Conference misery::feline_v1

    Sorry... some cats just don't like catnip.  You can't 'make'
    them like it.  It's possible that she'll like it when she
    gets a little older, so forget about it for now, and maybe
    try again in a year or so.
    
    Donna

    Panther and Eirene didn't react to catnip until they were about a year
    old. My understanding is that kittens don't react to it, and that some
    adult cats never react to it.
    
    Deb

    I had always heard that kittens didn't like catnip, but Dundee has
    loved it since he was about 5 months old.  I think you're just going
    to have to wait til you kitty is older.  Also, some cats don't like
    it.  In fact, we have a friend whose siamese absolutely HATES it.
    I think there is another herb that you can use if your cat doesn't
    like catnip, but I"ll have to hunt for that info.
    

         I read somewhere (I think in Cats Magazine) that there is a
    gene for catnip-liking.  Those cats who have the gene like catnip,
    those that don't ignore it.  You may have one of those that ignore
    it (I think the ratio is something like 50-50, though from my ex-
    perience it seems I've seen many more that like it than don't).
    
                                        - Andrea

    
     possibly the catnip from the store might have been stale and had
    no potency left to it.

    I wouldn't be too concerned that your cat isn't interested.  As
    other noters have mentioned, your cat may be too young.  Besides,
    catnip isn't necessary for your cat's longevity and health.  

    
    
      Look at it this way................
    
    
           Catnip is to cats....
    
        as.....
    
           Booze is to an Irishman......
    
    
    
      I'm Irish....and I don't like booze of any kind....
    
      JM
          

    It really is true that catnip varies.  My guys like the kind that
    comes in rectangular boxes in the supermarket.  I've bought catnip
    at various other places from time to time and some of it is of no
    interest to them whatsoever.  I'd experiment with different sources.
    Also, be sure to rub some of it together in your hands, to release
    the scent.                                            
    

    I have an adult cat that doesn't react to catnip at all.

    
    
    
         Just Say NO! ;^)
    

    My cat *LOVES* catnip!!  We put some on the floor and she purrs
    and rolls in it.  Then she cleans it off her fur (eats it).
    
    I'm curious...does anyone know exactly *what* catnip does to a cat?

    I would also like to know what catnip really does - I've heard many
    different stories.....my cat is almost 7 years old - he NEVER liked
    catnip.
    
    Lisa

According to my "facts about cats" book (author forgotten), catnip is
a relaxant/intoxicant only to those cats that have the "catnip lover"
gene - all cats do not have the gene, apparently, and they remain unaffected
by the herb, and it's just dried greenery to them.  Those cats that do
have the gene get slightly giddy from eating or sniffing the herb and
can get quite involved with it....like even a little addicted if allowed
a steady supply.

If your cats don't like it, they probably will never like it, it is
either a "go or no go" situation, not a learned response.

    What do your cats do when they have catnip?
    
    My cat Hannah puts her nose in it and usually takes a lo-o-o-ong
    nap.  Alex rolls around in it, becomes extra friendly and cuddly
    and then usually "sleeps it off" too.  Scarlett, on the other hand
    is like clockwork.  We put loose catnip in a saucer on the floor
    and she just can't get enough.  She always does exactly the same
    thing--never a variation.  She sniffs it for a minute, and then
    tries to flip the saucer over with her nose.  After about 5 minutes,
    she remembers she has paws, and usually succeeds in flipping it.
    Then she lies on her back on top of the overturned saucer and lolls
    her head around, like she's scratching her back or something and
    then falls asleep, lying  right int he middle of it.  We always
    have her entertaining people.  She's always right on cue.
    
    Stacie

    
    My two cats, Escho and Brandy, are a coupla of clowns.  First, they
    sniff it, then they eat it, their eyes turn into large vacuous holes
    in their heads. Later they either go for a merry *CHASE* through
    the house together or Escho turns into a kitty cannonball, ricocheting
    off any and everything and Brandy lays down to watch Escho's antics
    and will occasionally *try* to bat at her as she railroads by.
    
    When they tire of that it's *NAP-ATTACK* time.  Picture two kitties,
    dead to the world, in fact so far gone that even the puppy can't
    get them to stir.
    
    I used to keep a bag of loose catnip in an unoccupied drawer in
    an old bureau.  Later through a series of events, I ended up storing
    some clothes in the same drawer. One day I went to visit a friend
    of mine and her *mini, 20 lb. panther*, who is not into P.D.O.A.
    (Public Displays Of Affection) became VERY friendly with me. I was
    flattered with all this unexpected attention.  Relay (the cat) followed
    me everywhere, purring, head butting, drooling, etc.  At one point
    he even tried to get all 4 feet onto the back of a kitchen chair.
    Needless to say, he and the chair fell over. It wasn't until he
    drooled and tried to suck the shirt off my back that I realized
    that this shirt had been in the ex-catnip drawer. The closer Relay
    got to me the sillier he became. What a character!
    
    Roslyn, mother of Escho and Brandy

    Each of my four react differently.  Niniane sniffs it, then eats
    it, then rolls in it, then begin to do really silly things like
    chase everyone else's tail around the room.  Finally she just spaces
    out and lays down for a while.  Dream won't eat it but rolls in
    it and then tries to roll in whatever is left on Niniane.  Boogie gets
    a charge out of it and bounces off the walls for a while.  Charm,
    however, has a very human response.  She sniffs it for a while and
    then gets the munchies and goes off to the food bowl for a snack!!!
    
    Mary-Michael

    Darcy (my mother's black persian) tries to climb walls.
    
    Tarot gets affectionate with his claws out (ouch).
    
    Isis loves a catnip mouse to death and then goes maniac, bounces
    all over the house and then settles down to rip paper (any paper)
    to shreds.
    
    All work brought home is securely locked away:-)  Try explaining
    to your boss small perforations all down the side of your job plan!
    
    Kate

    I'd like to help debunk the idea that kittens don't react to catnip.
    
    I adopted two kittens, Mickie and Winchester, when they were 14 weeks
    old.  (They are now 27 weeks old.)  The day before I got them, I bought
    two catnip mice.  Well, when I got them home, I put them in my bedroom
    along with the essentials (litterbox, water, and food) to give them
    time to get used to their new home.  Mickie (female) was curious to see
    the rest of the world the next day, but Winchester (male) hid under the bed
    for three days.  Anyway, the second day, Mickie found one of the catnip
    mice, and the result was amazing.  In ten minutes she was (literally)
    bouncing off the walls.  In fact, she once hit the wall so hard I was
    very tempted to see how badly she had hurt herself.  But she didn't
    even seem to notice that walls are hard :-)
    
    Recently, a friend found some really magic catnip mice at Zayre's (in
    Londonderry, NH).  Apparently the catnip in these mice is much stronger
    than anything Mickie and Winchester had seen before.   Well, I opened
    the first mouse, and Winchester snatched it away.  Just the smell of
    the catnip from the bag (which I tried to crumple up and throw away)
    drove Mickie crazy, so much so that she was hanging on to my pants leg
    with her claws (OUCH!) and trying to "help" me get the other mouse
    opened as quickly as possible.  (Never mind I could have done it three
    times as fast without the help! :-)
    
    Anyway, after assaulting these magic mice for a while, the kittens were
    running everywhere they could as fast as they could, jumping up and
    down on anything that looked like it could be jumped on.  Then, they
    tried to wrestle with each other.  It was hilarious; basically, they
    approached each other slowly, then stood up on their hind legs and put
    their front paws out toward each other.  Then they sort of just fell on
    each other -- they couldn't stand up if they had to!  Winchester had
    enough dignity to flop over on his tummy, but Mickie just lay there on
    here back, paws dangling mid-air.  A nap soon followed ...
    
    Well, thank goodness nobody has told these guys they're not supposed to
    like the stuff!
    
    					- Ken

        
        This note  looked like a good place to put this.  While at the
        cat show in  Manchester,  we  added  our  name  to  the 'Mouse
        Factory' mailing list, and  the  flyer arrived yesterday.  You
        can mailorder your fresh catnip  toys  :^} I've made copies of
        the flyer and price list, and  can  mail  them to anyone who's
        interested.  Just send me your name and mailstop, and I'll try
        to get them out today (going on vacation as of 4:30!).
        
        Sandy