Catnip? Dumb Question Alert !!

[AlleyCat]

Okay .. here goes my Dumb Question of the day .. I have been owned by cats for the past 13 years, but I've always been afraid to give them catnip. I was told when my first kitties were babies that catnip is bad for cats unless it's in a toy that they can just rub. Yet I have seen posts here where it looks like catnip is given in it's direct form for the kitties to play and roll around in. Why have I never known I can do that? Is there nothing to worry about? So was I misled all those years ago and I've deprived my kitties of catnip ????? (They do have catnip toys, though.) I'd love to give my kitties catnip for Christmas !! (Don't tell my girls that their meowmie is duh! )

[krazyaboutkatz]

Well I've never heard that catnip is bad for cats and I've given mine the dried version and Sunny and Storm love to not only roll in it but they also eat it. Pet stores also sell the catnip plants which cats can also eat. I don't think that it's addictive either and I don't think that they can overdose on it so I wouldn't worry too much. There's also a new product that I'd like to order my furkids called pawbreakers. I think they'd really enjoy this. Here's the link: pawbreakers.

[Laura's Babies]

I give it to mine.... I never heard that it is bad for them. YOU and your cats are in for a treat when you give them a catnip party!!

I had gotten some great catnip from a cat show I went to and it is some really good stuff. This year for Christmas, I made some things for my sisters cats and loaded it with that catnip. She said they sat there and laughed their butts off at how they were. She said those cats had the time of their life but 2 of them threw up afterwards. I don't think they had ever been exposed to such powerful catnip and took a "nip" or two, to many.

Just have your camera ready!!

[AmberLee]

??? I was told that most kittens less than 6 months do not react to catnip, and to avoid having it in toys for kittens for fear they would acclimatize to it. Some cats never acquire a taste for it.

And I try to limit Cassy and Livvy to once a week or less because they seem to have lower reactions to it when it's too common.

But, no, for adult cats I haven't heard of anything like you were told. What a mystery!

[catnapper]

Not dumb! It never occured to me to give it to them in loose form either. I figured the packets they sold were so you could make your own toys or replace the old stuff in existing toys! Now THATS dumb! LOL.... we make a good pair, don't we?

I tried giving it to my guys, and know what? Only my KITTENS reacted to it in loose form. Pouncer (my niphead) ignored it, Harry looked at it like he knew he'd end up with flecks of it in his white fur (he's proud of his beautiful orange and white self ) and well... everyone but Flutter and Angel left it alone.

[Abby&Buddy'sMom]

here is what it looks like after a fun nip party





Buddy doing his famous "cat nip flip " dance

[Felix]

I have never heard it as being bad for them either.I just recently bought Felix the pure stuff and I was truley disappointed.Seems my Felix dont have any interest in the stuff. I wasnt sure if this was a normal reaction first because of all the photos on PT of other cats eating and rolling in it

[catmandu]

I suppose the only real danger from Cat Nip that I ahve ever seen in the Years of having Cats is that they may become over stimulated and start fighting.
But other tahn that CatNip is good for Cats as it stimulates them,and I think sharpend thier sense.
And you can but Cat Nip at a Spice Importers ,fresh for a lot less than The Pet Food Stores Charge.
Cats love thier NIP!

[Randy_K]

The only fear I have is from Asian import cat toys with catnip in them. They are required to be fumigated when brought into North America or Europe so there is some residual pesticide in the toy. I usually buy catnip toys at cat shows that are made locally or buy the loose catnip to be safe. Every cat has a different reaction to catnip. Some get totally goofy and some can take it or leave it. I have had all types over the years.

[AlleyCat]

Many thanks for all your input. I really don't know why I was led all those years ago to think that catnip is bad. Now that I know it's not, and judging by how my kitties love their catnip toys, I hope that means they'd like the real stuff too, so off to the store I go !!

[Don Juan's mom]

My brother the Cat Rancher (he has three at the moment) gives the kitties catnip every day. Says it helps the digestion.

In other words, it's medicinal catnip!

Liz