Is catnip safe for my cat? Which is better: the plant or a spray?

Catnip is a plant in the mint family that for unknown reasons makes cats go nuts. There is an aromatic compound that is present that seems to affect their brains and cause a pleasurable response. It is completely safe. It all cats react to it.

Catnip is not toxic to dogs but it generally causes sedation. I don't recommend however to give it intentionally to Shadow since there are not studies about how much might be too much and he is a little dog. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Cat-nip will make some cats very excited, and some very relaxed. Some cats will have no effect at all. It is very safe and a toy with some cat-nip in it is fine. Good luck with Baluu and I hope he enjoys his new toy.

At the proper concentration, Neem Oil is generally considered safe. It is not listed as a toxic plant product for pets per the ASPCA Poison Control Center or Pet Poison Helpline. In its undiluted form though, Neem Oil can potentially irritate the skin surface, especially on already-irritated skin, or if left on for more than 24 hours at a time. In addition, if a non-diluted or insufficiently diluted product is used on a pet and the product is consumed, then a pet could exhibit excessive salivation, appetite changes, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. At the dilution rate you described there should be no issues and I think it will be fine to use. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is possible that he has seizures that are unrelated to the catnip. However, it is also possible that catnip could have an effect on a cat who is already prone to seizures (as an epileptic or has some time of congenital brain defect or injury). While we do not fully understand the effects that catnip has on cats, there has been some recent research that has pinpointed a compound present in catnip called nepetalactone. This component is similar to the opioid molecule (a drug class that includes morphine) and is thought to have a similar effect to that drug group. When a cat ingests this agent, we do see an alternation in behavior and mental status. For most cats this is mild, but in some we do see it progress to stereotypic, repetitive, and abnormal behaviors. Therefore, it is not a big stretch to suspect that this compound's contact with an epileptic brain could lead to the induction of seizures. So, while I don't think catnip would cause seizures on its own in the normal cat, if your cat is an epileptic (undiagnosed) or has suffered a brain injury then it is possible that catnip could cause him to have further seizures. I suggest you stop using catnip in all forms (don't even have it in the house) and then start keeping a written log AND videos of his behavior. If this is happening more than once every week or two he needs to go back to the vet so you can talk about other diagnostic testing or to start him on anti seizure medication. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Kitty grass and cat nip should not hurt Parker but if he eats too much, it may make him throw up. Unless Parker seems to really like those things, I wouldn't worry about purchasing them specifically for him.

As long as you don't spray it on the cats and you don't spray it while the cats are in the room it should be OK. Cats are EXTREMELY sensitive to essential oils and they can be toxic to them so be very careful. Likely this will work to deter them however, they may just pick another spot to pee on instead...... Hope this helps. Best wishes.