not liking catnip?

[nakoruru]

I've heard from everyone that cats are just wild about catnip. When I first went out kitty supply shopping for Pouncer, I made sure to buy a bag. To my surprise, when I opened it and showed her, she merely sniffed at it and walked away to her jingly bell ball.

So I tried sprinkling a bit on her bed, a bit in a sock for her to play with- no reaction. She's about 5 months, and I seem to remember reading somewhere that cats aren't interested in the 'nip until around 6 months. Is this true, or is my cat just really weird? lol.

 

[yayi]

Not ALL cats like catnip. My 4 don't care for it.

 

[meowsersmom]

certain cats are genetically predisposed to like catnip and it doesn't even kick in until they're 6 months old. Try giving it to him in a couple months, but even then he may not like it. Neither of my cats like it at all.

 

[mom2salemisis]

Ailey wont go anywhere near catnip shes 9 months and salem and isis are only 5 months but so far they don't seem interested. i have heard though that some cats who don't like catnip might like honeysuckle.. havent tried it though.

 

[hissy]

Usually once they reach sexual maturity they like catnip. It can also make some cats aggressive, so you need to be careful.

 

[missymotus]

I tried a few different brands and the cats didn't react at all, then I purchased some organic catnip from ebay and they loved it.

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by nakoruru

I've heard from everyone that cats are just wild about catnip. When I first went out kitty supply shopping for Pouncer, I made sure to buy a bag. To my surprise, when I opened it and showed her, she merely sniffed at it and walked away to her jingly bell ball.

So I tried sprinkling a bit on her bed, a bit in a sock for her to play with- no reaction. She's about 5 months, and I seem to remember reading somewhere that cats aren't interested in the 'nip until around 6 months. Is this true, or is my cat just really weird? lol.

It takes two things for a cat to respond to catnip! First they must have inherited the proper genes, if they haven't, they won't grow up to be catnip responders. Second, they must be the age of sexual maturity - which can really vary...some kittens even have a first kitten heat at 4 months, so age really can varry as to when they may begin to respond.

hth!

 

[jennyr]

But neutering and spaying don't make any difference? My girls really vary in their reaction to it, and sometimes ignore it totally and other times play wildly with a catnip toy. I haven't tried the boys with it yet.

 

[rosiemac]

I wondered why Sophie wouldn't go crazy over it as well when she was a kitten until i posted here and was told she was too young.

She goes silly for it now though

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by jennyranson

But neutering and spaying don't make any difference? My girls really vary in their reaction to it, and sometimes ignore it totally and other times play wildly with a catnip toy. I haven't tried the boys with it yet.

Nope, not that I know of, and I have a wonderful resource, someone who did their master's on the chemistry of catnip

 

[jekyllhj7]

We have to be careful becuase our 8 yr old female (Phoebe) loves the stuff. She gets all excited when we go to the drawer where we keep it (she once knocked all kinds of stuff down when whe kept it on a shelf, so we have to hide ir)
But when we tried it with our new cat (1 yr old male) he got NASTY. Just started attacking and biting anything in sight. We joke that he is a 'mean drunk'. We tried it twice thinking maybe he was too young the first time we gave it to him, but both times got the same response.
So we have to let her have it in my parent's bedroom where he doesn't go.

 

[nakoruru]

ah, thanks. well, we'll see in a few months then, lol. it's not like she really needs it, she has tons of other toys to play with (and constantly lose! )

 

[courtneyaustin3]

yes.... my little ones won't touch catnip, one is 9 mos one is 4 mos. but my 2 yr old llllooooooovessss it!!!! give it time, it's fun to watch them go crazy for the catnip.also, try to get an actual live plant!! Those are good too....

 

[pat]

For those kitties who do not respond to catnip, try honeysuckle cat toys or valerian, non-catnip responders will often respond to these two kinds of toys, and in very 'catnip like" ways

 

[sillykitty3]

I think I read somewhere that some 30% of cats don't have the catnip gene and won't respond to it. All cats will respond differently to it. Isis is a catnip hog and tries to hoard all the catnip for herself, she tends to get a little aggressive. Pumpkin and Fergus just get silly and roll in it. It usually all ends in a battle and a nap.