questions about cat nip....

what is it, what does it do?? are they supposed to eat it? I have never given any too my cats because I just didn't know what it was or what to do with it

Its a minty herb that gives them a short term "high". Mine eat it, sniff it and roll in it.
Here's a link if you want to read further about it:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question303.htm

In summer I grow it in a pot on my patio. I pick binks a fresh leaf every day. She eats it.

Yep, my two eat it, roll in it, sniff it. We also bought some things called "boogie mats" which look like flat pillows with tassels on the corners and a zipper to put catnip inside. There's a pad inside (for comfort, I'd guess). Both of the girls love these things. They'll periodically lay on them, roll on them until they've had enough and then they let them alone for a bit. When we got Kitty hers - she never left it in the beginning and ended up getting sick, but I think it was just too much of a good thing. Lucky seemed to go lay on her mat when she needed to feel secure. Whatever it does, they are addicted to the stuff.

I have given it to both Rocky and Fluffy and it doesn't seem to affect them at all..Maybe mine had a defect in it or something

I think only 75% of cats react to catnip. It's a genetic predisposition. All of mine adore it, they roll in it, eat it, and generally act extremely silly when they are "under the influence". Valerian, another herb, has a similar but stronger effect on them, but be forewarned, valerian smells like dirty gym socks!

Roo loves it. Tigger had a bad experience with it and now won't touch it.

Originally posted by Mom of 10 Cats
I think only 75% of cats react to catnip. It's a genetic predisposition. All of mine adore it, they roll in it, eat it, and generally act extremely silly when they are "under the influence". Valerian, another herb, has a similar but stronger effect on them, but be forewarned, valerian smells like dirty gym socks!

Click to expand...

My cats love hubby's socks

Yup, our cats love nothing better than to bury their little faces in our sneakers after we come home from the gym. What smells good to them and to us are two different things!

Hi,

Here's an article I wrote about Catnip. Hope it is of some help...

All About Catnip

Cheers,

Julia.

My cat Mischief is literally addicted to catnip. She eats it, attacks it, rolls around in it, attacks it some more, gobbles it up, and then wants more. Once we had left the drawer that we kept it in slightly opened. The next morning we found that Mischief had torn open the drawer and ripped open the entire bag of catnip. When we bring it home she instantly will try to go for the catnip. Too much catnip as a kitten I say!

Yup, they'll do that. We bought a bag of catnip a few months ago and without thinking, put it up on top of the fridge. When we got up in the morning, there were 10 very wasted cats in the kitchen, and catnip on just about every horizontal surface.

blink. blink. "Hey mom, we got any tuna?"

looks like i'm going to have to get some of that stuff!! I ordered 52 beastie band collars (i love them that much!! I'm going to sell them on ebay ) and a couple things of cat nip!

That's the best.

Isis hasn't figured out catnip yet. Probably because she's been so stuffed up lately she can't smell it. All she knows is that when the other two are feasting on catnip they stop moving and when they stop moving it gives Isis perfect oppertunity to attack and feebly try to wrestle with them. Mischief just pins her down and continues eating. hehe.

my kittie mickey, doesn;t like it, i have a cat nip plant and when i pick some off he runs away cuz its too strong! charli love cat nip, but only the one in the spray bottle, i think the plant one is too strong for her too!

My Mui Mui used to like it... I hadn't given that to her for a year though... Few weeks ago, I bought her a new bag (Hartz Wacky Cats Catnip Leaves 'N Herbs), which was supposed to be 100% pure catnip...For some reason, it doesn't drive her crazy anymore.. she just sniffed it, and went away... Have my cat lost its interest??? or something wrong with the catnip???

I buy Max premium catnip from Petco. He loves it. He has a mouse that you can fill with catnip and then you velcro it shut. It is the funniest thing to see him throw it in the air and pounce on it. Then he holds it in his front paws on his back and the back paws are clawing at it as fast as he can. He becomes very mellow after an encounter with the catnip.