Is Catnip Dangerous for Your Cat?

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest

Your cat, your loving and lovable family pet is not usually what you would call a bundle of energy. In fact she spends a good deal of the day taking a siesta. When she moves she does so at her own pace and in her own time.

But should your sedate kitty have a whiff of catnip . . . well, wop bop a lula blim bam boom! The party is on baby. Suddenly your cat is rollicking and rolling around, frisky, excited and running about as if the clock had been turned back and she is a kitten once again.

Then as little as two, but up to fifteen minutes later your cat is back to her slothful, normal self, the catnip effect completely worn off.

What causes the catnip effect, why do cats react in to it in that way?

First, not all cats do react to catnip. It is estimated that one third to half of the domestic cat population is unaffected by the herb. The reaction to catnip is inherited. Kittens that have only one parent that reacts have a one in two chance of reacting themselves, and kittens that have parents that both react have a three in four chance. Kittens under three to four months old do not react to catnip and with older cats the effect is considerably lessened.

Also, if a cat that would normally have a reaction to catnip is in a threatening situation, or is outside of its usual surroundings, it may not respond to the catnip.

Anyway, as to what causes the catnip effect, the experts do know that nepetalactone, an oil found in catnip causes cats that are sensitive to it to go ga-ga. What they don’t know is why certain cats react that way.

It’s not just the domestic cat that can experience the catnip effect. Big cats too can react to it; lions, leopards, cheetahs and pumas can get catnip high but interestingly not tigers.