Cat-Aromatherapy

No gimmicks.

Pet-safe.

100% organically grown.

Quality, high-potency, freshly harvested plants.

Non-addictive.

 

Welcome to our cat-aromatherapy section. Like us humans, your furballs also benefit from a little aromatherapy, (courtesy of mother nature).

We’ve sourced a variety of plant remedies from environmentally-conscious farms, that are sure to delight. These naturally grown and sustainably-sourced herbs can help unwind any anxious four-legged friends. Who knew that magical plants could have the ability to remove some of the catalepsy and stresses that modern-day kitties may face?

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Catnip

NEPETA CATARIA

Most people know about Catnip. Also known as Cat Mint and Catwort. Catnip is a native plant in southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of China. It is easy to grow. It is a herbaceous plant, that blooms from spring to fall. It produces very small fragrant flowers. Good news, it is also deer resistant.

Only about two-thirds of cats are drawn to Catnip. Attraction to Catnip is an inherited trait, although kittens 6-months and younger, may not react to Catnip. Cats are attracted by the iridoid called nepetalactone, which also is a mosquito repellent.

Silver Vine

ACTINIDIA POLYGAMA

Did you know? Silver vine is a species of kiwifruit. It generally grows in the mountainous regions of Japan and China at an elevations of 1,600 and 6,200 ft. In order for the Silver vine to produce fruit galls it must be located in a region that supports the natural habitat of  Pseudasphondylia matatabi AKA the Matatabi fruit gall midge.

What is a fruit gall? It looks like a weirdly shaped fruit that has been attacked by insects, generally the Matatabi fruit gall midge. When fruit are invaded by these insect larvae, Silver vine produces natural compounds that help repel the gall midges. Some studies have shown that nepetalactone (a form of which is found in Silver vine galls), has insect repellant qualities. It is interesting that cats are more attracted to the fruit galls than the actual normal fruit itself.

Valerian Root

VALERIANA OFFICINALIS

Valerian Root is the dried root of the Valerian plant. Valerian is native to Asia and Europe. The mature plant can grow up to 5ft in height. The flowers are a sweetly scented pink or white color, these tend to attract many different species of fly. It has a pungent smell, however, it has shown to have an attraction with kitties. The main active component is called Actinidine. Actinidine causes adorable behaviors in kitties.

We’ve marked Valerian Root as being ‘calm’, as it helps reduce anxiety and stress. Your kitty may still roll-n-rub as with Catnip, however, generally after any play, kitty will most probably want to rest.

Catnip

NEPETA CATARIA

Catnip Power Pellets are purrfect if you don’t want lots of flaky herbs everywhere. Our kitties love the pellets as much as the plant fragments. These make for some excellent home-made cat-toys. For your very own instant cat toy, try putting some pellets into a sock and tie a knot. Watch as your kitty bunny-kicks it with glee!

Tip: Catnip Cat Bath

  • Directions: add a few pellets of catnip into a cup of boiling water, let steep for several minutes and then add to your cat’s bathwater. Ensure that you check the general temperature of the bathwater, as kitties are very sensitive to extreme temperatures. Your kitty will enjoy bath-time more!

How Does it Help?

(Benefits vary with each kitty)

May help reduce levels of anxiety or stress.

Helps enhance your cat’s mood.

Can provide an alternative form of enrichment (olfactory stimulation, olfactory = relates to the sense of smell).

Helps encourage your cat to play more (great for the Garfields slouched on the couch).

May have a sedative effect.

The active ingredient has been proven to repel mosquitoes, ticks and mites, cats may have evolved to naturally protect themselves from insects when they are on the hunt, by rolling in the plants and covering their fur in a natural insect repellent!

Catnip can help in training, using it as a positive reinforcement tool, that can help when administering medicine or trimming your kitty’s nails.

Place in a cat-carrier to help entice cat for transport to vet or new dwelling, may help ease tension.

Can help kitty during stressful situations, such as a new cat in the home.

Catnip be added to a cat bath should that difficult situation arises. Helping calm your kitty = less splashing and scatching of human’s arms and hands!

Make a patty/poultice of catnip for any cat cuts or scratches.

How Do Kitties React?

(Responses may be different with each kitty)

Playful

Super-Affectionate

Rubbing their head, chin or cheeks on the plant material

Sniffing the plant material

Licking the plant material

Rolling around in the plant material

Drooling

Bunny-kicking with their back legs

 

FAQS

My cat doesn’t react to Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root, is this normal?

Whether or not your cat reacts to Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root or is determined by its genetics, the ability to detect certain pheromones is an inherited trait. About 65% of cats react to catnip, which means that a third of cats won’t exhibit those adorable catnip-behaviors, such as drooling, rolling around and rubbing their heads in it. Kittens, six months and younger, often don’t react to catnip either. When our cat Yoda was young, she didn’t react to Catnip at all. That’s a different story these days, when we give her a little pinch, she becomes all lovey-dovey! Of the few cats that don’t react to catnip, many react to Silver vine or Valerian Root instead.

Will my cat get addicted to any of these cat-aromatherapy plants?

No. These plants aren’t addictive, in-fact, many of the responses from your kitty to any of the plant packs we offer, may only last around 5-15 minutes. It may be less or more depending on the kitty. You may also notice that after the initial 10 minutes of reactions, your kitty will be immune to the plant’s effects for around 1-2 hours.

What is it that makes kitties react to these plants?

The active ingredients in catnip is known as an iridoid, namely nepetalactone. Silver vine fruit gall active ingredients have been identified as Actinidine, Iridomyrmecin and Dihydronepetalactone compounds. Yup that’s quite a mouthful, no cat will ever need to recite nor remember these scientific names to benefit from their wonderous effects. Silver vine actually contains six different compounds that are similar to catnip, one of these is also found in Valerian Root (Actinidine). Which is also a cat attract pheromone.

Is the plastic plant packaging safe?

Yes, we only use food-grade plastic to package the dried-plants. The bags also have a great crinkly-sound which cats seems to love!

Why have you classified the Valerian Root as ‘Calm’?

While different cats exhibit a range of various behaviors, Valerian Root helps alleviate anxiety and signs of stress. It’s not to say that your cat may still roll around, be very playful, or act in a similar fashion to that displayed with Catnip or Silver vine.

If my cat doesn’t react to Catnip will it react to Valerian Root or Silver vine?

Some cats react more to Valerian Root or Silver vine than Catnip. It depends on the cat. Again, genetics determine whether or not your kitty will react.

How will my cat react to the Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root?

Cats react in different ways. Some of the effects include drooling, rolling-around, playing or acting super-protective. You need to observe your cat and see what happens. We try not to go near our cat Spock after sprinkling the Silver vine, he gets super excited and forgets that humans-hands are not chew-toys.

How much Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root should I give my cat?

A small sprinkling of Catnip or Valerian Root should do the trick. Silver vine only requires a small pinch. Cats are quite sensitive, so contrary to popular belief, more isn’t necessarily better!

How should I store my Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root?

Once opened, the pack can be rolled-up at the end, we use a paper clip to keep the pack closed. Our packs are small servings, this helps maintain the freshness and potency of the plant. Also, we recommend that you keep it in a dry, cool, dark environment, such as a cupboard.

Can I mix Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root together and what will happen?

Absolutely, you can mix together all plant varieties, again the response will depend on your cat. Just remember, that you don’t need a lot to elicit a reaction.

What’s different about your Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root to others on the market?

Our plants are sourced and tested to ensure that they work as desired and are safe for our kitties. Yoda, Spock and Jin-G are our fur-babies, as such we wouldn’t give them anything that wasn’t natural or that had nasty chemicals in them. Secondly we don’t use gimmicks, we try to educate pet-parents about why plants like Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root cause cats to behave in a certain way and how they can be used to benefit your cat, when used in training or just for fun! We use the science to explain the benefits and the reactions.

Why is it a good idea to interchange Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root?

Cats love variety, giving them a choice of alternatives adds more stimulation to their lives (especially if they live indoors). Plus, there are no side effects, so let your kitty enjoy the sensations offered by these plants. Remember, as humans, we too love variety, e.g. we may love cookies as treats, but we may also love our cake and eating it too, it is the same deal with our fur-balls!

Are these plants safe and non-toxic?

YES, they are safe and non-toxic. None of the plants we offer (Catnip/Silver vine/Valerian Root) are listed as poisonous or toxic by the Animal Poison Control Center (SafetyCall International, Bloomington, MN, USA) or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (New York, NY, USA).

Beware

Not all Catnip, Silver vine or Valerian Root is of the same quality. Pay attention to what you buy. Many products are not fresh and as a result may not be very effective as delivering a response from your kitty.

We’ve also discovered the Silver vine comes in many forms, some more potent than others. Several studies have indicated that the most effective forms of Silver vine are sourced from roughly crushed Silver vine dried fruit galls. (That’s what we recommend buying).

 

Directions CatnipSilver VineValerian Root

How To Use Your Cat Herbs So That Your Kitty Gets The Best Experience!

Use a generous pinch of Catnip or Valerian Root. Only use a small pinch of Silver Vine. Use 1-2 pellets in toys.

Cats behave differently, reactions may last around 5-15 minutes. Wait 1-2 hours before giving more, as the cat will not react after the initial effects. We recommend using only once a day.

Cats react differently, behaviors include: drooling, rolling-around, purring, rubbing their head, big-eyes, friskiness, cute playing followed by a rest period.

Store in cool, dark container. Packets are small to maintain freshness. Use a clip to keep pack shut tight after opening.