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Herb Of The Week - Catnip - How It Works on Cats

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I thought this was a cute way to start our catnip topic .. the age old

question of " How does catnip work on cats? " is now answered ;)

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

Foamer Bottles and Window Tins

Last Chance For Sale Prices in 2004

<http://www.alittleolfactory.com/> http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

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http://science.howstuffworks.com/question303.htm

 

" Catnip " is the common name for a perennial herb of the mint family. It

is native to Europe and is an import to the United States and other

countries. The catnip plant is now a widespread weed in North America.

 

 

Given to the right cat, catnip can cause an amazing reaction! The cat

will rub it, roll over it, kick at it, and generally go nuts for several

minutes. Then the cat will lose interest and walk away. Two hours later,

the cat may come back and have exactly the same response.

 

 

Because there really isn't any scent that causes this sort of reaction

in humans, catnip is hard for us to understand. However, it is not an

uncommon behavior in animals that rely heavily on their noses. For

example, there are many scents that will trigger intense hunting

behavior in dogs, and other scents will cause dogs to stop in their

tracks and roll all over the scent.

 

 

Although no one knows exactly what happens in the cat's brain, it is

known that the chemical nepetalactone in catnip is the thing that

triggers the response. Apparently, it somehow kicks off a stereotypical

pattern in cats that are sensitive to the chemical. The catnip reaction

is inherited, and some cats are totally unaffected by it. Large cats

like tigers can be sensitive to it as well.

 

 

The reaction to catnip only lasts a few minutes. Then the cat acclimates

to it, and it can take an hour or two away from catnip for the cat to

" reset. " Then, the same reaction can occur again. Very young kittens and

older cats seem less likely to have a reaction to catnip.

 

 

These links will help you learn more:

 

 

* Picture

<http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question303.htm & url=

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant07.htm> of Catnip

 

* The

<http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question303.htm & url=

http://www.thevet.com/catnipresp.htm> Catnip Response

 

* How

<http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question303.htm & url=

http://128.252.223.112/posts/archives/may97/860023357.Zo.r.html> does

catnip cause the 'playful' behaviors in cats?

 

* Nepetalactone

<http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question303.htm & url=

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa103001a.htm> Chemistry

 

* Designing

<http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question303.htm & url=

http://www.5tigers.org/adventures/handbook/c1b1.htm> a Zoo Exhibit

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

http://216.92.11.169/articles/fun_for_cats/catnip_fun_or_dangerous.html

 

Catnip - Fun or Dangerous

 

 

Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) is an herb belonging to the mint family which

has been used by man since the days of Ancient Egypt and by cats for

even longer. It has a remarkable effect on many cats, stimulating them

and relaxing them at the same time. The plant is a perennial, common

throughout Europe and Asia, as well as in North America where it was

introduced many years ago. Its feline appeal lies in a chemical called

nepetalactone which is present in its stem and leaves. Although the

plant exudes its characteristic odor all the time, it is much more

attractive to cats when the shoots are damaged or withered.

 

Nepetalactone is an unsaturated lactone that does for some cats what

marijuana does for some people. Cats take off on a ten minute " trip "

during which they appear to be in a state of ecstasy, rubbing and

rolling on the plant. All species of cats react in this way, even lions,

but not every individual reacts to it. The deciding factor is genetic.

Fifty to sixty percent of adult cats show a reaction to catnip. For the

first two months of life kittens are repelled by catnip. The positive or

neutral response does not appear until they are three months old.

 

Scientists have not determined how or why the chemical substance in

catnip affects cats. They assert that it does no lasting damage and that

after the catnip " trip " the cat is back to normal with no ill effects.

Valerian and Canadian Honeysuckle are plants that produce similar

behaviors in cats.

 

While cat owners may have reservations about offering their cats loose

catnip, they will find that catnip stuffed in toys heightens the cat's

interest in stationary toys that would otherwise be considered " dead

prey " , lifeless and boring. Catnip toys should be stored in an airtight

container with a pinch of catnip and brought out for twenty minutes play

at a time. Like any herb, it looses its essential oils if left exposed

to the air.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

http://www.penmarric.ns.ca/catcare/usefulinfo/catnip.htm

 

Catnip is the popular name for a plant of Asiatic origin called NAPETA

CATARIA. It has a chemical within the stem and leaves called

NEPETALACTONE. The names " catnip " and " catmint " are sometimes used

interchangeably. However, they are two different varieties of nepeta, a

perennial groundcover and a member of the mint family. It is a hardy

perennial groundcover that grows 2- to 3-feet high. Nepeta faassenii,

better known as catmint, forms soft mounds about 2-feet high. Both

varieties grow throughout North America.

 

It is thought that the ability to detect catnip, may be inherited. Only

2/3 of cats respond to it.Catnip was originally native to Europe and

Asia. Over 2000 years ago Romans used it for cooking and healing. During

the Middle Ages, catnip was used for the treatment of nervousness,

colds, and gastrointestinal complaints. It was introduced to the New

World by early settlers who cultivated the herb for medicinal purposes

and food. As America expanded, so did the popularity of catnip.

 

Just how did cats become acquainted with it? Some theorize that the

Egyptians, known for their worship of cats, were probably the first to

offer catnip to their furry idols. Those who support this theory suggest

that since Egyptians introduced domestic cats to the Middle East, they

may have also introduced the pleasing effects of catnip on most cats.

Whenever a cat comes across this growing in a garden, he will often rub

up against it and roll around in it, in a sort of drug trip. Most

members of the cat family [wild and domestic] react the same way,

although not all of them. Young kittens don't react this way though, and

are often repulsed by it. They don't learn to appreciate it until they

are over 3 months old.

 

The responsive cat approaches the plant and sniffs it. He then proceeds

to lick it, bite it, chew it and rub up against it repeatedly with head

and chin, then purr loudly, growl, meow, roll over and even leap about.

Many of the movements a cat makes mimic the movements seen when a cat is

in heat, giving some people the thought that catnip is a [female] feline

aphrodisiac, something that most cat scholars refute because it affects

both male and female alike.

 

Feline catnip addicts are lucky though, because they suffer absolutely

no side effects from this, unlike humans do when they smoke cannabis, a

" kissing cousin " to catnip. Catnip is not the only plant to have this

effect on felines. VALERIAN is another one, plus plants that contain

ACTINIDINE.

 

The strange action of these plants though is the strangest thing of all

to understand. If any of these plants were given internally, instead of

putting FRISK back into the word FRISKY, the actually sedate the cat. It

is strange indeed, when they are " uppers " when sniffed, and " downers "

when swallowed.

 

Catnip is easy to grow, and the fresher the product, the more the

reaction. Many toys for cats are sold as " with catnip " , which supposedly

encourages the cat to play. I rarely find these work, as they have been

on the shelf for any length of time. I do buy, however, toys which are

made with fresh catnip, as my cats like this better, and even when they

have ceased to carry the odor, the cats still play with them, but more

from habit. For the catnip-loving cat, sniffing this herb is harmless

and non-addictive

 

 

 

 

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