What Are The Actual Ingredients in Catnip?

The active ingredient in catnip may cause different effects, but it’s generally safe for felines. However, many catnip products contain more elements than pure catnip, not all of which are harmless.

Always inspect the label on the package and evaluate the safety of every additive before giving the product to your cat. As a rule of thumb, the longer the ingredient list, the more causes for concern.

Catnip bubbles, treats, and sprays are fun for felines, but not every manufacturer is trustworthy, so your pet’s health is your responsibility.

Nepeta Cataria

The ingredient in catnip responsible for its odd effects on cats is nepeta cataria, the essential oil of nepetalactone. Nepetalactone is a terpene with a euphoric and mild hallucinogenic reaction in 50%-70% of cats.

About a quarter to half of all cats isn’t responsive to the effects of nepeta cataria. The chemical mimics feline pheromones, causing a reaction similar to mating behavior. However, the impact of nepeta cataria on cats also depends on whether it’s ingested or inhaled.

Inhaled nepeta cataria affects the olfactory bulb, the same organ responsible for detecting and analyzing pheromones, and has a stimulating effect. Cats may roll around, rub against furniture, and zoom around the room.

In contrast, ingested nepeta cataria has a sedative effect, making cats sleepy and mellow. Because catnip mimics feline mating hormones, kittens over eight months of age are unresponsive to its effects – they cannot yet analyze pheromones.

For the same reason, older cats become less responsive to nepeta cataria. Cats that are exposed to the chemical too frequently may develop tolerance to its effects.

Nepeta cataria is safe for cats but may cause adverse reactions in some felines, including aggression and gastroenteric upset. It isn’t recommended for pregnant and nursing cats.

The herb grows in disturbed areas such as field edges and roadsides in the wild. People usually describe its smell as a mix of oregano and thyme and find it stinky, but cats adore it.

The active ingredient is only found in catnip flowerings. There is no clinical evidence of the benefits of catnip for humans, so the herb isn’t widely used in medicine but is sometimes found in insect repellants.

Add-Ons in Loose Catnip

One may think that loose catnip only contains catnip, which is true in some cases. However, many catnip manufacturers blend catnip with other herbs and ingredients that may affect its effect and cause adverse reactions.

Often, manufacturers mix catnip with popular catnip alternatives such as silver vine, Tatarian honeysuckle, valerian, lavender, and chamomile. These herbs have similar effects on cats.

According to research, over 80% of cats are responsive to silvervine as opposed to 50%-75% responsive to catnip. Like catnip, the herb is generally safe for felines, and the only adverse effect is gastroenteric upset.

Tatarian honeysuckle has a response rate of 85% and contains the same active ingredient as catnip, nepetalactone. There are no reports of serious adverse effects from Tatarian honeysuckle, but some species of the honeysuckle family are toxic to felines.

Valerian root may make a cat drowsy and clash with some medications, including antifungal and anti-epileptic drugs. The adverse effects of lavender and chamomile on cats are alike, including stomach upset and an allergic reaction.

On the one hand, such mixes have higher odds of working because a cat not responsive to catnip will react to at least one of the ingredients.

On the other hand, more ingredients mean a higher risk of adverse effects or an allergic reaction. Whether to buy pure catnip or herb mix depends on your cat’s reaction to each ingredient.

Ingredients in Catnip Treats

While the ingredients of loose catnip typically fit in a single line, catnip treat ingredients vary drastically by the manufacturer. Most commercially produced catnip treats are based on animal by-products, ground corn, wheat flour, and rice.

Animal by-products refer to parts of a slaughtered animal not directly consumed by humans, such as bones, organs, and fat. While it isn’t meat, most animal by-products are safe and even healthy for cats.

Some organs are even richer in microelements than meat. Wheat flour, rice, and ground corn aren’t particularly healthy for cats in large amounts but give catnip treats structure.

Additionally, most catnip treats are infused with minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. For example, many manufacturers add riboflavin, biotin, calcium, zinc sulfate, and taurine into their products.

For this reason, the ingredient list on the label can be extremely long, but there’s nothing to worry about as long as it doesn’t mention artificial flavorings or preservatives.

Such add-ons are beneficial because cats cannot synthesize essential amino acids and minerals from food like dogs or humans. However, be careful with treat dosage because they are calorific, and an excess of some microelements can be dangerous.

Some catnip treats are more natural, containing poultry or red meat, rice, and herbs without any microelements or flour that gives the treats texture. Such treats are more expensive yet are safer because fewer ingredients mean a lower risk of adverse reactions.

If you want to be sure about the quality of ingredients in your cat’s catnip treats, you can find DIY catnip treat recipes online. They usually contain only a few ingredients, such as tuna, eggs, a bit of flour, and catnip (obviously).

Ingredients in Catnip Bubbles

Catnip bubbles are a recent invention targeting playful, energetic cats that don’t mind running after iridescent spheres floating around the room.

Naturally, catnip bubbles don’t contain cheap soap like the bubbles children play with to avoid causing a gastroenteric upset in felines. However, they still need to get the foaming properties somehow.

Commercially produced catnip bubbles are usually based on water, glycerin, catnip oil, and mild amphoteric surfactants such as Tego Betain. Unfortunately, online stores don’t always list the ingredients in catnip bubbles, so owners can have difficulty evaluating their safety.

Owners can make DIY catnip bubbles from loose catnip or catnip oil, castile soap, corn syrup, and water. The ingredients may vary slightly by recipe.

Overall, castile soap, amphoteric surfactants, and glycerin are safe for ingesting, but only in small amounts. While catnip bubbles are a fun entertainment, loose catnip, catnip treats, or catnip oils have a lower risk of adverse effects.

Ingredients in Catnip Sprays

Catnip sprays are an excellent alternative to loose catnip or catnip treats. They are versatile and can be used both for inhaling and ingesting.

High-quality organic catnip sprays contain only water and pure catnip oil, but some sprays also contain preservatives and flavorings that may be potentially harmful to felines.

One of the most common preservatives in catnip sprays is Methylchloroisothiazolinone. This ingredient is commonly used in pet shampoos and has antifungal properties. However, its safety is debatable.

Methylchloroisothiazolinone is a carcinogen associated with organ failure and has been banned from animal products in Japan and Canada. It’s still allowed in the U.S. Catnip sprays with Methylchloroisothiazolinone are safe for inhaling but risky for ingesting.

Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is another common ingredient in catnip sprays. It’s safe for inhaling and topical use but may affect blood pressure if ingested.

Although the concentration of the ingredient in catnip sprays is negligible, it’s best to avoid letting a cat ingest such products.

Catnip Oils

Catnip oils are similar to catnip sprays but contain less water or none at all. They can be made from pure catnip oil or mixed with other essential oils, such as lavender, valerian, or silvervine.

Like sprays, some catnip oils contain preservatives and other potentially toxic ingredients. Such sprays should only be applied on cat toys and other surfaces but not ingested.

Ingredients to Be Aware of

None of the ingredients in pure loose catnip or catnip sprays should raise concerns as long as your cat doesn’t have an individual intolerance or allergy.

Remember that each cat is unique and may have an adverse reaction to ingredients that aren’t toxic to felines as species. However, some elements in catnip should make any cat owner concerned.

The first ingredient in catnip treats and sprays raising red flags is butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). This artificial preservative is a known carcinogen and shouldn’t be consumed frequently.

Red seaweed is another catnip treat ingredient to avoid. This thickening agent increases the risk of cancer in felines if ingested frequently.

Cellulose is generally safe for cats but may cause stomach upset and is typically used in low-quality treats. Iron oxide, too, is frequently used by cheap treat manufacturers to give the product brighter color but has questionable adverse effects.

Although many catnip treat manufacturers only use high-quality animal by-products, there’s no way of knowing which parts were used in a particular product.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) doesn’t require manufacturers to specify the ingredients, and many take advantage of this law, using low-quality by-products.

Salt is a natural preservative commonly used in cheap catnip treats. Although some salt is essential in a cat’s diet, extra salt from treats is unnecessary and may have severe effects on your pet’s health.

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