Overview:
Cats are similar to humans in many ways. Just like we need some ‘me-time after an exhausting day just to refresh ourselves, our cats require some refreshment too. After all, they work so hard throughout the day when you’re gone. From reigning over their kingdom to hunting the pests, they juggle so many jobs at once. That’s why giving them a treat won’t make you a bad parent. Sometimes, cats earn the treat.
To provide them with a joyful me-time, you can use catnip herbs. Cats usually enjoy this herb due to its Europhobic and hallucinogenic feelings. Don’t worry about the addiction to this herb. Catnip is non-addictive, natural, and safe for your cats.
What Is Catnip?
Catnip can be described as a herb with a strong scent that belongs to the mint family. This herb is native to Central Europe and now can be found in Canada as well as the Northeast United States. Its leaves are dark-colored, oval-toothed, and feature white flowering tops. Catnip is well-known for having healing properties. Its white flowers and dried leaves are used for medical treatments. It is famous for treating anxiety, insomnia, and headache. However, most people are not aware of the fact that catnip can be very useful for our feline fellows as well.
Catnip as a Tea:
We would recommend learning to make a catnip tea as it can provide multiple health benefits to your cat. As per some reports, the benefits include mosquito repulsion and reduced anxiety. You can use it as a safe and refreshing treat for your fur baby as catnip tea can target the “happy” receptors found in a feline’s brain. Their common reaction after drinking this tea is flipping, rolling, rubbing, and zoning out eventually. Some cats might also react by making loud meows and jumping because every cat shows a unique and strange reaction to catnip tea.
Catnip as a Treat:
Although the catnip tea is an excellent treat for cats that they enjoy having, that’s not the only catnip treat they can have. You can take some dried catnip leaves and sprinkle them in any area where you want the cat to go. Other than that, you can also buy liquid catnip and spray it on your cat’s favorite toys. This technique of giving them treats would be helpful during training.
Can Cats Drink Catnip Tea?
Cats that enjoy experiencing dried catnip will surely like the catnip tea. However, you need to ensure proper serving. A cat would only drink the tea once it is completely cooled down. Besides, if your vat doesn’t seem interested in the tea, you are advised not to force it.
Whether small or big, our feline babies show an inclination towards catnip. On the other hand, some cats might turn out to be sensitive to this herb. The oil of catnip can have a big impact on cats’ behavior. Known as Nepetalactone, the catnip oil can be found in the leaves of catnip plants. By smelling the substance, cats can be exposed to the catnip’s smell. All in all, catnip herb is not harmful to your cat. If a cat doesn’t like the herb, it will simply refuse to take it.
This herb is known for mimicking the sex hormones of felines, hence the cats display similar behavior after exposure to catnip as the cats in heat. They only need to sniff the catnip oil and they’ll soon start to lick, chew, and roll head-over-tails in joy.
How to Make Catnip Tea?
Before sharing the recipe, we would like to notify you that the recipe is quite flexible. You can adjust it according to your convenience and likeness.
Ingredients:
You only require two ingredients to make a catnip tea. These ingredients are:
- 1 tbsp dried catnip
- 2 cups of water
Direction:
- First, you need to take dried catnip and place it in a tea steeper
- Next, take boiling water and pour it over the catnip. You’ll notice how quickly the catnip will be hydrated again and appear to look as if it was freshly plucked from the plant.
- Now, let it steep for the next 3-5 minutes
- Finally, drain the tea into a vessel and let it chill
- Alternatively, you can drain the tea over ice and it will be ready to serve
You can also make the tea tastier by adding lemon juice and honey to the tea. Since you will be serving it to your cat, the catnip tea should be cooled completely before serving. In case you have made an excessive amount of tea, you can keep it in the fridge and it will be safe to use for almost five days. Catnip tea cannot be classified as a medicine, yet it can make your cat feel better in many circumstances.
Sufficient Amount of Dose:
Be vigilant about the dose you give to your cats. They should not be getting a very high amount of catnip. A little quantity can go a long way. They can enjoy a small quantity of catnip and shortly after that, their senses would stop catching that buzz for the next few hours.
How Long Will the Catnip Affect the Cat?
Even though the bliss after drinking tea can be intense, it won’t last much longer. In most cats, the effects end after about 10 minutes. For some cats, the euphoria and pleasure can be channeled into aggressive playfulness. On the other hand, some cats become calm and mellow after drinking tea.
Conclusion:
As much as cats enjoy catnip, excessive exposure to it would have negative effects on cats. Nevertheless, treating them with their favorite treat won’t be a problem as long as you know the right amount to be given. We hope that you learned how to make catnips for cats. It’s a simple and easy procedure that can be followed by anyone. Keep in mind that not all feline babies are going to like this herb. You can test their likeness for catnip before buying the herb or making its tea. If they find it interesting, this herb would upgrade their me-time to the next level.