Intro
domestic cats do not completely lose their hunting instinct as seen by their exploratory independent and adventurous naturethis can cause worry for cat Guardians who are concerned about many potential hazards such as toxic plants for cats one plant guardians may have heard of but don’t know much about is catnip far from being toxic it’s a plant which can cause interesting and varied behaviors and cats if you want to know more about this plant stick with animal wise and will tell you all you need to know about the effects and benefits of catnip
What is catnip
catnip is known by its botanical name nepeta cat aria with other common name s being cat mint cat basil or cat’s wart it’s a plant with an similar appearance to mint or lemon balm its leaves are green with two thirds and it can measure between 20 and 60 centimeters while it is native to Europe it also grows wil din North America and West Asia catnip is rich in essential oils orals which seven out of ten cats will react to by show in gan unusually strong interest we can first observe the cat approaching the plant rubbing against it licking or emitting signs similar to when they are in heat it may not end there some cat s start to jump or run around excitedly they may rule around on the floor or try to hunt imaginary mice without diet this plant can elicit a narcotic effect which seduces many cats but why does this reaction occur the narcotic effect is due to the active substance called nepetalactone which binds to cells with a function of stimulating sensory neurons the reaction the cat experiences is due to this substance causing an over stimulation of these cells in addition to narcotic effects catnip can induce behavior similar to feline court ship and mating for cats not susceptible to catnip valerian root or silver vine might have a similar effect
Benefits of catnip
due to its properties catnip provides various benefits to your cat it encourages play and move ment makes it easier for them to stay actives timulates cognition thanks to in creased play for this reason it should not surprise is that numerous toys or scratchers have added catnip nowadays it can also be found in aerosol cans and sprays alloy in the cat to react to concentrated nepetalactone this is an immediate reward which can be used for positive reinforcement
Toxicity of catnip
catnip is not toxic to cats and is not addictive there is no problem with moderate exposure to this plant how ever we need to stress the word moderate a cat continually exposed to their Kotik effect of catnip can be dangerous as it is possible they will develop aggressive behaviors similarly excessive exposure can endanger the animals health if there are open windows or terraces catnip can help our cat manage and they generally love it but we need to emphasize moderation and supervision now you know everything about catnip have you tried it with your cat tell us about your experiences in the comments like if you enjoyed the video subscribe to keep upt o date and we’ll see you next time