Catnip
Nepeta cataria · Lamiaceae
How it looks
Catnip is a small herb with small, toothed, grey-green heart-shaped leaves arranged opposite. The stems are square, and rubbing the leaves releases a strong minty aroma. Small white to pale purple flowers gather in spikes at the branch tips. It reaches 12-31 in (30-80 cm) tall.
Mild caution — stomach irritation
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats. Many cats love it, but eating a lot of leaf can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and it leaves some cats sedated and others hyperactive.
If ingested
Contact your nearest vet immediately
- Action
- Rinse the mouth with water and monitor. Consult a vet if symptoms last more than 12 hours.
- Symptoms
- Vomiting, diarrhea, sedation or excitement
- Onset (typical course)
- Right away to within 2 hours of ingestion
Guide for parents
The ASPCA lists catnip as toxic to cats. What that entry actually says is that many cats love it but it can cause vomiting and diarrhea — not that a small exposure is an emergency.
The rolling and excitement come from nepetalactone, and roughly six or seven cats in ten respond. A cat that does not respond is perfectly normal.
The issue is not the scent but the quantity eaten. Tearing off and swallowing a lot of leaf can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, so offering a little dried leaf or using it inside a toy works better than leaving a whole pot out to graze on.
If vomiting or diarrhea repeats or lasts more than a day, contact your vet.
One naming note: in Korea, catnip (Nepeta cataria) and the garden hybrid catmint (Nepeta x faassenii, PLANT 598) are both sold as "nepeta." This page covers catnip.
Details
- Scientific name
- Nepeta cataria
- Common name
- Catnip
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Toxic parts
- All parts
- Compounds
- Nepetalactone
- Source
- ASPCA cats plant list
Also known as
Related plants
Same plant family· Lamiaceae
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