i was wondering, if i mix a little catnip in with the morning wet food, will my cats still need to eat cat grass or will the cat nip take care of their vegetation needs?
yes, it is perfectly alright for them to eat it. when eaten it has a calming affect rather than a stimulant.Originally Posted by gardenandcats
I don't think that cats eat catnip...I would not encourage them to eat catnip...
yes, they do have some vegetatin needs (cat grass), it helps with digestion.Originally Posted by Mirinae
To the best of my knowledge, catnip and cat grass are not the same things, but I could be mistaken. However, cats are obligate carnivores -- they don't have any vegetation needs, so far as I know, and what needs they do have should be filled by quality cat food. My own cats eat only canned and dry cat food, with dried catnip (and occasionally fresh 'nip, if we have any that hasn't already been demolished!) as a treat. I don't believe catnip or cat grass fulfill any dietary requirements; they're just treats.
when smelled it is a stimulant, when ingested has a calming affect, or no affect.Originally Posted by Sibohan2005
Catnip dosn't actually have anything of what grass has. Grass acts as a digestive aid and contains quite a bit of moisture. Catnip in its fresh form contains a bit of moisture but it's more or a stimulant than a digestive aid. I would continue giving your cat grass to chew on, and catnip as a special treat.
do you have an opinion of whether or not it will work as a digestion aid?Originally Posted by SolarityBengals
Hope looooves catnip. She loves eating it anyway. All cats react to varying degrees to catnip. Kittens don't usually react until they are older. Not all cats inherit the gene that responds to catnip. Meeka only has a mild interest in the smell. Autumn will get little spurts of energy. Hope gets wired. Yogi will start rolling like crazy. Clover likes to bury his face in whatever has it in it but dosen't last long. Garfield never responded to it. Every cat is different.
why should it not be mixed into the food? one of my cats goes crazy when he smells it, so i mix into the food so he doesnt smell it because i dont like him being hyper like that, he plays too rough. plus i dont think they would eat it otherwise. and i want them to eat it, i think its good for them. i dont see why it wouldnt help with digestion the same way as cat grass, they re both plants.Originally Posted by gizmocat
Catnip is harmless to the cat, though they can get 'high' on it!
Cat grass (actually oat, or barley grass) is used as a digestive aid. The problem I have is keeping it alive in the house. I got two live catnip plants for Gizmo and dry catnip is always available for her. Catgrass doesn't sprout if I try it here and the stuff from the pet store is dead in a week's time.
Catnip should not be mixed into their food, but left as a treat in a special area. Gizmo loves to roll in it and then lick it off her fur!
My MIL leaves a bowl of nip she has dried for her cats to eat as they wish. We have it growing wild here. Sometimes I will break off some of the fresh for my cats. I have a bag of ginely ground nip that I purchase elsewhere and sprinkle on toys, etc. for mine. All catnip is not the same and while a cat may not react to one bag of nip the next of a different brand and grind may really get them going.Catnip dosn't actually have anything of what grass has. Grass acts as a digestive aid and contains quite a bit of moisture. Catnip in its fresh form contains a bit of moisture but it's more or a stimulant than a digestive aid. I would continue giving your cat grass to chew on, and catnip as a special treat.
Yes catnip can and should be given as a stomach aid... cat grass is a regular digestive aid .. Cats require 3-5% of total diet of veggtation or veggie matter ...Originally Posted by SolarityBengals
Catnip is in the mint family. Mint is a stomach soother, so I always thought catnip helped digestion too.