I recently became lucky enough to provide a new home for the cute kitty cat below. She’s a great addition to the family! She has a little bit of kitten in her, although she’s full grown, and her friskiness has inspired me to write on catnip and the fun effect it can have on cats.
Catnip is a favorite amongst our furry four-legged friends! The scent of catnip can put a cat in a complete state of euphoria, at least for a few minutes. Scientists cannot pin-point exactly what it is, what happens, to trigger this reaction in cats, but one thing is for sure, if your cat is in the lucky 66% to be susceptible to the effects of catnip, they will LOVE you if you give them some to role around with!
Catnip is an herb in the mint family. It is an extremely easy plant to grow, but does require a good amount of room, as it will grow quickly and expand quickly. It’s recommended that you either border the plant, or grow it in a large plant pot.
To begin, you’ll want to plant seeds in the Springtime. Catnip likes well drained soil and normal to light watering. It does not necessarily need very nutrient rich soil and can do well in full sun or partial sun. Be sure to space the seeds out to allow for room to grow. Fertilizer will most likely not be needed, but if you’d prefer, you can use a slow release fertilizer during planting time, and maybe 2-3 times throughout the year.
Within 2-3 months, your plants should be growing well and they will begin to bloom. Typically, catnip flowers are white, light blue, light purple, or light pink. The leaves are the “good stuff”. The oil contained in the leaves is the smelly substance that drives your cat crazy!
To harvest your catnip, just snip off the top portion of each stem, including the top leaves and flowers. The herb can be given to your cat fresh, or you can dry it. Fresh leaves are more potent, but by drying them, you can stretch your harvest further.
To dry the herb, hang the stems, leaves, and flowers upside-down in a dry area. You can then crumple everything up and sprinkle a little on your kitchen floor (or any easy to clean area of your home) and watch your kitty cat goes bonkers!
In addition, catnip is, after all, and herb from the mint family. It has a slightly lemony taste to it. Many gardeners enjoy catnip tea, as medical research suggests that catnip has a calming effect on humans, much like valerian root. The oil of the catnip plant has also been shown to repel mosquitoes.
I suggest purchasing a small amount of catnip at your local pet store to see if your cat gets some enjoyment out of it. If they do, trust me, it will be worth it to plant some catnip in your garden. Not only will your cat enjoy the effects, but you will be extremely entertained by your cats goofiness! Until next time, take care and happy gardening!
