All you need to know about catnip
Your kitty loves catnip and comes back for it everytime. Giving your cat a bit of this herbal treat is great to keep them engaged and entertained. There are chew toys available in the market containing catnip and the cats love to sniff and eat it. If you are curious as to what exactly is catnip and how it works, we are here to answer to all your probable queries.
What is catnip
Catnip is an evergreen plant that belongs to the mint community Labiatae and is identified by the jagged leaves and tiny white blooms. The plant is indigenous to Europe and Asia but naturalized in the United States and Canada ever since its introduction. There are over 250 varieties of catnip but they are all known to make cats function amusingly.
Effects of catnip
The cats’ response to catnip is discernible even when minimal dose is administered. The reason is that the main component in catnip, nepetalactone is known to have substantial effects on felines. When cats inhale the fumes that catnip emits, this chemical is released. Since the cats want more of these fumes and subsequent smell, they play with catnips and chew its leaves to speed up the production of the desired aroma.
If you think your cat is finicky to try out something new, catnip is an excellent way to pique their curiosity in it. The catnip “high” encourages them more to relax and adapt themselves to a new situation like maybe a new bed or new place or adjusting with a new pet mate. It also helps them sleep better and awake fresh and rejuvenated the next morning.
Benefits of catnip
Catnip’s soothing qualities make it an excellent choice for calming and relaxing your cat. Cats are prone to suffer from anxiety, confusion, fear, loneliness among others. To make them feel at ease when and if they are agitated because of these factors, catnip comes as a great rescue to alleviate these symptoms. Also, since cats are basically lazy and lethargic, a little bit of catnip helps increase their activity level and decrease their feel of boredom.
Waggfluence has a variety of catnip toys!
