# Is my kitty immune to catnip?



## aquino46 (May 25, 2006)

I have heard that some cats are immune to the effects of catnip. I have also heard that some young cats do not like catnip until they are older.
My Darcy is a 6-month-old kitty. Yesterday I went on a shopping spree for her, I got her some little mice toys with catnip, a a cat sack with catnip, and some catnip bubbles. I was expecting her to be really excited since she had never been exposed to catnip before. Instead, she ignored the mice, and didn't even go into the sack. The worst was when I excitedly blew the bubbles at her and she actually hissed and hid from me. I've never even heard her hiss before!

So, my question is: is there a way to make certain that your cat is getting a natural high from the catnip. or should I just stop waisting my money on catnip products?

-thanks


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## RRM91210 (Jul 26, 2006)

We got our less- than- one year old cat TONS of catnip toys, and I mean LOTS and lots. HUGE MISTAKE!, she hates it!, I don't know if it her age or what but I've heard some cats dislike catnip they just do. I had to give the humane society all of our toys because the kitty hissed and walked away from them!, we even tried to force her to smell it, she hated it ,ran away from us and we gave up. Now whenever I don't want my cat to get close to something in my house I just put a hint of catnip on it, it works!.

Cats are supposed to dislike citrus smells, my cat doesn't mind them!. Isn't that weird?. In any case my husband was very dissapointed, he was dying to see our kitty getting high on "kitty marihuana" like he calls it but it didn't work out.


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## Azurah (Jun 29, 2006)

My cat seems to be immune to catnip too. I got her a cardboard scratch mat that came with a bag of catnip. I sprinked a generous of catnip on it and stuck it in on the carpet where she usually scratches. She completely ignored it. She still hasn't ever once used the scratch mat and we've had it for months.

She has a few catnip toys that she doesn't show any interest in either. It's possible that the catnip is old and lost it's potency, but I'm thinking it just doesn't do anything for my cat.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My baby has no reaction at all. I also bought a lot of catnip toys and sat down to see the "show." She just looked at me like I was nuts because I was watching her so closely. I think she was thinking, "Good grief, girl, get a life!" :roll:


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## ionestar (Jun 18, 2004)

lol I once bought catnip bubbles for my cats, what was i thinking?? :roll: we are not dealing with dogs here :lol: my cats hate water so they would run away from the bubbles ... :lol: :lol: only one of them would aproach to smell the bubbles imagine her face every time they bursted ... nooo she wasn't so happy


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## zippy96444 (Mar 7, 2006)

I was told that some cats have a gene that makes them react to cat nip and then was told it was age. Mine doe not like it either and could care less.


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## Annissa (Dec 9, 2003)

About 25% of cats don't care for catnip. Also, the response to catnip is a sexual one. That's why kittens don't react.

Sabby loved catnip. I bought him those catnip bubbles too. He was really interested until one popped in his face. He was scared of them after that.


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

None of my 2 kitties (the ones that I had since they were little) liked catnip when they were under 2 years of age. I tried again after they turned older and they were drooling over it. Whenever you will use it again, when your kitty will grow older, get good quality catnip (cosmic is a good one) and rub it between your fingers to release the oils and smell. 
It is great to use when we go away from home - gives them something extra to keep them busy. And then, it is so funny to watch them having a blast, paying on their own. I don't interfere with them when they have their catnip because they are highly stimulated it and they can hurt me involuntarily.


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