Basil

[SANDY FROST]

I brought a basil plant home and my cat embraced the plant like it was catnip.
Does anyone's cat find another herb plant more interesting than catnip?
Sandy Frost

[Karen]

That's funny - catnip is closely related to mint, but maybe any strong aromatic herb will do?

[catmandu]

I bought a catnip plant, but Panther demolished it over night.
I will try again!!!:love::love::love:

[lvpets2002]

:) Basil is Non-Toxic to Cats.. Basil & Catnip are both of the Mint family.. So it is ok for your kitty..

[SANDY FROST]

Thanks for that information. My cat was going crazy choosing between
his catnip and the basil. He was rubbing the basil leaf and then turned to is catnip only to decide to push away the basil leaf in my hand almost if he could talk "NO MORE MA".:cool::):;)
Sandy Frost

[cassiesmom]

Interesting! I'll pick up some basil and some catnip!

[kittycats_delight]

We have basil & mint as well as other herbs growing in pots outside on our window ledges. The cats ALL of them like to chew on the basil and just rub & sometimes lick the mint. It was so funny the first time. They also got mad for lemon balm which is also part of the mint family. There is a tea here my husband drinks called tisana 'relax' and it contains lemon balm. Every now and then I will give the cats a pouch with the tea bag still sealed inside and it is better than any catnip toy. Guido has to be careful not to leave his tea unattended as well because on several occasions we have found a kitty with his/her head in the tea cup lapping away at it.

[SANDY FROST]

Oh my lemon balm is in the mint family too. I just bought that one.
Sandy Frost
:):):):):):)

[kittycats_delight]

Oh my lemon balm is in the mint family too. I just bought that one.
Sandy Frost
:):):):):):)


That's the one my cats really flip over so have fun. LOL

[kitten645]

Maybe your kitty is part Italian? Ancestors came over with Colombus? :p
C

[SANDY FROST]

Maybe your kitty is part Italian? Ancestors came over with Colombus? :p
C

Baxter my cat loves my pepperoni pizza and well steal it from my plate.
Sandy Frost :cool:

[kittycats_delight]

Maybe your kitty is part Italian? Ancestors came over with Colombus? :p
C

That is really funny cause all my kitties are italian. LOL

Vega was found in the warehouse of the store where my husband works. Bella was found outside my house and she was pregnant so Frost was born under our terrace & Phoenix comes from near the mountains. All in the province of Vicenza, Italy.

[Barbara]

Valeriane is here the thing to go for. Kiri and Orion are not much motivated by catnip but I'll check with lemon balm- I have plenty in the garden.

[phesina]

After seeing this thread this morning, I bought some fresh basil at one of the local organic markets. Sydney, Bob, Elmer, and Poppaea all got to sample some. They were NOT impressed. We'll see what the other three think later.

At least I'll enjoy eating it myself!

[kittycats_delight]

Valeriane is here the thing to go for. Kiri and Orion are not much motivated by catnip but I'll check with lemon balm- I have plenty in the garden.

Barbara you have Lidl supermarkets there right? You can find the herbal tea called relax there. I don't know what mine would do over fresh lemon balm but they go nuts for the pouches with the tea bags inside and the dried herb.

[kittycats_delight]

At least I'll enjoy eating it myself!

You can make yourself a lovely summer salad. A caprese which is sliced tomato and sliced fresh mozzarella sprinkled with fresh chopped basil & a trickle of olive oil.

You can make it with the whole leaves like this one
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR9megtuS_Pr3wkXCm86apqD8cfjAJBD 0RiSlJksQ2SWCSGDcql

Or you can make it with the chopped basil like this one.
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ95sMVaX3yR933JVl1oLXPnhW5Tk0xP ot1j8DRimm1Y-IY1-vC