade" of product, so I might keep getting those. Bye all--- |
#24
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i buy fresh organoc cattnip from a farm near me and crumble up some in a little bowl when d u is having a bad day it really clalms her down
i hae been using cat nip as a mosquito reppelent for a long time i put some in warm water and let it steep and fill up a spry bottle snd spritz it on my skin it works great |
#25
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yep! ive been using catnip for a year or so now. we live on a creek so our mosquitoes are just horrible here. also works great on the dog!!
warning though, it STINKS! so brew up equal parts of either peppermint, lemon balm, lemon verbena, thyme or another good smelling herb to help with the smell a little. that MAY give you a fighting chance to the shower before your cats go ape ****. i must say though, my husband can smell it but i cant. i have a funky nose. also, they say that cats under the age of 6 months dont typically react to it. is the reaction rate really 50%?? i figured it would be higher than that. anyone else use honeysuckle?? we have tons here in the south. never knew it had the same effect. -ashley |
#26
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I didn't know about honeysuckle.
I have a wild catnip plant on the side of my house that Jasper discovered. Now on our daily walk around the perimeter of the cleared part of my lot for Jasper to check his territory, he stops for a chew and a roll in it. Then he drools and rubs his face on my leg. Meanwhile I am waiting for him to finish with the catnip, I am getting attacked by deerflies. Last edited by Love4himies; August 13th, 2007 at 01:08 PM. Reason: spelling |
#27
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I have 3 huge Honeysuckle bushes in my yard and well, lets just say my yard is cat central for all the cats in the 'hood. I recently had to chop down a few big branches that were damaged in a storm and I just left them lying on the ground. Should have taken before and after pictures because it's hilarious how shredded they've become from the cats going nuts all over them. Not to mention that they're also now the hairiest logs you'll ever see.
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"To close your eyes will not ease another's pain." ~ Chinese Proverb “We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” ~ Gretchen Wyler |
#28
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ah haa i had a honeysuckle by my bedroom wondow where i used to live and always had strays around there. i just thought it was bacause it was quiet
and cool , |
#29
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I had a Honeysuckle and my cats could noy care less for it,but their catnip-patch they all 3 love...Rocky and Chico in la-la-land
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"The cruelest animal is the Human animal" 3 kitties,Rocky(r.i.p my boy),Chico,Vinnie |
#30
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All such beautiful cats...
That tub pic is so funny... that happened to just about every tub I bought, no matter where I hid it, they found it and punctured it, so that if they kicked it and rolled it it spilled out everywhere. Smart little buggers aren't they? Now I buy the super huge barrel like tub, and they seem to leave it alone, I guess it's too big to get their teeth into and kick around.
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