Well, as you know, we not-too-long-ago adopted two new cats. And with that came ringworm. So we have not been able to start our lives together . . . in a sense . . . because we have been having to keep them locked in one room to reduce the chances of the spread and continuation of this fungus. It is not worms, but a fungus. In addition to the lock-down, we are having to give them both medication in the form of a pill. Anyone that has “pilled” a cat knows that no matter the method it is not pleasant for neither recipient nor giver. It is not something new “parents” want to have to do to their new cats. So, really, all I have thought about is cats, lately. Yes, I realize that I tend toward the obsessive side, but when all my spare time is spent cleaning and a lot of my energy is spent working towards getting my “new” cats healthy, can you blame me? With all the thoughts; “cats”, it made me think of a one thing about cats that I recently learned. Some of you might find it interesting, I know I did. In talking to a friend after Nia class the other day, she asked me if I was going to write a blog post about it and I said no because I feel I have been posting too much about cats. She made me think that it might be ok to do so. So here ya go.
Not all cats like catnip. Well, it is not so much as “like” as it is respond to it. It is a genetic thing. I thought all cats liked catnip. I thought catnip was like cat marijuana and every cat would get “high” off of it, but I recently learned that is not true. Some cats will have a reaction to it and others won’t. Between 70 to 80 percent of cats will react. The reaction cats have is in a general “range”. Most of them will “exhibit several behaviors common to queens in season (females in heat): They may rub their heads and body on the herb or jump, roll around, vocalize and salivate.” (According to ScientificAmerican.com) And even more interesting: “This response lasts for about 10 minutes, after which the cat becomes temporarily immune to catnip’s effects for roughly 30 minutes”. So you can only dose your cats in 30 minute intervals. But some cats also become immune to its effects.
Some cats get more aggressive than just rubbing their heads and rolling around, but it is not dangerous aggressive or violent aggressive. Just maybe a little more aggressive and active than you are used to seeing your cat actually be. But I don’t know exactly first hand because I once read that catnip is a drug for the cat. Some articles say that it is like LSD or marijuana. So my hubby and I decided to keep our cat “drug-free”. And we did. We didn’t give our cat, Spot, catnip. Once I bought a toy that either didn’t disclose on the website that it had catnip or I didn’t read it. So we gave it to her, but then we put it away and it never came out again. But with two cats, who knows what we will do. This is new territory for us. And by now, I had dreamed of being well into our “getting-to-know-you” phase. Anyway . . . we will see. In addition to the “frenzied”, “high”, “tripping” behavior a cat might exhibit there is a calm. It acts like a sedative. I could see that being a good thing. But who knows. When they have reign over the whole house we might never need a sedative. Although from the sound of things it might be entertaining to see them on the stuff . . . .
What about you? Did you think (like I did) that all cats reacted to catnip? Do you allow your cat to indulge?
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