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Catnip, Silvervine and the One-in-Three Cats They Do Not Work On
Customers regularly tell us their cat is broken because it ignores catnip. It is not. Around a third of cats show no catnip response at all, and the trait is inherited — there is nothing to train and nothing to fix.
What there is, is a set of alternatives that work on many of those cats.
How catnip works
The active compound, nepetalactone, binds to receptors in the nasal tissue and triggers a response in the brain that has nothing to do with taste. That is why sniffing produces the classic reaction and eating produces a different one.
The response typically lasts five to fifteen minutes, and is followed by a refractory period of an hour or two during which the cat cannot respond again. That is the single most useful fact about catnip: leaving it available permanently means the cat is insensitive most of the time and the product is wasted.
Sniffed versus eaten
Sniffed, catnip is stimulating — rolling, rubbing, vocalising, sudden bursts of activity. Eaten, it tends to be mildly sedating. The same toy can therefore look like two different products depending on how the cat uses it.
The one in three
Sensitivity is inherited, and kittens under about six months typically show no response regardless of genetics. If a young cat ignores catnip, retest around a year old.
If an adult cat consistently ignores it, that is settled. Move to alternatives rather than buying stronger catnip.
Silvervine
The best-supported alternative. Studies of catnip-insensitive cats have found a substantial proportion respond to silvervine, which contains different active compounds.
It is sold as sticks, powder and in toys. Sticks have the advantage of doubling as a chew item, which many cats appreciate. Silvervine products sit alongside catnip in our cat and catnip toys range.
Valerian and Tatarian honeysuckle
Two further options, each working on a further slice of cats. Valerian smells strongly unpleasant to most people, which is worth knowing before opening a bag indoors. Tatarian honeysuckle wood is usually sold as blocks or chips.
Between catnip, silvervine, valerian and honeysuckle, the great majority of cats respond to at least one.
Storage, which most people get wrong
Nepetalactone is volatile and degrades with exposure to air, light and heat. A bag of catnip left open in a warm kitchen loses potency within weeks, and the resulting weak response gets blamed on the cat.
Keep catnip in an airtight container, out of light, somewhere cool. Some people freeze it, which works well. Refill toys rather than replacing them once the original charge has faded — refillable toys are far better value for this reason.
Using it deliberately
Because of the refractory period, catnip works best as an occasional tool rather than a permanent fixture:
- Encouraging use of a new scratching post or bed.
- Making a carrier less frightening before a vet visit.
- Adding interest to a toy that has been ignored.
- Prompting activity in an overweight or under-exercised cat.
Once or twice a week keeps the response strong.
Safety
Catnip is non-addictive and not harmful. Some cats become over-stimulated and a little rough during the response — that is a reason to give them space rather than a concern in itself. Eating a large quantity may cause mild digestive upset and nothing worse.
It is not a sedative and should not be used as one for travel or veterinary anxiety. Those are conversations for your vet.
If nothing works
Plenty of cats respond to none of the plant options and play perfectly well without them. For those cats, movement is the motivator rather than scent.
Wand toys that mimic prey, and self-moving or laser toys for when nobody is home, do the job — see interactive and electronic toys. Food-based play works too; puzzle feeders hold the attention of a food-motivated cat far longer than any scent will.
We are open seven days in Manhattan Beach. Ask us, see the FAQ, or browse the range.
From our shelves
Products in this store that relate to what is covered above:
Prices are in US dollars. Delivery timings are on our shipping policy page and the return and refund policy sets out the window if something is not right.
Key points
- Roughly one cat in three does not respond to catnip at all, and it is inherited rather than trainable.
- Kittens under about six months usually show no response; retest at a year.
- Silvervine works on many catnip-insensitive cats and is the first alternative to try.
- The response lasts around ten minutes and is followed by an hour or so of insensitivity — leaving catnip out permanently wastes it.
- Store catnip in a sealed container away from light and heat; the active compound degrades quickly.
- Eaten catnip tends to sedate rather than stimulate, which is why the same product can look like two different things.
