Is Catnip Okay For Cats To Eat
Technically catnip is a part of the mint family.
Is catnip okay for cats to eat. Cats can eat catnip they will eat it and they ll enjoy it. Eating catnip causes a cat to be more sedate so perhaps it might be a good idea to feed kitty a catnip laced treat before doing something she finds stressful such as taking her on a long trip or a vet or groomer visit. Don t despair it s not dangerous. Yes catnip is safe for cats to eat.
Catnip is a mild feline hallucinogen but it is completely nontoxic to cats. In fact catnip can even be safely ingested by humans especially when the dried leaves are made into a tea. Catnip acts as a natural mood enhancer. This tends to send them a little crazy and has an almost stimulant effect.
It also resembles some properties of male cat urine which may be why some cats react to the herb as though in heat with yowling rolling and slobbering. If they eat it then it has the opposite effect and makes them very relaxed and dreamy. The ability to appreciate the herb is genetic with slightly more cats in the fan club than not. These hard wired preferences aren t immediately apparent though since kittens under the age of 3 months don t react to catnip at all.
It might make your cat act quite unusually. Ingestion is not a problem. Catnip is a herb that s a cousin to mint basil and oregano herbs we humans regularly use in the kitchen for cooking and seasoning. It s generally thought that the nepetalactone mimics the effect of a cat pheromone possibly associated with mating.
But you also must know. She may become more kittenish or particularly affectionate. Your cat is among the lucky ones by the way since some cats don t react to catnip at all. But despite being a natural herb that s one of a number of plants that s safe for a cat to eat there aren t really any vitamin or protein benefits.
Found in catnip s leaves stems and seeds it only takes one or two sniffs of that wondrous oil before susceptible felines are licking chewing and rolling head over tail in kitty bliss. In fact catnip can even be safely ingested by humans especially when the dried leaves are made into a tea. Some felines are not only sensitive to smelling catnip they ll eat it. The main benefits of catnip come from sniffing it.
Yes catnip is safe for cats to eat. Catnip is a herb that s a cousin to mint basil and oregano herbs we humans regularly use in the kitchen for cooking and seasoning.