Do they work on cats?
Catnip is a plant that has a compound called nepetalactone, and when cats smell it, it can make them feel all happy and excited. However, not all cats are into it. About one-third of them don't really care about catnip. So, if you're thinking about treating your kitty to some catnip fun, just know that not all cats are going to join the party!
What if my cat doesn't react to catnip? Are there any alternatives?
Silver vine is a good alternative to catnip and produces a euphoric effect on cats that’s similar to catnip. A research in 2017 by Bol et al. found that, consistent with previous studies, approximately one-third of cats did not respond to catnip. However, almost 80% of domestic cats exhibited a response to silver vine. We offer catnip and silvervine products; please find some below:
Silver Vine Products
Catnip Products
Can I use them on kittens?
Catnip and silver vine are not harmful to kittens, but most cats won't react to them until they are 6 months to 1 year of age. Our cat Momo did not respond to catnip until an age of 1. Once he was older he started to love catnip toys and went crazy on them!
References
Bol, S., Caspers, J., Buckingham, L. et al. Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and catnip (Nepeta cataria). BMC Vet Res 13, 70 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-017-0987-6.