Catnip For Kittens How Old

The reaction to a catnip can vary from kitten to kitten.

Catnip for kittens how old. Test your cat s attraction to catnip before going out of your way to buy catnip infused products. These hard wired preferences aren t immediately apparent though since kittens under the age of 3 months don t react to catnip at all. Senior cats also lose sensitivity to it and will generally avoid it. If your cat is an adult you may have one of the few adult cats that do not possess the gene.

Among those cats who do like catnip you ll find two basic kinds of reactions. How catnip improves your cat s quality of life. The catnip reaction is thought to be exhibited due to an inherited characteristic related to an autosomal dominant gene and the effect isn t just exhibited in domestic cats it s also. Kittens whether they possess the gene or not generally do not react to catnip until they are from six to nine months old.

Catnip infused products attract cats interest and can take playtime to the next level. Try reintroducing the catnip then and you will probably find that your cat will greatly enjoy it. It is generally considered safe to use catnip for kittens but it is important to note that some cats may not prove very interested in the herb especially kittens that are younger than two to three months old and some elderly cats. The study noted that kittens under 8 weeks exhibited no reaction to catnip and according to todd when kittens are given it the catnip often produces a distinct avoidance response in young kittens which is gradually replaced by indifference in non responders and by heightened curiosity in responders.

He may wind up falling in love with his catnip toys when he gets a little older but don t be discouraged if he never seems to care. Kittens of under three months old will have no reaction to it and can even be repelled by it. If he s still young give it some time. The herb s influence is genetic so not all cats respond to it according to the humane society of the united states.

Cats may rub against and chew on catnip to bruise the leaves and stems which then release more nepetalactone. At the same time age is also a determinant on how a cat reacts to catnip. If a kitten is going to be a catnip lover you usually can tell that when he is 3 to 6 months old. Furthermore kittens less than 8 weeks old and senior cats tend not to respond as much or at all to catnip.

And if your cat does have the sensitivity it will not emerge until your cat is several months old young kittens are not affected by the chemicals in the plant. The reaction can be intense but it s relatively short lived. Newborn kittens aren t usually responsive to catnip at all until they are about 3 months of age. Although catnip is totally harmless and safe around kittens both to smell and to eat it isn t necessarily effective.