Danger - Catnip!!!

You wouldn't think so, would you? It seems so innocuous. Just something that most cats enjoy rolling in. I used to carry catnip with me when I went about my cat visits, but don't use it any more.

 

 

There was a time that I was taking care of two cats, and thought they might like some catnip. Well!!! Up to that point they'd always got along just fine, very friendly with each other, and I'd been visiting for a while. But when the catnip came out the fur started to fly!! They became so aggressive with each other, and I had to quickly move one to another room to calm down while I vacuumed it all up again.

 

 

I was surprised as I'd never seen that reaction before, so looked it up - mostly it gets them all dreamy, or rolling around in it, and the chemical (nepetalactone) induces a psychosexual state. But it can cause aggression. So, the hard way to learn.

 

 

Another time I was visiting 4 cats in a small house, so there was already an amount of tension just being caused by the lack of their own space. One day it looked as though one of the cats had unearthed a plant pot all over the house, and I didn't understand. And they were even more tense and aggressive with each other. On enquiring of their human, he told me that a neighbour likes to pop in to visit while he's away too, and she likes to spread the catnip around. At least that gave me the answer for the mess and the behaviour, but despite leaving a message for her to please stop using it, she continued, and so did the tension.

 

 

At home I use it with Bella and Dylan now and again - but only very rarely. I only put it on the old mat by the patio door, as when Bella plays with it, she doesn't just roll in it, but plucks at the mat madly too. Dylan just eats it!! But if he gets too close to her when she's playing with it, the hissing and growling starts.

 

 

Perhaps I'm lucky in that I can use Reiki energy to ensure the cats I care for are calm and relaxed. But if anyone thinks that catnip gets all cats into a dreamy state, they're very wrong!!

 

 

The other day, I was taking care of Amber and was away for a day, so a cat sitter friend kindly covered for me. She sent me a picture of Amber writhing on the rug in the catnip, which was very sweet - but not so sweet the next day when I visited again, to find the rug covered in tufts she'd pulled out, and lots of white fur from rolling in it. Just like Bella, Amber likes to pluck at it, and vigourously too. A good vacuum, and all the mess - and I hoped the scent - all gone, and she's mostly left it alone since then. A lucky escape then, I had visions of having to replace the rug as I couldn't imagine how there would be any of it left when Amber's person returned.

 

 

So, I give it a wide berth these days in its pure form, unless I know how the cats will be with it. Would be very keen to hear your stories!!

Picture at the top taken from this website that you might like to look at for more information, courtesy Kooky Kat Catnip Company. http://www.catniptoys.com/pages/Catnip-FAQ.html