Catnip for cats and cats

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A plant that has a similar effect on cats as valerian is called catnip.

What is it for? It is used to correct the pet’s behavior, and also as a sedative, or, on the contrary, a nerve receptor stimulant.

Its second name is lemon catnip.

This herb has a special, spicy smell that cats really like.

Even in Ancient Egypt, catnip was used as bait for both ordinary domestic cats and wild felines - panthers, leopards.

By the way, the toyger , savannah and bengal cat are considered small copies of real wild animals, and many exotic lovers are happy to have such an obstinate cat at home.

Cats love the smell of catnip

2 Why do cats love catnip?
3 How can you use catnip?
4 Growing catnip at home
5 Can I give catnip to a pregnant cat?

How Animals React to Catnip

This name has been given to the plant since ancient times due to the addiction of cats to it. Mint contains an essential oil called nepetaloctone, which, when it enters the animal’s nasal passage, is absorbed into the body and has an effect on the cat’s nerve receptors. Your pet seems to be under the influence of euphoria, the animal rubs against a plant or object with the same aroma, purrs, meows and may secrete saliva.

Catnip acts on the animal as an exciting pheromone; cats behave identically during the mating period. But this lasts no more than 10 minutes, then cats are not sensitive to mint for a couple of hours or more. Approximately 70% of cats react to this herb, and some cats are not sensitive to the smell.

Folk recipes

To prepare an effective medicine according to prescriptions, the catnip must first be cut and properly dried. During the period of active flowering, 15 cm of herbaceous catnip is measured from the top along the stem, after which it is cut and dried in a dark room with good ventilation. After the above manipulations, the plant is placed in paper packaging, where it is stored until the date of sale. It is worth paying attention to the fact that after time, the workpiece does not lose its beneficial properties, but, on the contrary, accumulates them. Two-year preparations are more effective in treatment.

During infectious diseases, for example, a sore throat or sore throat, you should brew a drink containing 3 - 4 teaspoons of herbs and 200 ml of water. The drink must steep for half an hour, after which it must be filtered. The remaining herbs are squeezed into the same container. You should gargle with the prepared drink three times a day.
To get rid of insomnia, you should prepare a recipe from catnip, hops and mint. In equal proportions, all ingredients are placed in a container and mixed, after which everything is poured into a thermos and filled with water (200 ml). The drink should be infused for at least one hour, after which it should be strained. You should drink 100 ml of it every day after dinner in the evening.
For effective treatment of stomach cramps or gastritis, catnip should be used in a course. To do this, you should brew no more than 1 teaspoon of catnip per 200 ml glass. The drink must be infused for several hours and then filtered. The finished potion should be taken before each meal, 1 tsp.

Catnip tea

Catnip decoctions have a beneficial effect on the body not only of sick people, but also of healthy people. This fact indicates that the plant is universal in its use and can be used for the purpose of preventive manipulation. Perhaps the most important qualities are:

Stimulating the activity of the diuretic apparatus by cleansing the kidneys. In parallel with this, there is a decrease in swelling of the kidneys in humans.
Has a beneficial effect on blood vessels. This helps to suppress internal and external bleeding during injuries.
The active ingredients of the herb react with sputum during the course of influenza or acute respiratory infections. During these diseases, tea interacts with other medications, promoting the removal of phlegm when coughing.
With the help of catnip tea, it is possible to muffle pain syndromes for a while.
Prevents phenomena such as colic, cramps and spasms. Quite a large number of people are faced with a similar pathology, so using catnip decoction three times a day will effectively get rid of unwanted manifestations.
Catnip tea has a direct effect on the human central nervous system, as a result of which a person feels more comfortable and confident.
When taking a medicine based on catnip, the human immune system increases, which makes it possible to more effectively resist pathogenic bacteria and pathogenic microflora.
Helps reduce inflammation of infectious origin, which is a consequence of not only external, but also internal use of medications.

Thanks to all of the above beneficial properties of catnip, it has been actively used since ancient times to this day. One has only to remember that the plant is multidisciplinary and contains a large number of substances that can cause the development of an allergic reaction. Before using catnip, you should consult your healthcare professional.

All the best and don’t get sick!

Why give cats catnip?

During training, as a treat for encouragement;
Calm, motionless animals become active and playful;
When you need to accustom a cat to a scratching post;
Relax the animal before or after stress;
Accustom to sleeping place by spraying spray or essential oil;
They are also added to medications to make the animal more willing to consume the desired product, such as vitamins.

Treats and vitamins with mint

Diagnostics

One of the key methods for determining the acidity of the stomach is to conduct a urease breath test to identify the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Also, PCR and ELISA studies are performed to identify antibodies to this microorganism. Other mandatory research methods for suspected gastritis with high acidity include:

Endoscopic examination of the stomach (gastroscopy). Using this method, the condition of the stomach, esophagus and duodenum is assessed. If necessary, during the examination, fragments of the mucous membrane are taken (biopsy).
Intragastric pH-metry. To conduct the study, a pH-metric transnasal probe is used, which is connected to an autonomous recording unit. If the pH of the gastric contents is less than 1.5 units, then the diagnosis of hyperacid gastritis is confirmed.

An ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs may be prescribed as an auxiliary examination method.

Catnip toys for cats

To keep your cat from getting bored and want to please her, you can buy a variety of plush or rubber toys with the scent of catnip, mice filled with mint, mint balls, and a variety of fish. But it is important to regularly check the toy for wear, it may be torn somewhere, and be sure to replace it with a new one. You can purchase a spray or essential oil and treat existing toys with this product. This way, you will revive interest in familiar and boring toys.

Tip: We recommend hiding toys with catnip at night, otherwise you won’t be able to sleep.

Planting catnip in open ground

When to plant

There is nothing difficult about planting catnip in open ground. Bushes are planted in garden beds in spring. However, you can also use flower pots and containers for this. If desired, this herbaceous plant can be grown from seeds, but gardeners often use ready-made seedlings for planting; they can be purchased at a specialty store. A faster and easier way to grow catnip is to plant ready-made seedlings. Moreover, they can be planted in open ground both at the beginning of the spring and in the fall.

Optimal landing site

Catnip is not particularly demanding when it comes to growing conditions. However, it grows best in soil that allows water and air to pass through well. On sandy soil the bushes grow more fragrant

Also, when choosing a suitable location, you need to pay special attention to lighting; if possible, it is better to choose the western or southern side of the building. Catnip will also do well on a quiet slope or in an herb garden that should have good protection from the wind.

Remember that different species and varieties may have different requirements for choosing the optimal planting location. For example:

Varieties with gray foliage. A well-warmed, sunny area is suitable for growing them, and the soil must be moisture- and breathable. At the same time, in nature, species plants with gray leaves often grow on poor rocky soil, so they do not need frequent feeding and can withstand short-term drought.
Varieties with green foliage. They grow best in moist, nutritious soil, but the area should not be excessively soggy. They prefer well-lit areas, but also grow quite well in shaded areas. It is not recommended to plant such varieties in well-warmed areas, for example, on the south side of the house.

In order to improve the growth and development of catnip, it is recommended to add a little dolomite flour or lime during planting. When choosing a place for planting, you should also take into account that this herbaceous plant reproduces well by self-seeding.

Rules for sowing seeds

Growing catnip from seeds is quite simple, the main thing is to take into account some nuances:

Since the seeds are very hard, immediately before sowing they are placed in the freezer, where they should remain for one night.
After the seed material is removed from the freezer, it is poured into a container with water and left for one day. As a result of such preparation, it will be possible to destroy the protective layer of the seeds, which will significantly speed up their germination.
Sowing of seeds is carried out in a seedling box or in open ground.
The first shoots should appear after 1–1.5 weeks. After they grow a little, they are seated.

Planting and care of "Catnip blue carpet"

Watch this video on YouTube

Planting in open ground

The growth rate of catnip directly depends on the species and variety. Moreover, in the most suitable conditions, the bushes can grow quite dense. Therefore, when planting bushes, a distance of 0.3–0.5 meters should be maintained between them.

As a rule, 3 to 8 catnip bushes can be placed per 1 m2 of land. When planted in containers or pots, the bushes can be planted more densely, thereby creating a beautiful composition.

Step-by-step instructions for planting catnip in the ground:

remove all weeds from the site and dig up the soil;
the roots of the seedlings should be immersed in a container of water so that they can be saturated with moisture, thanks to this they will get sick less and quickly take root in a new place;
make small holes in the prepared soil;
plant the bushes in the holes to the depth at which they were in the container;
fill the bushes with soil and make a small depression around them;
Water the planted catnip well.

How to Give Catnip to a Cat

Catnip comes in the form of dry herb, you can fill toys or sprinkle it in the right place. The product is in the form of a spray, convenient to take with you in the car, to an exhibition, or when moving. Now there is a huge selection of products for consumption containing catnip. A variety of treats and vitamins.

Catnip plant stem

The stem of the plant in the form of fragrant sticks is used to clean your pet's teeth. Also, on the recommendation of a veterinarian, you can purchase drops to reduce the sex drive of cats.

Kinds

Outwardly it looks like a simple plant with a straight stem and blue-violet flowers collected in inflorescences. Many people confuse it with lemon balm due to the similarity of smell and slightly similar appearance.

How to distinguish lemon balm and catnip?

Melissa has a more faded leaf color. If you grind them, the lemony spicy aroma is much stronger, but with catnip it is more delicate, more like the smell of lemongrass. By the way, for this reason it is very popular in French cuisine.

Brief description of the main species, including those bred artificially on the basis of wild varieties:

Hungarian catnip is a plant listed in the Red Book, used for landscaping, and collected as a medicinal raw material.
Veined or veined catnip is a grass for landscape design. One of the breeding varieties is blue catnip, with brightly colored flowers.
Catnip racemosus is a variety used in marinades as a spice (synonymous names are Catnip musina, Catnip mussini). Also used to flavor liqueurs.
Catnip grandiflora is an ornamental plant with beautifully colored large inflorescences.
Lemon catnip is one of the names of catnip, the most common. In addition to wild species, there are artificially bred ones for flower beds (for example, Catnip “Centaur”). All of these species have a pleasant lemon scent.
Sessile catnip is a popular species in landscape design and is used in the formation of alpine hills and other decorative rocky areas.
Siberian catnip is a wild perennial herb that gets its name from its geographic range. It grows not only in Siberia, but also in Mongolia and Central Asia.
Fassen catnip is an ornamental hybrid with large, bright flowers.