 |
Is Catnip Dangerous for your Cat?
Author: Larry Chamberlain  | Posted: 14-11-2006 | Comments: 0 | Views: 302 | Rating: (51)  (?) 
Your cat, your loving and lovable family pet is not usually what you would call a bundle of energy. In fact she spends a good deal of the day taking a siesta. When she moves she does so at her own pace and in her own time.
But should your sedate kitty have a whiff of catnip . . . well, wop bop a lula blim bam boom! The party is on baby. Suddenly your cat is rollicking and rolling around, frisky, excited and running about as if the clock had been turned back and she is a kitten once again.
Then as little as two, but up to fifteen minutes later your cat is back to her slothful, normal self, the catnip effect completely worn off.
What causes the catnip effect, why do cats react in to it in that way?
First, not all cats do react to catnip. It is estimated that one third to half of the domestic cat population is unaffected by the herb. The reaction to catnip is inherited. Kittens that have only one parent that reacts have a one in two chance of reacting themselves, and kittens that have parents that both react have a three in four chance. Kittens under three to four months old do not react to catnip and with older cats the effect is considerably lessened.
Also, if a cat that would normally have a reaction to catnip is in a threatening situation, or is outside of its usual surroundings, it may not respond to the catnip.
Anyway, as to what causes the catnip effect, the experts do know that nepetalactone, an oil found in catnip causes cats that are sensitive to it to go ga-ga. What they don't know is why certain cats react that way.
It's not just the domestic cat that can experience the catnip effect. Big cats too can react to it; lions, leopards, cheetahs and pumas can get catnip high but interestingly not tigers.
When a cat finds catnip it will usually sniff at it, rub up against it, lick it and nibble at it. It is the sniffing at it that gets the reaction, it is thought that cats nibble and rub against the catnip to bruise it and thereby cause more of the nepetalactone oil to be released. Strangely, if a cat actually eats the catnip it will likely act as a sedative as opposed to giving the kitty a high.
So, is catnip dangerous for your kitty? After all, the response that some felines have to catnip is not unlike the response that some humans have to stuff that they shouldn't smoke.
Although it said that catnip is bio-chemically related to cannabis cats will come to no harm by enjoying it and will not become dependent. The catnip effect very seldom lasts longer than 15 minutes maximum until the cat loses interest. After this a cat will not react again for a minimum of one hour.
Not all cats react to the herb in exactly the same way though. The typical response is an uninhibited friskiness and silliness, but a few cats, usually male, become aggressive rather than frisky.
Catnip has long been thought safe for humans. It has been prescribed by herbalists to treat nervousness, stomach complaints, flatulence, and even smallpox! Its leaves have been chewed to relieve toothache and it has been drunk as a tea and as a cough remedy.
Catnip is not dangerous for cats rather it is a very effective kitty treat for some cats, those that are susceptible to it, to enjoy.
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/is-catnip-dangerous-for-your-cat-72967.html
About the Author:Please feel free to use this article on your cat or pet related web site or in your ezine. Please keep it intact including this resource box, (you may make minor formatting alterations,) and keep all links as hyperlinks. Thank you.
Cat Art and all things Cat
Great Pictures of Cats
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Latest Pets Articles
The Amazing Malmute Breed of Dogs
By: Ling Tong | 12/10/2008
The Malmute, also known as the Alaska Malamute, is a large dog that can weigh well over 100 pounds. Although two feet is the normal height for this dog breed, there are dogs that are almost three feet tall.
Rare Breeds of Dogs
By: Ling Tong | 12/10/2008
When you look at a list of the number of dog breeds that exist you will be astonished at the numerous types of dogs there are in the world. There are also rare breeds of dogs, which means that there are not very many of these dogs.
Information About the Alaskan Malmute
By: Ling Tong | 12/10/2008
The Alaskan Malmute is a domestic dog breed which was bred as a sled dog in the North and is often confused with the Siberian Husky breed. In order for a dog of this breed to be considered a standard, it has to display certain characteristics, which include weighing between 75 and 90 pounds and standing 23 to 25 inches in height.
Find Out Whether the Daschund Breed is the Right One for You
By: Ling Tong | 12/10/2008
They are very active and loving dogs that work great in a family with or without children. You do need to be attentive to them because they always want to have company around them. In spite of this, this breed of dog is not for every pet owner.
Basic Dachshund Information for Owners
By: Ling Tong | 12/10/2008
If you are considering purchasing a Dachshund as a pet, you will benefit from reading basic Dachshund information so you will know what you expect when you take your puppy home. This is a short-legged hound dog that originally came from Germany.
Adopt a Virtual Pet Online
By: Robert | 11/10/2008
Adopt a virtual pet online and feed them foods anytime online.
Online Pet Adoption Can Teach Your Kids About Pet Ownership
By: Robert | 11/10/2008
Pet ownership is a major responsibility for children, and one method of teaching your children about it is via virtual pet adoption.
Ridding Your Dog Of Fleas
By: Lawrence J. Reaves | 10/10/2008
When your dog has fleas, it can make everyone in your home miserable. They cling to your dogs coat, biting him and sucking his blood throughout the day. Then, the fleas lay hundreds of eggs.
More from Larry Chamberlain
Songs About Cats (or are They?)
By: Larry Chamberlain | 09/11/2007 | Pets
There must be countless songs that have the words Cat, or Cats, in the title but not all of them are actually about our feline friends. Cat songs that made the charts over the years and live on in the back of our minds. No doubt there are many more songs that are about cats than those listed here, but those songs sadly seem few and far between.
Introducing a Cat to your Children
By: Larry Chamberlain | 30/08/2007 | Pets
So, you had a cat in the family when you were a kid. And you are thinking that the addition of a cat into your home would make a terrific family pet, and would give your children the pleasure of loving and caring for an animal. Most likely you'd be right. But, just because you have nothing but pleasant memories of growing up with a much loved feline pet doesn't mean that things always go faultlessly well. . .
Help! My Cat is Keeping Me Awake
By: Larry Chamberlain | 05/07/2007 | Pets
Most cats spend a good part of their daylight hours sleeping, they like nothing better than finding a warm spot and enjoying a little snooze. The trouble is that some cats are wide-awake when night falls and are full of vim and vigor, if your cat is one that could mean broken sleep or even entirely sleepless nights for you. And that's no joke, you need your sleep so you can be bright eyed and bushy tailed for work in the morning. You are . . .
7 Good Reasons for Playing With your Cat
By: Larry Chamberlain | 27/02/2007 | Pets
Playing reinforces the bond between you and your cat. Playing with your cat is the best possible way to build up a bond between the two of you. Do you want your cat to think of you as more than someone who is there to provide food, shelter and warmth? Then regular play sessions will go a long way to ensuring that your feline friend sees you as an object of his or her affections, that you are someone to greet when you arrive home.
Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water?
By: Larry Chamberlain | 23/10/2006 | Pets
You know that cats should always have a supply of water, especially if you are feeding them dried food. There on your nice clean kitchen floor is a bowl of nice clean fresh water, in a nice clean bowl.
What does your cat do? Maybe gives the bowl a sniff and walks away from it, or just ignores the bowl completely, as if water were the last thing a self respecting cat would consider drinking.
"Okay", you think to yourself, "Kitty just isn't thirsty at the moment". But then later, you . . .
Why Would Someone Be Cruel to Their Pet?
By: Larry Chamberlain | 07/09/2006 | Pets
All too frequently we read of sickening cases of cruelty to pets in local and national newspapers. Why is it, we ask, that some 'human' creatures inflict suffering upon other creatures that are usually smaller and defenseless? Why do they take pets into their homes only to treat them with less than respect and with a great deal of contempt?
Often the reason these animal abusers obtain a pet is the same reason that they end up treating the animal cruelly. And that reason is . . .
Stop: Don't Declaw That Cat!
By: Larry Chamberlain | 22/07/2006 | Pets
This article is not a debate about the pros and cons of the removal of a cat's claws (declawing). This article concludes that there are no pros to this issue and comes out firmly against the procedure.
Declawing a cat is illegal in many countries and officially deemed to be inhumane in others. Why then do some people still consider getting their cat declawed?
A major reason could be . . .
The Courage of Disabled Pets
By: Larry Chamberlain | 22/06/2006 | Pets
What happens if your well-trained, and usually well-behaved, family dog forgets himself, runs into the road, gets hit by a car and loses a leg? Or, your mild mannered cat is involved in a fight with the local bullying Tom and loses an eye?
Does this mean that the quality of life for your pet will be so low that euthanasia would be kindness?
|
|
Home and Family 
