Should A Kitten Have Catnip

Although catnip may seem like a drug rotman confirms that it s not addictive for cats.

Should a kitten have catnip. The herb s influence is genetic so not all cats respond to it according to the humane society of the united states. Should they have it is another question. Can kittens have catnip yes. Interestingly enough cats are drawn to catnip because of its olfactory response but it actually has quite a euphoric effect on the cats once consumed.

It can grow to be up to three feet. Well catnip provides obvious pleasure for many cats. Catnip toys would be fun for kittens or cats. One thing that is important to note about using catnip for kittens is that some may attempt to eat it in addition to just sniffing it or playing with it inside of a pet toy.

When the cat smells catnip the scent molecules travel to a receptor above the palate in the roof of the mouth known as the vomeronasal organ aka jacob s organ. The chemical compound in the plant that attracts and affects cats is called nepetalactone. It is found in the leaves and. Although catnip is totally harmless and safe around kittens both to smell and to eat it isn t necessarily effective.

The only major problem with giving catnip itself to a kitten is that it will do nothing for the kitten. He does mention that catnip sometimes makes cats aggressive though. Can kittens have catnip. He may wind up falling in love with his catnip toys when he gets a little older but don t be discouraged if he never seems to care.

Eating a small amount of catnip is unlikely to cause a cat any harm. Cat owners frequently report a very sedative carefree cat after they have consumed catnip. Newborn kittens aren t usually responsive to catnip at all until they are about 3 months of age. It s perfectly safe to give a kitten small amounts of catnip however.

Facts about catnaps. Many times they will just lay down and paw at the sky as if something is floating around them. Catnip is generally safe for kittens. If he s still young give it some time.

Not all felines respond to catnip. Absolutely catnip is safe for kittens. Ingesting catnip has no effect on a cat it s the nepetalactone vapour that the catnip gives off that your cat reacts to. Catnip nepeta cataria is a perennial herb that is a member of the mint family.

But of course you won t want to give a kitten too much catnip as over ingesting can lead to vomit and diarrhea and kittens have much smaller bodies and thus lower tolerances in general than full grown cats.