Catnip

When can cats/kittens start playing with catnip safely?

My girls are 6 and 9 months old.
I heard mixed reviews...things like kittens can have catnip any age and then that they must be over 6 months and also that they should be over a year.So when is it safe?

The reason I ask,a friend sent me two handmade catnip pillows for my girls...but I am afraid to give the pillows to them right now.

Catnip won't hurt your kitties. Though some cats can get a bit too riled up from it, but that can happen with regular play. The kitten age isn't because catnip will harm them, it's because kittens usually don't show any reaction to catnip till closer to 6 months or older.

That was a nice thoughtful gift from your friend. I hope your kitties love them.

Thanks! Then I will give them to my girls a little later (they are sleeping now...nice and peacful).

this site has a great write up about catnip and a few other things that get some cats going

www.catniptoys.com

Strangewings is right on... plus if you want catnip is fine to add to the diet of a cat , great for hairballs

I have seen 8 week old kittens go crazy over catnip, we have a catnip garden at the shelter and the other day we were parked beside it and I brushed against the catnip - I was every cat's best friend all day

^I have a 12-13wk old male that responds to it, but not as strongly as an adult cat. His sisters don't even notice it. I think until older it's really hit and miss. Besides, young kittens don't need catnip to act goofy! It's their natural behavior.

I've not had any cat respond strongly to fresh catnip. There's always more of an effect from dried.

I have not tried it with my girls yet,as I had a sort of emergency and had power,water and everything shut off (main leak got into the wiring) and so I was worried about that.

My mom's two cats LOVE catnip.She has a goofy male that gets even more goofy with catnip and a prissy female who "lets herself go" on catnip!

Originally Posted by 709Juggalette

I have not tried it with my girls yet,as I had a sort of emergency and had power,water and everything shut off (main leak got into the wiring) and so I was worried about that.

My mom's two cats LOVE catnip.She has a goofy male that gets even more goofy with catnip and a prissy female who "lets herself go" on catnip!

Click to expand...

I hope the emergency is completely fixed

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I've not had any cat respond strongly to fresh catnip.

There's always more of an effect from dried.

Click to expand...

I think maybe that might be (this is just a theory, I don't know if there is any proof of this) because dried catnip is older and might get more potent as it ages..You know, like wine? I've thought about this, because I noticed that too.

Water in wiring?! Scary. I hope that's dealt with and that there's no water damage issues.

Originally Posted by KiTTYL0VE4

I think maybe that might be (this is just a theory, I don't know if there is any proof of this) because dried catnip is older and might get more potent as it ages..You know, like wine? I've thought about this, because I noticed that too.

Click to expand...

I don't know. I could have sworn that a lot of plants are less potent dried vs fresh. Very likely depends on the plant, how it was grown, and how crushed it is.

Yes,a pipe in my bathroom ceiling burst and caved the ceiling in,all while it poured into my bathroom making a terrible mess and getting into the wires.I was scared and because the power/water and everything was turned off,my daughter and I had to spend a couple nights with mom.I was so stressed though.

But the workers have been at it all day fixing everything up and I have power and water again.I am home now too.

Once it is fully fixed,I am going to give the pillows to my girls and see how they like them! Right now,they have to be contained in a room.But they are quite content there.