Catnip=Howling?

[jazzygemmy]

The last two nights, Reggie has started having these howling fits around 2-3 a.m. Thank GOD he hasn't been waking our toddler up. But, he has been waking up myself and my husband. He goes on and on for 15 or so minutes!! Finally, last night, I got so annoyed that I got out of bed to see what he was up to. I found him playing with a sock that I had stuffed with catnip (DIY cat toy ;-) I threw it in my closet and stormed back to the bed. He probably meowed two or three times after that. I think he knew he was in trouble. lol.

So...my question is, can catnip get a cat so excited that they howl? Reggie is already a fairly vocal cat, telling a few stories every day, but he never howls like a lunatic during the day. I have never caught him playing with the catnip during the daytime.

Maybe he is a closet user?

 

[fhicat]

This made me laugh, but I know catnip does make cats do really funny things. One cat that I fostered for a couple of weeks does this funny "dance" on the floor when she sniffs it. She'll plop down and roll herself on the floor, and then start dragging herself along the floor. The effect wears off after about 10 minutes, and then she'll get up and act all regal and demure again.

Stoned cats are hilarious.

 

[nbrazil]

Wish I knew the answer. But thanks for the idea!

I bought some catnip for my boy and he just couldn't care less, but the girl goes gaga over "da banana." Well, that toy has seen better days, so thanks for the idea for a DIY toy (boxes have been pretty wonderful of late).

 

[ritz]

Yes, I think it's the cat nip.
Some cats react strongly to it, others not so much.
And some grow into reacting/not reacting to it: The first three years, Ritz (female) had little if any reaction to catnip. Now she sometimes quite enjoys it in a most, um, interesting fashion. I find when I leave it out for a long time, her reaction dimnishes.
I don't know whether it's gender related, either.
So put away the cat nip toy and take it out every once in a while. For better or worse, cats have short term memories (or they'd NEVER forgive us for taking them to the vets), so he'll think it's a brand new toy.

 

[my-boy-jasper]

I have a few catnip 'scented' toys and Jasper plays with them fine with no effect. I got him one of those catnip filled banana's and he couldn't be less interested in it.

However, occasionally I sprinkle a little catnip on the floor and he is attracted to that. He sniffs it and eats it. Then he acts a bit ditzy. It's only a mild reaction for him. I actually wasn't sure if I was imagining it, like a placebo effect. I thought he looked a bit wonky on his feet and then my boyfriend commented on it even though I hadn't said anything. Like he jumps up on something and he is a bit off balance. And he just looks spaced out and dreamy. So I think cats have very individual reactions to it.