Valerian Root Cat Attractant

The ones who don t respond to catnip may respond to silvervine or valerian root.

Valerian root cat attractant. The plant doesn t make cats mellow it s a stimulant that can make them happy and revved up. Valerian valeriana officinalis caprifoliaceae is a perennial flowering plant native to europe and asia. Valerian root and valerian leaves can cause a reaction in cats very similar to catnip but it comes at a price the plant is very stinky. If you live in an area with a lot of rats like new york you might not want to use this cat attractant and go with another natural alternative which i have written an article about here.

An unusual feature of valerian is that the essential oil of valerian root is a cat attractant similar to catnip. Valerian works on cats but the chemical inside the plant can also attract rats the same way that it does felines. Catnip responders are often also valerian responders. Valerian root valerian root valeriana officinalis best known as a sleep aid for humans works as a stimulant for most felines often transforming lazy fat cats into energizer bunnies.

It is consumed as food by the larvae of some lepidoptera butterfly and moth species. The active compound in valerian for this is actinidine. The cat attractant chemical in valerian turns out to be actinidine a pyridine derivative present in the essential oil of valerian which causes similar effects to nepetalactone. Excited playful behavior such as rolling is very common when a cat has valerian.

Cats will engage in stalking and hunting behavior after ingesting valerian. Valerian is a great option for your indoor cat garden. A perennial that grows from 4 to 6 feet with reddish flowers valerian contains terpenoid chemicals similar to those in catnip s active ingredient. As all cat lovers know some kitties love their nip.

Valerian is a flowering plant the root of which is dried and used as an herbal remedy. The difference between a cat s reaction to valerian versus catnip is often a lot more pronounced. The lesser known alternative to catnip and silver vine valerian also acts as a stimulant on cats. Chubby cats into the feline equivalent of richard simmons.

There are several types of catnip silvervine or catnip valerian root blends online. Of course you may have a cat that doesn t respond to any of those so always use food as well. Some theorize that valerian might attract cats because its pungent smell mimics the scent of cat urine. Valerian has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating sleep problems other uses not proven with research have included treating anxiety stress depression attention deficit disorder chronic fatigue syndrome tremors epilepsy menopause symptoms and other conditions.

In the summer when the mature plant may have a height of 1 5 metres 5 ft it bears sweetly scented pink or white flowers that attract many fly species especially hoverflies of the genus eristalis.