What Age Can Kittens Have Catnip Toys

If a kitten is going to be a catnip lover you usually can tell that when he is 3 to 6 months old.

What age can kittens have catnip toys. What happens when my cat has catnip. The positive reaction and desire for catnip is inherited from their mother if mum likes it then kittens will too. Newborn kittens aren t usually responsive to catnip at all until they are about 3 months of age. For example kittens who are younger than about two to three months old are often disinterested in it.

These hard wired preferences aren t immediately apparent though since kittens under the age of 3 months don t react to catnip at all. Your cat is among the lucky ones by the way since some cats don t react to catnip at all. Inferior quality catnip. Although catnip is totally harmless and safe around kittens both to smell and to eat it isn t necessarily effective.

Despite the fact that using catnip for kittens is considered safe it is important to note that some cats may not seem as interested in it as others. Catnip s allure is in its volatile oil. If he s still young give it some time. But you won t know if your kitten is one of them until sometime between ages 3 and 6 months.

The active ingredient nepetalactone is an essential oil which alters the behaviour of domestic and other cat species. Try reintroducing the catnip then and you will probably find that your cat will greatly enjoy it. The herb s influence is genetic so not all cats respond to it according to the humane society of the united states. If your cat is an adult you may have one of the few adult cats that do not possess the gene.

Kittens may not react and only develop the full behavioural change at an older age. Kittens whether they possess the gene or not generally do not react to catnip until they are from six to nine months old. The ability to appreciate the herb is genetic with slightly more cats in the fan club than not. While most cats do about 15 percent reportedly do not.

Kittens can respond to catnip as early as 8 weeks old. He may wind up falling in love with his catnip toys when he gets a little older but don t be discouraged if he never seems to care. Not all felines respond to catnip. Around half to two thirds of cats will respond to this oil.

All cats in your case. Kittens whether they possess the gene or not generally do not react to catnip until they are from six to nine months old.