Catnip and Cats

What do cats just love? Why catnip of course. My cat loves to roll around in it when I sprinkle some on the carpet. A good sniff test comes first. Then he rolls over and proceeds to try and crush it into the carpet with his back.

If you want your cat to play in a certain area, sprinkle catnip in this area. By doing this on a consistent basis, your cat will learn that particular spot as its favorite. If you want to train your cat to stay in one part of the house most of the time, this same technique can be applied.

Catnip Plants

Why do cats love catnip?

Catnip is actually a member of a plant family That includes mint. The leaves of this cat favorite plant has oil on its leaves that produce a smell that cats like. When a cat bites into something that contains catnip leaves or rolls on them, the membrane of the leaf is broken releasing a distinctive scent. Once a cat gets a smell of this scent, they are ecstatically happy. All is well in the world of cats.

A cat has genes that make it susceptible to the feeling of overwhelming joy from catnip. Now, not all of these felines posses this gene. Another point is that this gene is present in kittens, but is not activated until the animal gets older. About 70 % of felines have this gene. This includes the big cats you find at the zoo. The bigger cats that I am referring to are cheetahs, lions, tigers and others. It does not matter what size they are. If they have the gene that allows them to feel the pleasure catnip provides, they will be affected by it.

People want their pet cats to be happy. They want to give them a treat now and then. Catnip will provide this treat for them. People will go out and buy a toy filled with the stuff for their pet. Sometimes they bring the toy home and it appears to do nothing for the cat. The owner knows that the feline likes catnip. What is the problem?

When you go to buy a toy filled with this substance or a jar of it to refill a toy, you need to be careful what you buy. You must read the labels on the toys and the jars. A lot of companies will include filler in the toy or jar. The leaves will be all dried out and not contain any of the oil that has the aroma that cats like. Read the label of the products you buy and make sure you are getting 100 % catnip. Smell the packaging. If you can not get a hint of the smell of the catnip, your cat will not be able to either. Make sure the leaves are a really dark green and smells like mint. Of course, if it is inside a toy, you will have to rely on your nose and not your eyes.

You can save yourself some time in the store by buying this plant in bulk. It can stored for up to about a year. You can freeze it, but do not refrigerate it. put in a empty glass pickle jar with the lid on it or a plastic lunch bag that seals.

Catnip and Cats