| Your cat, your loving and lovable family pet is not | | | | the catnip effect. Big cats too can react to it; lions, |
| usually what you would call a bundle of energy. In | | | | leopards, cheetahs and pumas can get catnip high but |
| fact she spends a good deal of the day taking a | | | | interestingly not tigers. |
| siesta. When she moves she does so at her own | | | | When a cat finds catnip it will usually sniff at it, rub |
| pace and in her own time. | | | | up against it, lick it and nibble at it. It is the sniffing at |
| But should your sedate kitty have a whiff of catnip . | | | | it that gets the reaction, it is thought that cats nibble |
| . . well, wop bop a lula blim bam boom! The party is | | | | and rub against the catnip to bruise it and thereby |
| on baby. Suddenly your cat is rollicking and rolling | | | | cause more of the nepetalactone oil to be released. |
| around, frisky, excited and running about as if the | | | | Strangely, if a cat actually eats the catnip it will likely |
| clock had been turned back and she is a kitten once | | | | act as a sedative as opposed to giving the kitty a |
| again. | | | | high. |
| Then as little as two, but up to fifteen minutes later | | | | So, is catnip dangerous for your kitty? After all, the |
| your cat is back to her slothful, normal self, the | | | | response that some felines have to catnip is not |
| catnip effect completely worn off. | | | | unlike the response that some humans have to stuff |
| What causes the catnip effect, why do cats react in | | | | that they shouldn't smoke. |
| to it in that way? | | | | Although it said that catnip is bio-chemically related to |
| First, not all cats do react to catnip. It is estimated | | | | cannabis cats will come to no harm by enjoying it and |
| that one third to half of the domestic cat population | | | | will not become dependent. The catnip effect very |
| is unaffected by the herb. The reaction to catnip is | | | | seldom lasts longer than 15 minutes maximum until |
| inherited. Kittens that have only one parent that | | | | the cat loses interest. After this a cat will not react |
| reacts have a one in two chance of reacting | | | | again for a minimum of one hour. |
| themselves, and kittens that have parents that both | | | | Not all cats react to the herb in exactly the same |
| react have a three in four chance. Kittens under | | | | way though. The typical response is an uninhibited |
| three to four months old do not react to catnip and | | | | friskiness and silliness, but a few cats, usually male, |
| with older cats the effect is considerably lessened. | | | | become aggressive rather than frisky. |
| Also, if a cat that would normally have a reaction to | | | | Catnip has long been thought safe for humans. It has |
| catnip is in a threatening situation, or is outside of its | | | | been prescribed by herbalists to treat nervousness, |
| usual surroundings, it may not respond to the catnip. | | | | stomach complaints, flatulence, and even smallpox! Its |
| Anyway, as to what causes the catnip effect, the | | | | leaves have been chewed to relieve toothache and it |
| experts do know that nepetalactone, an oil found in | | | | has been drunk as a tea as a cough remedy. |
| catnip causes cats that are sensitive to it to go | | | | Catnip is not dangerous for cats rather it is a very |
| ga-ga. What they don't know is why certain cats | | | | effective kitty treat for some cats, those that are |
| react that way. | | | | susceptible to it, to enjoy. |
| It's not just the domestic cat that can experience | | | | |