A Nip About Cats
Posted by terrepruitt on August 8, 2015
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?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
Jill Campana said
Having had cats the entirety of my adult life, I can attest to the fact that cats act differently with catnip; most of my cats just acted silly, almost all of them remained docile but a bit more active; only one of my cats became aggressive, but she was an aggressive cat anyway, it just made her more aggressive. We have “cat mint” in our gardens rather than cat nip. Our cats love to go and just lay in it and it does make them a bit more sedated than cat nip. I love your blogs, Terre. And I’m so happy you have two new kitties, although I’m sorry that you’ve had to give them pills (yikes) and keep them quarantined. I can’t wait to hear the stories of your girls once they have free reign in your house!!! Love to you!!!
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terrepruitt said
Catnip is part of the mint family. Don’t you have everything in your yard? Ha, ha, ha.
They are so upset. They are DONE with pills (I mean THEY are done . . . not the pills are done). They are acting very depressed about the whole thing. They HATE getting the pills and it really is hard because they hate it so much it is like us having to torture them everyday! Hopefully only 10 more days. Poor girls. Tomorrow the torture is the vet AND pills. I should made the vet give them their dose tomorrow. I wonder if he will . . . .
Thanks for reading my posts, Jill. Thanks for commenting.
XOXO
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RoseMills said
I’ve never really thought about catnip as a drug, and instead more like a treat – but I guess, really, it is!
Occasionally, as often as I would buy my cats some special food treats, I do let them indulge. Recently, I bought cat nip bubbles which I thought was an interesting idea!
For both of my cats, it has the same effect as when they were on heat. They becoming loving, wide-eyed kittens again.
– Morgan
🙂
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terrepruitt said
In talking to people, I sense that most of them feel like you. It is a treat. Especially since if a cat gets it all the time, it might cease to affect them. But from what the information states it really is like getting high. All the cats are doing it. Ha, ha, ha, ha. I can see it being a nice treat for cats. And, I am not totally ruling it out. Especially since so many cool looking toys come all ready treated with it. It is kind of hard to avoid.
I keep sending my husband to work with the bags of it that come with the scratchers we have bought the cats.
Thanks for stopping by.
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Rose Mills said
It totally has saturated the cat toy market at the moment so I agree, it really is hard to avoid!
Thanks for taking a peek at my blog 🙂
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terrepruitt said
Yes. Although, I am finding that a few toys allow you to add it yourself. That is new – to me. A long time ago when I was looking for a cat tree / scratching post all I could find were ones that were treated with catnip. Now I am able to find some that are not.
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Sonja said
We have catnip for our two boys, and they do enjoy it. After awhile, even though there are flakes still on the toy, the flakes no longer have any result. Squeeze it in your fingers and mush it on to the carpeted toy, and it releases the oils. I think you should let your cats enjoy catnip. There is no harm, no lasting effects, and it is pleasure for them….why not?
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terrepruitt said
Just a personal choice. Just like some people feed their cats wet food and some people feed their cats dry. Some people use pellets and some people use clay. We might, but we didn’t give any to Spot and she didn’t miss it. I just find it odd getting cats high. Just makes me paws . . . . ha, ha, see what I did there? 🙂
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