Catnip: The Secret to Kitty Heaven

Aside from food and shelter, pet owners often want to give only the best entertainment to their pets. More often than not however, the prospect of continuously trying to amuse your pet becomes a great challenge. This is especially true of pet cats. As many would know, although domesticated, cats as pets can have such diverse predominant characteristics ranging from lethargic to hyper active. You may be lucky if you have a cat that's perfectly happy just eating, rubbing against you and getting right back to sleep. There are many cats however, who prefer the active life and frolic and chew around incessantly. If you want to keep these active cats active but preoccupied (or if you have a lethargic cat that you want to perk up) then its time to bring out the catnip.

While stuffed toys, plastic balls and paper bags may effectively amuse a cat, the real secret to cat heaven is a flowering plant called the catnip. Catnip is only its common term, but it actually belongs to the genus Nepeta which has more than two hundred species. Of these numerous species, only three produce certain effects in cats, Nepeta cataria, Nepeta grandiflora and Nepeta faasseni. Of these three, cataria is known as the true catnip and seems to be more commonly used and can be purchased in many pet stores.

What exactly does catnip do to a cat? For pet owners who have never used catnip before, be warned. Its effects are both surprising (even alarming) and amusing. A cat who is exposed to catnip will inexplicably become hyped up, rubbing, rolling, chewing, leaping, and pawing all over. For a few minutes, your cat may seem somewhat possessed. The effects of catnip however, will only last a few minutes at a time. Your cat will become interested in catnip again after taking a break from it and resume the same behavior as before.

If you're wondering why catnip has this effect on cats, the answer is in the chemical make up which stimulates a cat's pheromone receptors. When a cat gets a whiff of the compound nepetalactone, the behevioral effects can be instantaneous. Not all cats however, are affected by catnip. The very young and the very old don't seem to mind its presene. There are also some cats that don't react to catnip regardless of their age. This seems to point to the notion that the fondness for catnip is hereditary.

Catnip is generally harmless to cats so you don't have to worry if they get to ingest bits nad pieces of it. If your cat however, is diabetic or is suffering from some other illness, it is best not to expose it to catnip at all.

The best way to utilize catnip is to use it with a toy or simply use it on its own. Crushed pieces of catnip can be sprinkled and rubbed over a carpet, rug or a cat's favorite toy. Pieces of catnip can also be wrapped with a clean piece of cloth that can be sewed up as a stuffed toy.

Although it is better to introduce other playthings to your cat, an ocassional ounce of catnip can do wonders for your kitty.