Catnip Tea!

[dragonchilde]

Wish me luck, folks, I'm making catnip tea! Neither of our furbabies react to the live catnip I bought for them, and it absolutely flourished on our windowsill, so I figured I'd give the tea a try.

I let you know how it turns out.

[Cataholic]

How strange that they don't go after the catnip! What are you planning on doing with it, serving it as a drink? That is a good idea, if so. Have you tried to crush up the cat nip and let them smell it? Though, my cats couldn't leave the plant alone! Poor plant, it looked like it had been trampled by a herd of elephants.

Let us know how it goes!!

[ramanth]

I've never heard of making Catnip tea! Do you let them drink it when it cools down or do you just let them smell the aroma?

Zam loves to eat it and then tears around the apartment driving Kia nuts.

90% of the time she plays too rough and likes to bite my hand. She reminds me of Wobbles when she does that.

Zam hasn't drawn blood.... yet. :rolleyes:

:D

[Barbara]

Filou and Tigris are not so much into catnip too. When I brought them real plants (stolen from the botanical garden of the agraric university we have here:eek: ) they were a little interested but not too much.
But valeriane! That's it. If you give a drop of the essence in a glass, Tigris will hug it, roll on the floor and behave rather undignified:D

[wolflady]

How fun! Catnip tea is actually a really soothing tea that you can make, and is even useful as a digestive aid. Catnip itself has a calming effect on adult humans and children, and it can even help relieve the symptoms of colic in children.

My cats also love it though, so the herb serves as multiple purposes in our household...both human and feline! ;)

Good luck with the tea!:D

[ramanth]

Originally posted by wolflady
How fun! Catnip tea is actually a really soothing tea that you can make, and is even useful as a digestive aid. Catnip itself has a calming effect on adult humans and children, and it can even help relieve the symptoms of colic in children.

My cats also love it though, so the herb serves as multiple purposes in our household...both human and feline! ;)

Good luck with the tea!:D
Wow! I didn't know that!

Is it safe to make Catnip tea for human consumption from the stuff sold in Pet Stores? Or is there a way to get it without all that processing?

[Cataholic]

Originally posted by Barbara
When I brought them real plants (stolen from the botanical garden of the agraric university we have here:eek: ) they were a little interested but not too much.


Ring, ring, ring, "Hello, consulate? Yes, I would like to report a crime." :D :eek: :D :eek:

[Randi]

I've often wondered about catnip. I know it's a plant - is it similar to Valeriana? Or perhaps the same? Could there even be different kinds? Has anyone got a picture of it?

[Rocky'smomma]

Let us know, because Rocky didn't react to it either...

[AmberLee]

Originally posted by Rocky'smomma
Let us know, because Rocky didn't react to it either...

How old is Rocky? Kittens almost never react to it, most cats develop an affinity for it between 6 months and a year.

Here's some info from Hunter Pet (http://www.hunterpet.com/catniparticle.htm) on catnip plants and here is a
photo (http://www.hunterpet.com/catniparticle.htm) from another site.

Here is info from another site with more hints for growing it. (http://www.gardenguides.com/articles/catnip.htm)

Good luck!

Note: it's estimated that 15 - 33% of all cats never develop a fondness for catnip. It's thought to be a genetic thing. Female cats are slightly more likely to be catnip-indifferent. (But I don't remember where I learned that: Cat Fancy, maybe?)

[Randi]

AmberLee, thanks for the great links, I'll look into them tomorrow when I'm less tired! :)

[NoahsMommy]

Very interesting Karen....I didn't know that. Do you just put the leaves in a pot of hot water?

All four of our cats love catnip, but this is kind of new. Basil and Noel didn't react to it until about a month ago.

[Edwina's Secretary]

What I find interesting is that, according to all the articles I read about it, this herb was introduced to North America from Europe and yet it seems to be far more commonly-known here than there!

Wonder why??:confused: :confused:

[wolflady]

Originally posted by ramanth

Wow! I didn't know that!

Is it safe to make Catnip tea for human consumption from the stuff sold in Pet Stores? Or is there a way to get it without all that processing?

Hmmmm...good question. I'm not sure. I prefer the fresh leaves myself. You could go and buy a small catnip herb plant from a local store home/garden store and just use the leaves from that :)

[wolflady]

Originally posted by NoahsMommy
Very interesting Karen....I didn't know that. Do you just put the leaves in a pot of hot water?

All four of our cats love catnip, but this is kind of new. Basil and Noel didn't react to it until about a month ago.

Yes, put the leaves in a pot of water, like you would make any other tea.
I sometimes do it 2 different ways. If I have natural herb teas (not the ones in the tea bags themselves, but the actual leaf teas), I make it with my coffee maker!! Put your filter and the leaves in and brew a pot of tea. This is quick and easy for cleanup.

Alternatively, you can steep the leaves in a tea pot, but you'll have to strain the water through so you don't drink up a bunch of soggy leaves! Ick! LOL :)

[dragonchilde]

Well, I made the tea, and I must say, its absolutely excellent! I love it. ISn't that ironic? My cats don't care for catnip, but we do. ;) They sniffed the mugs, but didn't seem interested. They sniff, but never eat any. Ah, well.

We just boiled some water, threw in a handful of the leaves, and let it steep for a while. Voila, catnip tea! It was very, very good.

[Vio&Juni]

Oh, Barbara, I remember mentioning in a thread some months earlier about Juni liking Valeriana also. It's very well known here that cats like Valeriana pills or extract. From what I understood, catnip is a kind of mint, right?

[ramanth]

How very cool Heather. :)

Now I'll have to try some. :D

[Barbara]

Originally posted by Vio&Juni
From what I understood, catnip is a kind of mint, right?
Yeah I think so, in German it's called Katzenminze (cat mint)

[dragonchilde]

Well, it certainly SMELLS like mint. :) Especially once its brewed.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by dragonchilde
Well, it certainly SMELLS like mint. :) Especially once its brewed.

Interesting. I never thought about making it into tea. :D And it's also interesting because both Tubby and Peanut go nuts over catnip. We have some mint growing in the back yard, and both of them could care less about that. They do smell real similar, but I think the cat nip is more pungent...or stronger kind of. I'll have to get some fresh leaves from my mom next summer and brew a good pot of tea.

Now that it's been awhile since you've drank the tea, did you get that same glazed look in your eyes afterwards that Tubby & Peanut get? ;) :D :)

[catmandu]

My mother grew catnip on the front yard garden , and it grew very well . Then my dear mother passed on , and my dad encourged me to harvest the crop , as my cats love the real thing.Now my dad has passed on , and the house was sold for the estate , and my cats will have to do wuthout catnip from thier grandparents.Sad!:( :( :( :(

[Pam]

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom
Now that it's been awhile since you've drank the tea, did you get that same glazed look in your eyes afterwards that Tubby & Peanut get? ;) :D :)

Or have you found you have a strange desire to roll all over the floor on your back? :D

As far as the aroma goes, mine doesn't smell anything like mint. I grow it outdoors and bring in some leaves from time to time. It actually has a horrible smell (in my opinion) sort of like a skunk! Maybe there are different varieties? When my boys see me with a sprig of it in my hand they come running and then the fun begins! :D

[wayne0214]

As I understand, catnip is of the mint family. In fact, it smells like mint, but not as strong. I have made catnip tea before, and it is very good for digestion.

..........wayne

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by Pam


Or have you found you have a strange desire to roll all over the floor on your back? :D

Pam - ROFL!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D

I just bought some catnip leaves today to refill all the kids' toys. I thought it smelled a lot like mint too. :D