Everyone says that a cat cannot be poisoned by catnip (Nepeta cataria) in the conventional sense. The worse that can happen is that it may cause vomiting if large quantities are ingested and it may cause a headache and general malaise/lethargy, according to the Pet Poison Helpline. Other experts say the same thing.
It’s a shame that there is nothing equivalent for humans. It appears that catnip is non-addictive but provides a cat with a high for around 15 minutes. They have a great experience and when it’s worn off there appear to be no side effects or negatives to that chemically induced experience. What human drug can achieve that?
The guys on Reddit.com suggest that magic mushrooms or cannabis, cocaine might be the equivalent but I don’t think they are because to the best of my knowledge cannabis can lead to addiction of more serious drugs. Cannabis can also cause mental health issues in certain people predisposed to mental health issues. Cocaine can certainly do that. I don’t know about magic mushrooms but as far as I know all the classic recreational drugs providing a high that humans use can negatively affect health.
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To the best of our knowledge, the same cannot be said about catnip for cats. Just think how the world would be improved if humans had their version of catnip 😉. There would probably be a reduction in the number of drug addicts and broken lives. Although there would be people rolling around on the sidewalk purring while they sniffed the human equivalent of a catnip leaf! A sight for sore eyes.
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One well-known website says that an overdose of catnip produces ‘poison-like symptoms’ but I think that’s misleading. I don’t think a headache and vomiting are poison-like symptoms necessarily. And how many domestic cat overdose on catnip? I’ve only heard about it when it’s been discussed theoretically. I’ve never read a news item reporting on a domestic cat overdosing on the stuff.
Catnip is also beneficial to a whole range of species of cat including the big cats such as leopards, tigers, lions and jaguars. Snow leopards demonstrate the same delight at sniffing the stuff. It can be eaten by cats in moderation without any negatives. They say about 70% of adult cats are affected by it so it does not affect every individual. A cat is born a catnip junkie or not so the difference is genetic. Kittens do not respond to catnip and for the first two months of life they avoid it. At around three months old kittens can be divided into two groups: those that no longer avoid it but ignore it and treat it like any other plant and those that are catnip junkies.
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The experts don’t know the exact chemical process which causes this delightful reaction. Nobody has worked it out yet. But it is a well-known fact that the chemical nepetalactone present in the stems and leaves is the active ingredient which triggers a state of feline ecstasy. Purrrr.
