Have you ever tried catnip on your cat? Does catnip oil for cats work? We’re answering all of these questions and more in today’s post.
But before we move on to the other sections, we’d like to recommend you a product that we have found to be most effective in calming and relaxing your cat. It’s called munchiecat Organic Catnip for Cats and the best thing about it is that it’s made with all-natural ingredients.
It’s concentrated and efficient and it even comes in a spray bottle for easy application on your feline buddy’s toys that seem to have lost their charm!
If this one’s not available, we recommend Smokey’s Stash Catnip for Cats in a 2-ounce container.
| Recommendation | Notable mentions |
|---|---|
| munchiecat Organic Catnip for Cats | 100% organic & safe |
| Smokey's Stash Catnip for Cats | Safe for adults and kittens |
| Petcraft Supply Premium Potent Catnip | Free of pesticides & chemicals |
Catnip essential oil for cats – Reviews
Contents
Some essential oils are safe enough to be used for our feline friends, but they have to be used in very small quantities.
While it would be unsafe for me to advise you to use plenty of catnip oil in your diffuser, putting just one drop into it will definitely not overwhelm your cat’s senses.
Without further ado, here are my top favorites when it comes to good catnip oil for sale these days.
1. munchiecat Organic Catnip USA Grown Liquid
When getting products for your feline companion, you should always aim at the best ingredients. Well, that’s where munchiecat’s product stands out from the crowd.
It is a 100% organic catnip essential oil, which means that you don’t have to worry about your cat being exposed to any nasty ingredients such as additives or preservatives.
Besides being healthy, it’s also conveniently packaged in a bottle that makes it easy for you to apply it on your cat’s bedding, her favorite toys, scratches, or even your pet’s perch if she seems to have lost interest in it.
It’s also worth noting that you can use it as a training tool, one that can tell your cat when it’s time to wind down and perhaps even have a snooze.
2. Smokey’s Stash Catnip for Cats Maximum Potency
This catnip oil product comes in a 2-ounce bottle, so you should have enough for it to last you for several weeks to several months, depending on how often you use it.
The best thing about the Smokey’s Stash alternative is that it is completely safe both for adults and kittens, so you don’t have to worry about anything in this respect.
Similarly to the same product that we have first showcased here, Smokey’s Stash’s option can be used both for rejigging your cat’s old toys and for teaching your cat where it’s okay to scratch.
You should also know that it’s received a lot of favorable reviews, too, so pet parents have approved of it.
3. Pet Craft Supply Premium Potent Catnip
The Pet Craft Supply Store catnip oil is also natural and organic, and it’s made to be completely safe and healthy for feline friends of all ages.
It doesn’t contain any nasty ingredients like pesticides or chemicals of any kind, so it’s safe to apply on your cat’s scratching posts, beds, or any other accessories and toys he or she might be using.
Granted, the bottle is a little larger than what you might be used to, and the truth is that catnip oil does tend to lose its effect over time, especially if you don’t put the cap on properly, but it’s guaranteed to last you for a decent amount of time.
As is the case with some of the products described in our selection, this one comes with a convenient and easy-to-use applicator.
4. Meowijuana Premium Catnip Feline and Cat Lover Approved
This catnip oil is made with all-natural USA-grown catnip, so you can rest assured that it’s perfectly healthy for your feline buddy.
It can be used to turn old scratchers and toys into new and challenging accessories for your cat, but it can also be used for training purposes.
The container size is 3 ounces, so we can put your mind at ease when it comes to it going stale ahead of time.
Based on what we gathered about it by going through the customer reviews, it seems to do its job as it should. It’s effective for most cats, although there are some very rare cases where they don’t seem to be impressed by it at all.
For example, a pet guardian that has three cats reports that while two of them love the product, one of them exhibits no interest in it whatsoever. But as you probably know, all cats are unique.
5. Petlinks Bliss Mist Catnip
This 7-ounce bottle of catnip oil contains no chemicals or pesticides, and it offers the same benefits that you’d get when purchasing real catnip (the plant) or catnip toys.
It is budget-friendly enough not to have you breaking the piggy bank, and it can also be applied on anything from your feline buddy’s scratchers to their toys.
Most of the reviews garnered by this choice are favorable, with folks praising its effectiveness even on cats that didn’t use to be interested in catnip in the past.
Some even advise that their pets tend to go nuts after they’ve sprayed the product on their toys, so if you want your cat to consume her energy, this might be the option to pick.
Is catnip oil safe for cats?
The answer to this question is that it all depends on the type of product you get and how you use it. Catnip oil has many benefits for people, too, which we will discuss in the following sections.
However, essential oil should always be used with care for felines as they have an amazing sense of smell and they tend to be a lot more sensitive than we, humans are.
If you opt for the pure catnip oil alternative that can be used in diffusers and that should work for people and cats alike, we advise using a very, very small quantity of the product.
On the other hand, that might be a disadvantage for yourself, since you might not get to enjoy all of the benefits of catnip oil for folks that aren’t cat parents.
But if your cat’s health matters for you, we advise against overdoing it with the drops of catnip oil into your diffuser.
Are all cats attracted to catnip?
Unfortunately, no. Some cats never show an interest in catnip – and we mean ever.
Statistically speaking, there is a higher likelihood of cats being attracted to the plant or the oil after they reached adulthood – there still isn’t a clear explanation for this, but it does seem that most cats have to be at least 9 to 10 months of age to like catnip.
It also depends on the exact type of the plant, plant mix, and product quality.
I have personally had experience with a bottle of catnip that had absolutely no effect on my cat whatsoever.
I waited for one or two more years before getting a completely different product, which absolutely worked and had my cat licking, scratching, and rubbing her cheeks on whatever toys I had sprayed it on.
So, sometimes it is a matter of hit and miss, too.
What other choices do you have besides catnip essential oil?
There are many other products you can opt for. There are sprays, actual essential oils that you can put into the diffuser, catnip toys that are typically filled with the dried plant or a mix of catnip and valerian, or the plant per se.
You can even get catnip seeds that you can plant in your garden and dry it up so that you can sprinkle them on your cat’s scratchers.
In one of the sections below, we’ll tackle how you can make your own catnip oil.
What to avoid with catnip oil for cats
Don’t use large doses
Stimulating your cat’s sense really doesn’t take a lot of effort, so always keep that in mind, especially if you use pure catnip oil. It takes about 15 minutes for them to be enthusiastic about the smell – after that, they’ll get a little frustrated.
Use it on occasion
Constant exposure to catnip can desensitize a cat or make your cat feel a little weird about it (in some cases, it might even lead to nausea).
Luckily, catnip overdose practically doesn’t exist. Still, if you don’t go out of your way when it comes to getting the best quality product, it might have various additives and substances that your cat will smell, and that could be dangerous.
Once or twice a week is usually enough for catnip oil and light liquid forms to do their job and keep your feline buddy interested in toys and other things.
Don’t give it to aggressive cats
If you use catnip and valerian, it might be a good combination for cats that are always jumpy and perhaps even aggressive towards their feline or canine companions or even human ones.
But in some cases, catnip can make cats even grumpier than they usually are, or they could accentuate their aggression.
Other catnip essential oil uses
We all know that catnip is great for cats, but what some of us might not be aware of is that it has pretty amazing benefits for people, too.
For example, it can be used as an insect repellent, along with citronella and other types of oils.
Its calming capabilities are efficient for humans, too, not just for cats. In other words, catnip oil can relieve spasms, help you wind down at the end of a hard day, or relax you when you are feeling stressed.
Note: I am a veterinarian, and I do not have enough knowledge of what ingested catnip could do to the human body, and while I have come across a lot of articles recommending it for bloating, gas, stomach disorders, and urinary conditions, my expertise would only make me recommend it for clearly external use (not even topical, just as an insect repellent and the oil as a relaxant).
How to make catnip oil
Distillation is the most common process through which you can make your own catnip oil, and it has been found to be more effective compared to other methods that might involve the use of fresh leaves and alcohol, for example.
Since it is quite a lengthy process, we suggest referring to Christine de Merchant’s website where you can find the full method.
Or you can simply take a look at the video below for a visual explanation of how you can make a light catnip product to add to your cat’s toys, scratchers, and other accessories.
Note: The result in this case is some kind of catnip tea, not oil.
This post contains affiliate links on some of the images. You can support this blog by trying out the products recommended in this article.
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