how old does a kitten need to be before they are effected by cat nip?? my kitten is around 4 months
2006-09-01 08:11:25 · 13 answers · asked by sassy2sloppy 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
ive heard kittens are effected by it, only older cats
2006-09-01 08:15:21 · update #1
ARENT effective..wow i cant spell
2006-09-01 08:15:46 · update #2
i havent given my kitten anything that has cap nip on it yet...just wonder when is a good time
2006-09-01 08:27:19 · update #3
He...Ivy....effective, effected, effect! this is about help, not grammer, if i wanted grammer help i would go to the schooling side of this site...
2006-09-01 08:54:19 · update #4
Hi there...Reaction to catnip is genetic. Cats must possess a gene for it. While most cats do, about 15 percent reportedly do not. Kittens, whether they possess the gene or not, generally do not react to catnip until they are from six to nine months old. Try reintroducing the catnip then and you will probably find that your cat will greatly enjoy it. If your cat is an adult, you may have one of the few adult cats that do not possess the gene.
2. Inferior quality catnip. Many other catnip brands are "cut" with straw, stems and other filler. This may fool the cat owner, but it doesn't fool kitty! Try some Certified Organic Catnip or fresh Catnip.
It's not known why the reaction to catnip seems to occur only among the feline species. What is known is that the ability to react to catnip is a genetic one. Cats that react to catnip possess a gene that programs them to react to catnip. The gene does not develop until after six months of age or so, and not ALL cats possess the gene. About 15 percent of the cat population does not possess the gene, so this may explain why your cat does not react. If they do possess the gene, cats of all sizes - from housecats, cheetahs, mountain lions, pumas, etc. - will love catnip.
2006-09-01 08:50:47 · answer #1 · answered by ♪ Seattle ♫ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Might be how fresh or how stale the catnip is.
Catmint, which is a different (but related) plant, sometimes has the same effect as catnip. Some cats will react to one, but not the other. You'll find opinions vary on this as well.
My cats like fresh and dried catnip, but ignored the catmint. A neighbor cat used to come into the garden and chew on our catmint plant.
2006-09-01 08:58:07 · answer #2 · answered by lily2enme 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard that only 30% of cats are affected by catnip. My cats don't really react to it much (I have six).
Also kittens don't react to it at all. So it will be another 10 months or so before you can get a good "test" on her.
Toys that have catnip in them may appeal and it may not be the catnip just the toy that she reacts to.
2006-09-01 08:31:50 · answer #3 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cats start to get interested in nip when they're old enough to be sexually mature, usually six to eight months.
Oddly, although sexual maturity seems necessary to produce a reaction to nip, neutering doesn't prevent them from being turned on by nip once they're old enough.
BTW, please get kitty neutered! If kitty is male, early neutering will reduce and maybe eliminate the compulsion to spray. If kitty is female. early neutering will eliminate the risk of mammary cancer, the leading cancer killer of female cats with developed mammaries. Either way, early eutering will prevent kitty from contributing to the massive overpopulation of unwanted kittens.
2006-09-01 08:16:34 · answer #4 · answered by Mick 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some cats just don't react to Cat nip.. leave it for awhile and try in a few months time
2006-09-01 08:16:51 · answer #5 · answered by plutoniccatgirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
kitten nip effects all kitty's no matter what their age is don't worry your kitty will be fine..just alittle high for the moment...they're cute when they have the cat-nip we have some to..and we have a kitty about the same age and she flies around here..it's funny to watch her..
2006-09-01 08:16:17 · answer #6 · answered by sxytigg2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
6-9 months. though some cats don't have the gene and never will react to it.
2006-09-01 08:24:09 · answer #7 · answered by macleod709 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not really the age of the cat, but the cat itself.
2006-09-01 08:13:31 · answer #8 · answered by Coffinkittie: Mum of 2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they like it, they should like it at any age. I would wait till about six months however so they can grow up free of the influence LOL
2006-09-01 08:13:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
funny that u say that because my cat is about 7 years old, and she does not like it at all, its the strangest thing
2006-09-01 08:25:12 · answer #10 · answered by liss843 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋