Is Catnip Bad for Cats Or Not?

In many TV shows and movies such as Catwoman, weve seen the effect that Catnip (Nepeta) has on cats. It seems this herb that is a member of the mint family has something that cats are unable to resist, and a lot of cat owners cannot help but wonder: is catnip bad for cats?

The Truth About Catnip

There is an active ingredient in catnip called nepetalactone, and this is what "drives cats crazy", when sniffed. When eaten, catnip can work as a sedative for cats, and the effect and stimulation can last for a good 5 minutes or so. Only about one out of two cats is likely to be hooked on the scent of catnip, and the effects tend to vary. Catnip is said to affect even wild cats like leopards, lions and tigers, but the herb tends to have very little effect on kittens that are younger than 8 weeks in age they are even said to actually hate catnip. Some studies tell us that liking catnip may be genetic (autosomal gene).

How Does Catnip Affect Cats?

As a hallucinogen, Nepetalactone has been compared to drugs that are used by humans, among which are magic mushrooms and LSD. Some suggest that catnip may also be an aphrodisiac, as cats tend to roll around the floor when they get a whiff of the herb, just like a female pouncing cat in heat. Some argue that this may not be true, because tom cats are said to react the same way. What is clear is that upon sniffing catnip, cats begin to respond in the same way that they would when pheromones are released after copulation, or during courtship. 

Catnip has proven to affect cats in different ways. Some cats tend to get extremely active when they sniff catnip, and the herb finds its way into the olfactory system. Other cats simply end up doing some hunting, chasing, drooling, rolling around or playing. Some cats can become aggressive and quarrelsome. Cats that are unable to smell can likewise be affected by nepetalactone. 

All things considered, catnip is not likely to harm a cat or leave this cat overdosed on the herb, as a lot of cats have a natural instinct that enables them to discriminate between "just right" and "too much" catnip. 

What About Milk? Is Milk Good For Cats? 

Milk is a dairy that has something called "lactose", which is a naturally occurring sugar that exists in dairy products, including soured milk and yogurt. The thing to know is that it is not beneficial to cats in terms of health benefits, the question s milk good for cats needs a better answer . Many adult cats are lactose-intolerant, and adult cats can live their entire lives without ever needing to drink milk. If you want to make sure that you little cat paws remain in good condition then following simple rules can make your cats life a lot easier.