Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Sabrina (Auferstehen) on May 08, 2008, 09:46:04 AM

Title: Cat Nip Issue
Post by: Sabrina (Auferstehen) on May 08, 2008, 09:46:04 AM
My lovely cat Penguin who is 11 years old come the 15th of this month has a problem with cat nip.

We bought a bunch of new toys to celebrate the up coming birthday and I didn’t realise that 3 of them had cat nip in them.

So while sat on the bed last night with Penguin he decided to pee (or mark) on my leg.

This has been ongoing since he came to the UK nearly 1 year ago, I never noticed it before and he’s been to the vets enough with various things. He only does it with something filled with catnip (cat mint seems to be okay).

Anyone else heard of a cat doing this? He’s fine with the rest of the toys.

Is there any way to remove catnip from a toy? I can always give the ones filled with catnip away – they weren’t exactly expensive just curious as most cat toys have catnip.

we go to the vets on the 20th (yearly vaccs) so I'll be mentioning it to them in case it's a medical thing.
Title: Re: Cat Nip Issue
Post by: Bazsmum on May 08, 2008, 10:24:12 AM
This has been ongoing since he came to the UK nearly 1 year ago, I never noticed it before and he’s been to the vets enough with various things. He only does it with something filled with catnip (cat mint seems to be okay).

I was gonna suggest that he is sensitive to catnip and gets himself over excited? Maybe catmint is a milder form? Very weird though....dosnt sound medical more behavioural! Do let us know what the vet thinks on this!  ;)
Title: Re: Cat Nip Issue
Post by: unseeliechylde on May 08, 2008, 10:39:50 AM
It does sound like it just gets him too over excited - my old cat Ash was like this - not peeing, but he would be really unpredictable and sometimes accidentaly aggressive. :shocked: He would also scream and yell, get him self all wound up, frustrated and ultimately quite upset. He couldn't even control himself long enough to play and enjoy himself. :(
Our vet said that, in a few cases, some cats are just hyper-sensitive to catnip (like some people can't handle caffiene), and recommended valerian-filled toys. It acts like catnip, but seems to provoke fewer extreme reactions. Zooplus do a really good range of inexpensive valerian toys your boy might enjoy. ;) (it is also an excuse for more new toys, from his perspective, so everyone wins.... :evillaugh:)
Title: Re: Cat Nip Issue
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on May 08, 2008, 21:33:26 PM
Poor Penguin  :hug:

Franta stamps on it with his back paws  ;D
Title: Re: Cat Nip Issue
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on May 10, 2008, 19:30:46 PM
I would say over-stimulation. Rolo gets nasty if you try and take catnip things off him, and Frankie got aggressive with it, so his new owners are very reluctant to use it after they saw him attack my hand, just for absentmindedly stroking him.