catnip

[Sol]

Originally Posted by ForJazz

I have never heard of catnip being GOOD for a cat...everything I've read about basically comes to the same conclusion -- no one really knows what it does to their brain. It has a chemical in it that causes some cats to react as if they have taken a stimulant. I forgot the name of the chemical, but basically that is all I have found about it. I personally don't like the idea of giving my cats something which the effect or impact on a cat's brain is unknown. And their reactions are similar to a person who has just taken drugs. So...I don't really like catnip. But I have used it on their scratching posts to get them acquainted with them - as well as their cat hammock. It worked really well, but I don't really want to use it other than that until it can be proven that it is NOT harmful to a cat's brain.

It doesn't sound like your cat really likes the catnip in the food if he/she will only eat it if you put a tiny amount in there. I'd put it somewhere else -- not right in the food. What drjean said made a lot of sense.

I believe the chemical you're talking about is feromone. You can call it a chemical "sex substance". Both people and cats realese feromones and when the cat smells feromones it gets excited (somewhat like sexually excited).

There are as far as I know no studies that say that cat nip is brain damaging or dangerous in any other way.

[ForJazz]

Originally Posted by Sol

I believe the chemical you're talking about is feromone. You can call it a chemical "sex substance". Both people and cats realese feromones and when the cat smells feromones it gets excited (somewhat like sexually excited).

There are as far as I know no studies that say that cat nip is brain damaging or dangerous in any other way.

I'm not talking about feramones that cats release -- I said that I was talking about a chemical IN catnip. I found the name -- it's called monoterpene, nepetalactone. They respond to this and the aromatic oils. And you're right -- there aren't any studies that I have found either stating that it is brain damaging. As I also said, all the actual STUDIES I have found about it don't come to any conclusion -- that's my reservation.