Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
514349 tn?1272801633

Not interested in fresh catnip

My cats have always enjoyed a little nip of commercial dried catnip. I saw some growing at a friend's house and asked if I could have some leaves. I thought my cats would flip on the much more strongly scented fresh leaves, but they acted indifferent. I might as well tried to get them interested in parsley. I know it was catnip, the heart-shaped serrated leaves, the stalks of lavender flowers on the top and the strong aroma. Why don't they react to the fresh stuff?
5 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
514349 tn?1272801633
I dried the catnip I got fresh, but they still weren't interested in that particular harvest.
Helpful - 0
681148 tn?1437661591
It looks like what I was going to say was already covered, but I can reiterate what aligator said.  My last cat didn't care about fresh catnip either, but she loved the dried stuff.  Don't be completely disappointed.  You can still dry the fresh stuff and then rub the dried catnip to release the oils, much like you would rub dried herbs when you're cooking before you add it to the pot.  This should work like the commercial dried catnip.  Then, again, if it doesn't, you'll have at least tried.  And, again, as was already stated, not all cats are even affected by catnip.  Some cats are "addicts", and some cats can take it or leave it.

You can also buy catnip oil spray, which I bought for my new cat, Hunter, to help attract them to their toys and to places that you want them to go to, like their scratching posts.  This only works if they're already affected by catnip, though.  
Helpful - 0
152660 tn?1291755571
Drying herbs intensifies the scent.  Like when you use dried herbs vs fresh.  
Helpful - 0
587315 tn?1333552783
I've tried fresh cat nip and fresh cat grass.  BOTH were a no-go to my cats.  They like the dried cat nip, but not all were affected by it.  That cat grass is something I would definitely not recommend because we all know what happens when cats eat grass.  They end up barfing it!!

The absolute best cat nip I've found is called Cosmic Cat Nip.  Don't know what they put in it, but cats go absolutely nuts with that stuff.  LOL
Helpful - 0
11924850 tn?1601364171
Hi There.

  The first and true answer is that cats will do what They want. They enjoy watching us while our best laid plans just sorta lay there.  Our confusion and disappointment is a source of amusement to them, bless their furry hearts.

  Some cats aren't affected by catnip at all.

  Here's what might have worked:  Crushing the leaves up to bring out the smell.  Nepetalactone is the active ingredient in kittynip that gives the hallucinogenic effect when it enters the cat's nasal passages. Also, you could dry the fresh catnip either in the oven (low heat) or by hanging it upside down in a dry, dark place until it crumbles when touched.

  So you can try fresh catnip again someday if you want but be sneaky and act like it's no big deal, just to fool them.

Blessings to you & your furry friends.

  Melinda



  

  
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Cats Community

Top Cats Answerers
874521 tn?1424116797
Canada..., SK
506791 tn?1439842983
Saint Mary's County, MD
242912 tn?1660619837
CA
740516 tn?1360942486
Brazil
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Members of our Pet Communities share their Halloween pet photos.
Like to travel but hate to leave your pooch at home? Dr. Carol Osborne talks tips on how (and where!) to take a trip with your pampered pet
Ooh and aah your way through these too-cute photos of MedHelp members' best friends
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.