Anxiety is a reaction to life, and it is natural. Some in small amounts can be a good motivator and help to get you prepared for important events, meetings, etc.
Your cat has been enamored by it for ever. Most cats enjoy it but I personally have a cat who despises it. I guess he is already crazy, haha.. Catnip is like a potion when our caats sniff it, they usually can be seen running throught the house, rubbing all over things incesently and they act like they are on drugs. In a way they kind of are. A natural drug though, not a harmful one.. It can help relieve anxiety in us as well. It is easy to grow. I know, I have planted it in a small batch outdoors in my flower bed and it has increased in size almost 10 tens the amount I started with. It looks happy. Green leaves and flowers on the end, it is not an eye-sore that’s for sure.
You can drink it, by making a tea out of it and you can take it as a supplement. When cat’s sniff the stuff it males them go nuts. The opposite of what it does for us humans. For us it is a calming and relaxing effect.
Other uses for catnip
Fun Facts About Catnip
- Catnip is actually a perennial herb belonging to the mint family Nepeta cataria.
- It’s the chemical nepetalactone in catnip that triggers a response in the brains of susceptible cats.
- Not all cats are affected by catnip.
- Catnip makes some cats aggressive rather than happily euphoric or pleasantly relaxed.
- Scientists have discovered nepetalactone is a very effective pest repellent against flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches and termites.
- Catnip is also used by humans (but not by pregnant women, please). When prepared as a tea or infusion, the nepetalactone acts as a mild sedative, which can be helpful in relieving nausea, headaches, and even toothaches. Enjoy a warm cup of catnip tea at night and it might even help with insomnia.
Catnip in capsule form, available at health food stores, is also used to treat headaches and digestive upsets. Catnip can also be used topically for cuts by crushing and moistening fresh catnip leaves and applying the paste to the wound. It is also used as an herb for cooking. - Catnip is a cinch to grow from seed or a seedling, planted after the last freeze of the season. The plants need lots of room to grow and do very well in porous soil and full sunlight. When full grown, the cuttings should be hung upside down in a dark, dry, airy space to dry. The dried leaves can then be stored in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Catnip can be used to entice your kitty to use her scratching post or the expensive pet bed you purchased that she wants nothing to do with. It can also be used to help an inactive housecat get some much-needed exercise.
- Organic catnip (which I recommend) comes in a wide variety of forms including sprays, loose leaves, flowers and buds, pellets, dental chews, scratching pads, and catnip toys of every conceivable kind.
- Some cat lovers are philosophically opposed to providing their pet with a substance that produces goofy or sleepy or seemingly out-of-control behavior. Some folks feel it is exploitive to get a cat ‘high’ on catnip. Certainly it’s a matter of personal choice whether you offer catnip to your pet, but rest assured it is neither addictive nor harmful to kitties, and is an herb that naturally grows in the wild.
Catnip Precautions
One of the most important things to remember about catnip is that humans should not consume catnip that is sold for use in cats. It is not subject to the strict regulations that herbs sold for human consumption are, and it could be contaminated with other plant products. Catnip for humans may be found at most health food stores, or you can grow your own.
Pregnant women should not take catnip, because it contains chemicals that can affect uterine muscle tone. Catnip is also not recommended for breastfeeding mothers or children. Those who are taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs that have sedative effects could experience sedation or mental impairment if these drugs are used with catnip. The same applies to sedating herbs.
Side effects of catnip are rare, especially when it is taken orally. If large doses are taken, fatigue and mild headaches may occur. Some amount of sedation is to be expected, but it could be more pronounced in some individuals, causing confusion or impairment.
How to Take Catnip
Catnip is available in capsule or liquid form. See the product’s labeling for dosage.
Catnip also makes a delicious tea. Simply soak 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried catnip leaves in a cup of boiled water for ten minutes. The water should be removed from heat before adding the catnip, because boiling it can destroy active ingredients. Catnip tea may be taken up to three times per day.
Anxiety sufferers can benefit tremendously from the calming effects of catnip. Whether taken in an herbal supplement or made into a tea, catnip works well without the side effects associated with prescription drugs.
FUNNY!!!
Mws R Writings 