Catnip For Kittens How Old
And if your cat does have the sensitivity it will not emerge until your cat is several months old young kittens are not affected by the chemicals in the plant.
Catnip for kittens how old. It is generally considered safe to use catnip for kittens but it is important to note that some cats may not prove very interested in the herb especially kittens that are younger than two to three months old and some elderly cats. The reaction to a catnip can vary from kitten to kitten. Kittens get catnip for the first time and some new toys. The study noted that kittens under 8 weeks exhibited no reaction to catnip and according to todd when kittens are given it the catnip often produces a distinct avoidance response in young kittens which is gradually replaced by indifference in non responders and by heightened curiosity in responders.
Test your cat s attraction to catnip before going out of your way to buy catnip infused products. Catnip infused products attract cats interest and can take playtime to the next level. Newborn kittens aren t usually responsive to catnip at all until they are about 3 months of age. Kittens of under three months old will have no reaction to it and can even be repelled by it.
Although catnip is totally harmless and safe around kittens both to smell and to eat it isn t necessarily effective. Not all felines respond to catnip. Senior cats also lose sensitivity to it and will generally avoid it. How catnip improves your cat s quality of life.
If your cat is an adult you may have one of the few adult cats that do not possess the gene. The catnip reaction is thought to be exhibited due to an inherited characteristic related to an autosomal dominant gene and the effect isn t just exhibited in domestic cats it s also. If a kitten is going to be a catnip lover you usually can tell that when he is 3 to 6 months old. Among those cats who do like catnip you ll find two basic kinds of reactions.
Furthermore kittens less than 8 weeks old and senior cats tend not to respond as much or at all to catnip. The herb s influence is genetic so not all cats respond to it according to the humane society of the united states. At the same time age is also a determinant on how a cat reacts to catnip. These hard wired preferences aren t immediately apparent though since kittens under the age of 3 months don t react to catnip at all.
The reaction can be intense but it s relatively short lived. Kittens whether they possess the gene or not generally do not react to catnip until they are from six to nine months old. Some cats become like a lazy drunk while others get a wired up crazy. Try reintroducing the catnip then and you will probably find that your cat will greatly enjoy it.