Valerian to cats?

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felixtigris

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Wonder if anyone here has tried giving your cats valerian?

How is the effect in behaviour comparing to catnip and feliway?

The woman at the pharmacy said you always should be careful if youre giving valerian to humans. I guess you also should be careful giving to much to cats as well. But what can happen if they get too much?

A friend of mine recommended the product to cats, thats why i now wanna try it out. But im also getting a little unsure if there is any adverse effect?
I thought maybe it could be used while Im on holiday and someone else is living in my apartement, so my cats wont be nervous. Is this what i can use valerian for?

Thankful for answers, Im curious about this product
 
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coaster

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A quick google brought up some sites that seem to indicate valerian is used as a scent, like catnip and honeysuckle, with cats. It's a fairly strong herb. I don't think I'd actually feed it to a cat without knowing for sure it's safe.
 
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I once treated a child in the ER (I happend to be on call and was the only pediatrician around) with severe scratches and cuts because they had given their kitty valarian thinking it would relax her. So, to reply - NO!!!!! (Unless you can try it under very a setting where the cat is in no position to hurt you.) Like gravol, it can have the exact opposite effect on a cat!! (Tho it is worse than gravol in that respect - these cat apparently was really string out for some time!)
 
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elizwithcat

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Yes, valerian has a different effect on cats than it does on humans. It calms humans down, but is a stimulant in cats.
"Valerian, a sedative for humans but a stimulant for cats, also goes by the name garden heliotrope. It's an attractive plant with fern-like foliage and fragrant pink, white, or lavender flowers. At maturity, plants may reach heights of three to four feet."
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...timulant&hl=en
Although apparently they do advertise it as anxiety reducing for cats and dogs.
http://www.holisticpetsupplies.co.uk...products_id=50
I imagine though that since it's a stimulant for cats, it might have an opposite effect of what you are expecting. You can have your cat bouncing of the walls instead of being calm.
 
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Originally Posted by felixtigris

Wonder if anyone here has tried giving your cats valerian?

How is the effect in behaviour comparing to catnip and feliway?

The woman at the pharmacy said you always should be careful if youre giving valerian to humans. I guess you also should be careful giving to much to cats as well. But what can happen if they get too much?

A friend of mine recommended the product to cats, thats why i now wanna try it out. But im also getting a little unsure if there is any adverse effect?
I thought maybe it could be used while Im on holiday and someone else is living in my apartement, so my cats wont be nervous. Is this what i can use valerian for?

Thankful for answers, Im curious about this product
Click to expand...
I've seen valerian used in sprays and in toys (relatively new to the market) as valerian officinalis can stimulate the same kind of response as catnip or honeysuckle. It does not mellow my cats out, just gets them playing with the toy and silly
 
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