Can I Give My Kitten Catnip? Vet-Reviewed Guide & FAQ
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Many cats go crazy for catnip and can start acting completely different after getting a whiff of it. Fortunately, catnip is completely safe and non-toxic for cats of all ages, including kittens. So, you don’t have to worry if your kitten ingests a little bit or rolls around in it.
Unlike adult cats, most kittens won’t start to feel the effects of catnip until they are about 6 months old. Some kittens may react to it when they are about a year old, while others simply won’t react to it at all.
Catnip is a curious plant with fascinating effects. Here’s what you need to know about this interesting plant and its relationship to cats.
What Is Catnip?
Catnip, or Nepeta cataria, is a plant species that belongs to the mint family. It is also known as catswort, catwort, and catmint. Despite its effects on cats, it doesn’t contain any psychedelic properties.
Cats react to catnip when they smell nepetalactone, which is an oil produced by the plant. When the scent of nepetalactone reaches the cat’s olfactory system, it travels up to the brain. This can elicit behavioral responses in some cats.
Do All Cats Like Catnip?
No, some cats will not react to catnip. About 60% of cats will experience the benefits of catnip. Research shows that a cat’s reaction to catnip is related to a dominant genetic trait.
If your kitten doesn’t respond to catnip, you can try offering them silver vine, another plant with similar effects to catnip. A study completed in 2017 shows that more cats react to silver vine than catnip. Almost 80% of cats in this study reacted to silver vine, while 67% reacted to catnip.
How to Know if Your Kitten Is Reacting to Catnip
Kittens will display different behaviors to catnip. Some will head rub and roll around while others will suddenly become extremely active.
The effects of catnip usually wear off after about 10 minutes. Then, it usually takes around 30 minutes without any contact in between for cats to react to it again.
Can My Kitten Overdose on Catnip?
Kittens can’t overdose on catnip as it has no psychoactive properties, and does not have a cumulative effect. They can even eat a little bit of catnip and may experience digestive health benefits.
However, speak to your vet if you’re planning to feed your cat catnip. It has been described that eating too much catnip can cause an upset stomach. So, if your kitten develops a habit of licking and eating a lot of catnip, you’ll want just to lay out a little bit at a time to prevent gastrointestinal upset.
Catnip is safe for kittens, but only in moderation. A sturdy toy like Hepper’s Catnip Stix can give your kitten hours of safe fun!
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Conclusion
There is no age restriction when it comes to giving a kitten catnip. However, most kittens will start to react to catnip when they’re between 6-12 months old. So, you may want to save the catnip toys for later on in a kitten’s development. If your kitten doesn’t end up enjoying catnip, you can always try using Silver Vine to see if they react to it instead.
Featured Image Credit: tamara321, Shutterstock
