Catnip

Moss doesn't like catnip!!

Sorry Mods.. Admin.. wrong forum. I'll be more careful in future!!

How old is Moss?, because Sophie wouldn't touch it until she was a good 5-6 months old.

I read something earlier about how a cat doesn't respond to catnip before about 4 weeks of age, and that if you give them catnip too early, they may not respond to it at all, ever.

Some cats just don't like it either!

My understanding was don't give it to them until they are 6 months old. I've read that quite a few places. Also, cats are different. I've read their desire for it is genetic and that some cats just aren't genetically predisposed to reacting to catnip. Feel free to tell me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure I've read that several places. I have one that loves it and meows when he sees the catnip container, one sort of likes it, he can take it or leave it, and my other one just sniffs and walks away.

We think Moss is between 6 and 8 years old!! He just sniffs it and walks away too Grape!! I'm not worried I just wondered if it was normal cos everyone I know all say their cats go mad fer it!!

Another great thing for cats is Honey suckle tree branches. If you break a branch , shave it off some so the inner of the branch is fresh, CATS love it, well mine did anyway and my sisters cat liked it too, if you find the cats aren't playing around with it so much shave it down more so the inner core of the branch is able to be smelled by the cat. I was extreemly surpriced over my guys reaction they acted the same way most cats do with catnip

Actually, whether or not your cat likes catnip isn't based so much on age, as it is based on the cat having or not having a gene that makes them respond to the herb. I've read that anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of cats have absolutely no reaction to catnip, my Leo-baby included!

All my kitts have loved it, but yes I've read that some cats don't!

i just read someplace recently that not all cats are affected by catnip, i think maybe this was in the catnip magazine that comes out. i will have to look it up. i believe it had something to do geneticaly, and the origins of each cat breed, it was very interesting stuff. out of all my cats, all six of them, some get very affected, one barely at all. one time my female peed in it to keep the others away..haha. i will have to look that article up though..

My kitties are almost 5 & have never responded to catnip. I guess they don't have the gene.

Catnip reponse is based on two things...being old enough (the age of sexual maturity, which for some breeds means that first kitten heat or urges, which can be as young as 4 months...kitten toys with catnip are for the human...not the kitten, imho!) and having the correct genes to be catnip responders.

Cats who are not catnip responders may well respond to honeysuckle (be careful - stem/woody portion only, certain parts of the various honeysuckle species are poisonous), and to valerian as well

At this age, it's safe to say your fellow is just not a catnip responder! See if you can find a line of honeysuckle toys to try, there are two that I know of, both I believe have distributors in Europe - Kitty Kottage and Kooky Kat.