What would happen if I gave my dog cat nip? I'm just curious, I don't plan on it or anything. I've never given it to my cats, so I just wanted to know what would happen. And what EXACTLY does cat nip do to cats? I've heard 2 different stories. One will mellow them out, like pot does to people, and the other is it will hype them up. Is it one or the other, or is it both??
And no smart-@ss answers plz!
2007-01-09 01:09:21 · 9 answers · asked by Pluto 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I doubt it'll do anything to your dog. he'll probably just sniff it and walk away. as for cats, whenever i give my cats something something with catnip in it, they rub themselves all over it, hold it with their front paws and kick at it with their back paws..then they just get super goofy and roll all over the place. they mellow waaaaaay out. I dont know if it makes them high, "per se" i think we just say that because they act like a person who is high.
2007-01-09 01:46:42 · answer #1 · answered by Dani 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Catnip" is the common name for a perennial herb of the mint family. It is native to Europe and is an import to the United States and other countries. The catnip plant is now a widespread weed in North America.
Given to the right cat, catnip can cause an amazing reaction! The cat will rub it, roll over it, kick at it, and generally go nuts for several minutes. Then the cat will lose interest and walk away. Two hours later, the cat may come back and have exactly the same response.
Because there really isn't any scent that causes this sort of reaction in humans, catnip is hard for us to understand. However, it is not an uncommon behavior in animals that rely heavily on their noses. For example, there are many scents that will trigger intense hunting behavior in dogs, and other scents will cause dogs to stop in their tracks and roll all over the scent.
Although no one knows exactly what happens in the cat's brain, it is known that the chemical nepetalactone in catnip is the thing that triggers the response. Apparently, it somehow kicks off a stereotypical pattern in cats that are sensitive to the chemical. The catnip reaction is inherited, and some cats are totally unaffected by it. Large cats like tigers can be sensitive to it as well.
The reaction to catnip only lasts a few minutes. Then the cat acclimates to it, and it can take an hour or two away from catnip for the cat to "reset." Then, the same reaction can occur again. Very young kittens and older cats seem less likely to have a reaction to catnip.
Cat nip usually does not affect dogs or other animals. My male cat get's so goofy, he rolls off the steps. I have to keep it in hanging baskets and as soon as you reach of a piece, he attacks you. Fresh is always better and very easy to grow. If you do not want it taking over your yard, keep it in a pot! Cat mint works as well but does not have the intense effect cat nip does.
I also use cat nip and cat mint in tea for heartburn. Yes it is an herb and can be used as tea.
2007-01-09 01:43:25 · answer #2 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Its not undesirable...it purely creates a feeling of euphoria which wears off in some hours. enable him have some relaxing each as quickly as in awhile. A chemical compound talked approximately as nepetalactone, the same old constituent interior the essential oil of catnip, induces a risk unfastened physiological reaction in some cats." How will my cat respond to catnip? "(The) physiological reactions in some cats...has been studied appreciably, and has been discovered to bring about a psychosexual reaction in the two male and lady cats. One might say that catnip has an aphrodisiac effect." questioning what variety of cat habit you will see? Your cat might have any or each and each of right here catnip effects: -- meow and roll interior the catnip -- rub their cheeks against the spot the place catnip has been sprinkled -- get into stupid positions alongside with on their lower back with paws prolonged, looking at up on the ceiling -- run around the room like a kitten twiddling with its invisible chum -- settle right into a dreamy, sleepy stupid pose and not flow for awhile. Cats may be very possessive of their catnip or their catnip toys, and a few cats have been aggressive after use. in the journey that your cat does grow to be aggressive with catnip use, cease using catnip and think of roughly attempting an decision alongside with honeysuckle or valerian toys.
2016-12-15 19:29:50 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's no reason not to give your cats cat nip. It makes mine hyper for a little while...they're fun to watch...then they get mellow.
Cat nip doesn't have any effect on dogs.
2007-01-09 01:20:50 · answer #4 · answered by Meg M 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
cat nip is like alcohol to the cats. For a dog, it only makes them act funny just like the cats act funny when they eat cat nip.
2007-01-09 01:31:12 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Even though I am no vet; I would assume it depends upon the dog. You can give people a certain medication and one person will sleep like a baby and the other will be jumping off the walls.
2007-01-09 02:08:24 · answer #6 · answered by Veneta T 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
BEST ANSWER!!!
Dogs have no reaction to catnip. Some cats have receptors sensitive to catnip and act stragely for an hour or so whenfirst exposed, then lose interest, but after a few hours they can have the reaction again. for mor info see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catnip
2007-01-09 01:46:07 · answer #7 · answered by realh2h 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well in my class my teacher told me that cat nip makes cat high
2007-01-09 01:18:08 · answer #8 · answered by jenny212lov 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
dogs don't like catnip
2007-01-09 01:15:54 · answer #9 · answered by Lisa M 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋