Until a recent study was published by a group of Japanese researchers led by biochemistry Professor Masao Miyazaki of Iwate University’s Faculty of Agriculture, there was no hard evidence that silvervine (matatabi) was safe and non-addictive to domestic cats. Although the general consensus was that it is a safe and a mild hallucinogenic which domestic … Silvervine is non-addictive and safe for cats to enjoy Read More ..read more

Anxiety is a massive issue with domestic cats. It is often a hidden condition because cats hide their anxiety and sometimes their caregiver is insufficiently involved with their cat to recognise it. But if a cat is hiding a lot … continue reading ..read more

Everyone says that a cat cannot be poisoned by catnip (Nepeta cataria) in the conventional sense. The worse that can happen is that it may cause vomiting if large quantities are ingested and it may cause a headache and general … continue reading ..read more

This is a red herring in my considered opinion. There are indications that people are using Google to search for “catnip poisoning in cats”. There is one well-known website which discusses this topic together with symptoms, causes and diagnosis but … continue reading ..read more

Most cat caregivers know that domestic cats get a non-addictive high from silvervine and catnip. Silvervine is also called matatabi (又旅) or Japanese catnip. It is a climbing plant that grows in the mountainous regions of China, Japan, Korea and … continue reading ..read more

This article was published on 6th June 2010 and is as applicable today as it was then: This is about herbs for a cat — 6th June 2010. I have just received an email from Kathrin Stucki of A1 Savannahs. … continue reading ..read more

Professor Benjamin Hart from the University of California’s School of Veterinary Medicine claims that mice produce lactones which act like catnip on domestic cats and, in doing so, it acts as a defence against being killed by said cats! Catnip … continue reading ..read more

I think this is a very good question. What if you see an injured feral cat and you want to help by taking her to a veterinarian? True feral cats are essentially wild. They are totally unsocialised. This means they … continue reading ..read more

Yes, catnip is okay for kittens but Dr Desmond Morris writes in his book Cat World that, “Young kittens do not show the response. For the first two months of life all kittens avoid catnip, and the positive response does … continue reading ..read more

I had no idea but that well-known domestic cat ‘psychedelic drug’ called catnip is also an insect and mosquito repellent. It’s a double purpose product. Although I’m not sure you should use it on yourself unless you want your cat … continue reading ..read more