Catnip for cats and cats

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A plant that has a similar effect on cats as valerian is called catnip.

What is it for? It is used to correct the pet’s behavior, and also as a sedative, or, on the contrary, a nerve receptor stimulant.

Its second name is lemon catnip.

This herb has a special, spicy smell that cats really like.

Even in Ancient Egypt, catnip was used as bait for both ordinary domestic cats and wild felines - panthers, leopards.

By the way, the toyger , savannah and bengal cat are considered small copies of real wild animals, and many exotic lovers are happy to have such an obstinate cat at home.

Cats love the smell of catnip

2 Why do cats love catnip?
3 How can you use catnip?
4 Growing catnip at home
5 Can I give catnip to a pregnant cat?

How Animals React to Catnip

This name has been given to the plant since ancient times due to the addiction of cats to it. Mint contains an essential oil called nepetaloctone, which, when it enters the animal’s nasal passage, is absorbed into the body and has an effect on the cat’s nerve receptors. Your pet seems to be under the influence of euphoria, the animal rubs against a plant or object with the same aroma, purrs, meows and may secrete saliva.

Catnip acts on the animal as an exciting pheromone; cats behave identically during the mating period. But this lasts no more than 10 minutes, then cats are not sensitive to mint for a couple of hours or more. Approximately 70% of cats react to this herb, and some cats are not sensitive to the smell.

Impact

Drug? Quite possible. The behavior of cats under the influence of this plant is very similar to intoxication - the animal clearly enjoys it and is very excited. In any case, valerian has a powerful effect on the animal’s nervous system, and this is not good. So you shouldn't abuse it.

Valerian in plant form does not cause harm to the cat’s body, but medications based on it (concentrated alcohol tinctures) may be unsafe.

Valerian is contraindicated in pregnant cats, as well as animals with liver or kidney problems.

Since one of the abilities of valerian is to relax smooth muscles, it reduces spasms in the digestive tract and is recommended for cats with gastrointestinal problems.

There are other plants that have an emotional effect on cats, for example, honeysuckle, thyme (thyme).

Why give cats catnip?

During training, as a treat for encouragement;
Calm, motionless animals become active and playful;
When you need to accustom a cat to a scratching post;
Relax the animal before or after stress;
Accustom to sleeping place by spraying spray or essential oil;
They are also added to medications to make the animal more willing to consume the desired product, such as vitamins.

Treats and vitamins with mint

Useful properties of catnip

Lemon catnip has antipyretic, antibacterial, diaphoretic and expectorant properties.
Due to the presence of active biological substances, the plant strengthens the immune system, increases body tone, and reduces the impact of harmful substances on the human body.
The herb is a strong antiseptic, which is successfully used in the treatment of ulcers, boils, and abscesses.
It is used to combat constipation, congestion in the gallbladder and biliary tract.

Healing preparations based on it help in the treatment of gastritis, increased stomach acidity and are used as appetite stimulants.
Decoctions and infusions have a positive effect on the human respiratory system. They are used for bronchitis, dry cough and during the treatment of colds that cause complications in the throat.
These medications also help cope with nervous disorders, hysteria and depression.
Catnip accelerates the heart rate and increases the amplitude of contractions of the heart muscle.
It is also worth mentioning that the plant is an excellent honey plant, and it is specially bred next to apiaries.

In cooking, the herb is used as a spice, which is added to marinades, sauces, compotes, jams and teas.

Catnip toys for cats

To keep your cat from getting bored and want to please her, you can buy a variety of plush or rubber toys with the scent of catnip, mice filled with mint, mint balls, and a variety of fish. But it is important to regularly check the toy for wear, it may be torn somewhere, and be sure to replace it with a new one. You can purchase a spray or essential oil and treat existing toys with this product. This way, you will revive interest in familiar and boring toys.

Tip: We recommend hiding toys with catnip at night, otherwise you won’t be able to sleep.

Folk recipes

To prepare an effective medicine according to prescriptions, the catnip must first be cut and properly dried. During the period of active flowering, 15 cm of herbaceous catnip is measured from the top along the stem, after which it is cut and dried in a dark room with good ventilation. After the above manipulations, the plant is placed in paper packaging, where it is stored until the date of sale. It is worth paying attention to the fact that after time, the workpiece does not lose its beneficial properties, but, on the contrary, accumulates them. Two-year preparations are more effective in treatment.

During infectious diseases, for example, a sore throat or sore throat, you should brew a drink containing 3 - 4 teaspoons of herbs and 200 ml of water. The drink must steep for half an hour, after which it must be filtered. The remaining herbs are squeezed into the same container. You should gargle with the prepared drink three times a day.
To get rid of insomnia, you should prepare a recipe from catnip, hops and mint. In equal proportions, all ingredients are placed in a container and mixed, after which everything is poured into a thermos and filled with water (200 ml). The drink should be infused for at least one hour, after which it should be strained. You should drink 100 ml of it every day after dinner in the evening.
For effective treatment of stomach cramps or gastritis, catnip should be used in a course. To do this, you should brew no more than 1 teaspoon of catnip per 200 ml glass. The drink must be infused for several hours and then filtered. The finished potion should be taken before each meal, 1 tsp.

Catnip tea

Catnip decoctions have a beneficial effect on the body not only of sick people, but also of healthy people. This fact indicates that the plant is universal in its use and can be used for the purpose of preventive manipulation. Perhaps the most important qualities are:

Stimulating the activity of the diuretic apparatus by cleansing the kidneys. In parallel with this, there is a decrease in swelling of the kidneys in humans.
Has a beneficial effect on blood vessels. This helps to suppress internal and external bleeding during injuries.
The active ingredients of the herb react with sputum during the course of influenza or acute respiratory infections. During these diseases, tea interacts with other medications, promoting the removal of phlegm when coughing.
With the help of catnip tea, it is possible to muffle pain syndromes for a while.
Prevents phenomena such as colic, cramps and spasms. Quite a large number of people are faced with a similar pathology, so using catnip decoction three times a day will effectively get rid of unwanted manifestations.
Catnip tea has a direct effect on the human central nervous system, as a result of which a person feels more comfortable and confident.
When taking a medicine based on catnip, the human immune system increases, which makes it possible to more effectively resist pathogenic bacteria and pathogenic microflora.
Helps reduce inflammation of infectious origin, which is a consequence of not only external, but also internal use of medications.

Thanks to all of the above beneficial properties of catnip, it has been actively used since ancient times to this day. One has only to remember that the plant is multidisciplinary and contains a large number of substances that can cause the development of an allergic reaction. Before using catnip, you should consult your healthcare professional.

All the best and don’t get sick!

How to Give Catnip to a Cat

Catnip comes in the form of dry herb, you can fill toys or sprinkle it in the right place. The product is in the form of a spray, convenient to take with you in the car, to an exhibition, or when moving. Now there is a huge selection of products for consumption containing catnip. A variety of treats and vitamins.

Catnip plant stem

The stem of the plant in the form of fragrant sticks is used to clean your pet's teeth. Also, on the recommendation of a veterinarian, you can purchase drops to reduce the sex drive of cats.

Description of the plant

The official name of the herbaceous plant is catnip. It is a perennial with an erect, fluffy stem up to 1 meter high. Most representatives of this species are shorter, about 40–50 cm. Unlike mint and lemon balm, their flowers are not so attractive. They are collected in half-umbrellas, the upper part is painted white with small purple splashes. The stem has a fruit, smooth, oblong, brown. The chemical composition of the plant is very rich. The leaves of the herb contain up to 3% essential oil, which includes such useful components as:

quarcarol;
pulegone;
nepetalactone;
tannins;
ascorbic acid;
bitter substances and other beneficial components.

Important! The content of nutrients is very high. The herb has a unique chemical content that is used for medicinal purposes. It has been used for the complex treatment of various diseases for many centuries.

The plant is used not only in medicine, but also as a therapeutic agent for various diseases. It is used in cooking as a spice, for baking and making desserts.

Kinds

Outwardly it looks like a simple plant with a straight stem and blue-violet flowers collected in inflorescences. Many people confuse it with lemon balm due to the similarity of smell and slightly similar appearance.

How to distinguish lemon balm and catnip?

Melissa has a more faded leaf color. If you grind them, the lemony spicy aroma is much stronger, but with catnip it is more delicate, more like the smell of lemongrass. By the way, for this reason it is very popular in French cuisine.

Brief description of the main species, including those bred artificially on the basis of wild varieties:

Hungarian catnip is a plant listed in the Red Book, used for landscaping, and collected as a medicinal raw material.
Veined or veined catnip is a grass for landscape design. One of the breeding varieties is blue catnip, with brightly colored flowers.
Catnip racemosus is a variety used in marinades as a spice (synonymous names are Catnip musina, Catnip mussini). Also used to flavor liqueurs.
Catnip grandiflora is an ornamental plant with beautifully colored large inflorescences.
Lemon catnip is one of the names of catnip, the most common. In addition to wild species, there are artificially bred ones for flower beds (for example, Catnip “Centaur”). All of these species have a pleasant lemon scent.
Sessile catnip is a popular species in landscape design and is used in the formation of alpine hills and other decorative rocky areas.
Siberian catnip is a wild perennial herb that gets its name from its geographic range. It grows not only in Siberia, but also in Mongolia and Central Asia.
Fassen catnip is an ornamental hybrid with large, bright flowers.

The use of catnip in cosmetology

It is recommended to use catnip decoctions against diseases of the dermis, acne, rashes, and tumors of the skin For 20 gr. vegetable raw materials – 130-140 ml of boiling water. Infuse, strain. Wipe problem skin or make lotions - soak cotton pads or napkins with the prepared liquid, leave on the dermis for a quarter of an hour.

Use the same remedy for heavy hair loss . Rub the decoction into the dermis of the head with massaging movements after each wash.