Why valerian is attractive for cats: the benefits and harms of a “soothing” herb

Valerian officinalis, popularly called cat herb, has been used in medicine since ancient times. The calming properties of the plant help cope with stress and relieve painful spasms. Despite its sedative properties, valerian causes the completely opposite effect in the cat family.

Without knowing how valerian affects cats and whether it can be given without harm to health, you risk harming the animal. To answer this question, it is enough to analyze the features of the effect of grass on the cat’s body.

Why do cats love valerian so much?

Felinologists have still not come to a consensus why cats love valerian so much. To answer this question, they are guided by 2 theories:

1. The smell of the grass is similar to cat pheromones released by females during estrus. The aroma is achieved thanks to the volatile substance contained in the extract.
2. The smell of the grass is similar to the odorous marks left by all males of the cat family. This theory is confirmed by the fact that the behavior of domestic and wild felines is identical.

In both theories, love for the plant is explained by stimulation of sexual desire. This fact is confirmed by the fact that kittens are not at all interested in valerian.

Valerian alternative

There is a safer way for felines to relax: whiskers simply go crazy on catnip.

Catnip is officially called ivy bud, and in common people - catnip. The tall herbaceous plant invariably arouses interest among catfish, both domestic and their wild counterparts. Neither a lion, nor a cougar, nor a tiger is able to ignore the catnip that they love so much. Animals smell catnip, get excited, rush to the bush, and act like crazy: it is by no means a sedative.

It’s not scary that the cat chewed a little bush, but if he obviously ate the plant from the full breadth of the cat’s soul, then severe poisoning is possible. Sometimes catnip is added in small doses to cat toys, scratching posts, and beds.

How does valerian affect cats?

In addition to stimulating sexual desire, the plant causes narcotic intoxication. Because of this, it is important to understand the boundaries of what is permitted and the possible harm from using a human medicinal product.

Animal behavior

It is impossible to say exactly what will happen if you give a cat valerian. The body's reaction is individual, but in most cases it is accompanied by:

• strong sexual arousal;
• loss of coordination and disorientation;
• aggressive behavior;
• rolling on the floor, scratching or rubbing against an object that retains traces of the tincture;
• copious flow of saliva;
• hissing and trying to hide due to a sudden panic attack;
• hallucinations (catching invisible prey or escaping from a non-existent enemy).

The state of euphoria and excitement lasts up to half an hour. All this time, the central nervous system is actively working, so when the effect ends, the animal falls into deep sleep due to severe nervous exhaustion.

The intensity of a cat's reaction to valerian depends on gender, age and breed. A longer lasting effect is typical for sexually mature males, including castrated ones. Of the females, only 30% react. Kittens either ignore the smell or are afraid of it. Also, little interest is typical for representatives of the Siamese breed.

Harm or benefit?

Due to the way valerian affects cats, its use is only permissible as prescribed by a veterinarian. Medicinal tincture is prescribed for:

• heart pathologies;
• hyperthyroidism;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• eczema;
• frequent outbursts of aggression.

Harm can only be avoided with the correct dosage. In all other cases, the substance quickly causes addiction, behavioral disorders, loss of weight and coat quality.

Can a cat become an “alcoholic” or a “drug addict”?

Valerian for cats is a real drug. With regular stimulation of CNS receptors, they become dependent. In search of a new dose, the animal begins to look into the cabinets and constantly scream, demanding the drug from the owner.

Behavior of cats after taking valerian

Everyone knows that a cat and valerian are incompatible concepts; it acts on pets like alcohol or a drug. Zoologists say that valerian and a cat are the same as cocaine and a person. Scientists say that the animal will experience a state of euphoria, hallucinations, and a lack of coordination. Sometimes pets are unable to stay on their feet, sway in different directions, do not fit into the doorway, roll on the floor, they either attack an invisible target or flee from a non-existent enemy. During all these actions, they scream loudly and do not get their bowl - naturally, valerian is harmful to their health.

If you periodically allow the use of valerian, which is harmful to the cat, then you can subsequently end up with a degraded animal, with completely forgotten skills, with ignorance of its bowl, tray and even owner. His hair will begin to fall out, baldness will begin, and signs of depression will appear.

If the pet, after strong excitement and euphoria, sleeps soundly, then it is necessary to urgently take it to the clinic.

How to influence a cat with valerian

In addition to treatment, some owners use the plant to accustom them to scratching posts and litter boxes, as well as to calm their pets during estrus. Due to the possible harm, the safety of these actions remains a big question.

Training to a scratching post or tray

It is better to accustom him to the toilet and scratching post from childhood. The plant has no effect on kittens, so it is better to choose safer and more effective drugs. Drops are suitable for adult animals, but it is better not to abuse such a training tool.

Is Valerian good for calming cats?

Reducing sexual desire by stimulating it is a disastrous idea. After valerian, cats become even more excited. Their behavior is very difficult to predict, and an incorrectly selected dosage can cause addiction in the animal.

If the smell of a volatile substance can deceive the pet, creating the illusion of the presence of the opposite sex, then such an effect will be short-lived. It won't solve the problem, so it's best to see a veterinarian.

In all cases, sterilization remains the most effective solution. The operation not only eliminates sexual desire and the ability to conceive, but also prevents the development of cancer.

Education and training

Some owners take advantage of their cats' addiction to valerian to quickly accustom their pets to a tray, scratching post or bed. Veterinarians and animal psychologists consider such methods inhumane, because the plant’s bioflavonoids cause serious damage to the nervous and endocrine systems of cats.

If you need to discourage a cat from using the toilet in the wrong place, you should use more unpleasant but harmless aromas, for example, black pepper or citrus.

To evoke sympathy for a toy, bed or scratching post, it is better to use catnip. This herb is harmless and does not cause addiction or adverse mental reactions. The extract is available in the form of oil or water drops and is sold in specialized pet stores.
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What to choose: roots, drops or tablets

The drug has 3 dosage forms: roots, drops and tablets. If you choose valerian for cats, then it is better to avoid tablets and alcohol tinctures. Ethyl alcohol contained in drops can burn the mucous membrane, cause alcohol intoxication and harm the kidneys and liver. The danger of tablets lies in their fillers. The abundance of synthetic substances (75% of the total composition) is fraught with allergic reactions and constipation.

If the doctor recommended a plant for treatment, then it is given to the animal in its natural form - that is, in the roots. You can also prepare a decoction or infusion from the roots, but without adding alcohol.

Composition of valerian

The plant has been famous for many years for its medicinal and sedative properties. It is difficult to overestimate its benefits for the human body. It has a calming and analgesic effect, helps with cramps and lack of sleep. But why do cats go crazy over valerian, what makes them sick from just the smell, whether it is beneficial or harmful, and why they like it so much - it’s worth figuring out.

The base of the tincture is 70% ethyl alcohol. This alone will make the cats drunk from the infusion. But this is not the most important thing. Valerian roots are a storehouse of strong essential oils and alkaloids. It is their effect that negatively affects the pet; it is similar to cocaine, which contains the same substances, only in larger quantities. That's why cats literally drag themselves when they drink, smell or eat it.

Can an overdose happen?

In addition to an allergic reaction, the animal may experience an overdose. It is accompanied by:

• complete loss of coordination;
• falling on the side;
• rolling your eyes;
• convulsions;
• copious discharge of foam from the mouth.

If these signs appear, you must immediately take your pet to the veterinary clinic. Otherwise, he may die from cardiac arrest.

To avoid overdose, strictly follow all doctor's recommendations and do not self-medicate. Remember that all medications should be kept out of the reach of pets.

Impact on the pet

According to veterinary experts, valerian acts like a drug on cats and is addictive. This is harmful to the pet's health.

Under the influence of the smell of the drug, the pet may roll on the floor.
The animal does not have to eat the drug; often a simple smell is enough, and that’s the whole point. The aroma of the plant is similar to the smell of urine of cats in heat. There is a hormonal surge in the animal, it becomes obsessive, as during the period of sexual hunting. If you give a cat valerian, an immediate reaction will follow. The infusion leads to an imbalance in the nervous system: the animal begins to behave inappropriately under the influence of the plant. The cat experiences euphoria, rolls on the floor, meows or yells in a voice that is not its own, and feels aggression towards familiar people and objects. General coordination is disrupted. With frequent use, valerian makes the animal degraded, sometimes hallucinations appear. A pheromone-like substance that resembles estrus has an exciting effect on males.

Conclusion: to give or not to give?

The use of valerian for cats for medicinal purposes is practiced very rarely and only as part of auxiliary therapy. In most cases, it is safer to use alternative medications and herbs.

When is Valerian good for cats?

The use of roots and decoctions is permissible for thyroid dysfunction, fever, intestinal spasms, neuroses and muscle atony. In addition to preventing serious pathologies, the herb can help increase activity and restore appetite.

The disadvantages of the plant outweigh its advantages. When treating pets, it is better to use safer drugs, the reaction to which is easier to predict.

How to make an infusion to treat certain diseases

Valerian and cats can be compatible, if, of course, the herb was prescribed to your pet by a veterinarian. For medicinal properties, it is used when the root of the plant is previously crushed and infused in boiling water (5 grams of the root is infused in a glass of boiling water for 2 hours in a water bath).

You can give the infusion strictly in the dosages prescribed by the veterinarian, otherwise an overdose may occur.

Application in veterinary medicine

The effect of valerian on cats is completely different from that on people, but it is also sometimes used in veterinary medicine. In very small doses it can be prescribed for:

• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Diseases of the nervous system;
• Diseases of the endocrine system.

Valerian acts on animals as an aphrodisiac. It affects the central nervous system and indirectly affects other organs and systems of the animal’s body. Valerian also contains substances that can affect the production of hormones in cats.

Valerian is also used as a stimulant if young cats behave too passively. Sometimes veterinarians recommend adding a little valerian to animals' food to improve appetite and digestion.

In any case, valerian is a medicine that has a strong effect on cats, which triggers a number of physiological reactions in the animal’s body. It’s not worth giving it to animals for fun, to see what happens to them. A dosage that is considered small and safe for humans may be too large and dangerous for an animal.

Interesting video: a cat’s reaction to valerian tincture

How does an animal's behavior change under the influence of valerian?

Valerian has a sedative and hypnotic effect on humans. Knowing this, some owners make the mistake of giving their cats valerian and hoping that this will calm them down. Valerian has a completely different effect on animals. It has a stimulating effect on their nervous system and makes them even more active.

It is interesting that adult cats react to valerian in much the same way as males, but kittens are insensitive to it.

Some cats become affectionate after valerian, rubbing against their owners’ legs, demanding to be stroked and picked up. Others begin to run around the apartment and meow loudly. This is how animals manifest sexual arousal, which makes them look for a partner and call for him with a loud meow. Often, such overexcitation causes severe aggression in cats, and they begin to rush at their owners, scratching and biting.

This hyperactivity lasts from 20 minutes to half an hour, after which a stage of apathy and exhaustion sets in. Cats become lethargic and indifferent, after which they fall asleep and can sleep for many hours in a row.

Consequences

Cats can very easily be “hooked” on valerian, because they are partial to it, just as alcoholics are partial to alcohol. Everyone knows that valerian root is infused with spirit. Since cats have no resistance to alcohol, they can quickly become drunk.

Before pouring a dose of “alcohol” into your pet, you should think about how alcohol affects the human body. It turns out that under the influence of valerian, the cat’s body is very quickly destroyed. In the near future, you can expect the following consequences of the fun:

• stomach ulcer;
• renal failure;
• inhibition of actions;
• liver diseases.

Benefit or harm?

Some owners offer this tincture to their pet just for fun. But not every one of them thinks about whether it is possible to give a cat valerian. But in fact, this extract can cause harm. As for the human body, this drug poses no danger to it, of course, in reasonable doses. From time immemorial, folk healers have used valerian root to prepare medicinal potions, which can be used to improve the quality of sleep, calm the nerves and relieve tension. But this plant only has this effect on people. Things are completely different with cats, so giving this medicine to your furbaby to calm him down is completely unwise.

A cat after valerian is more of a brawler than a sleepyhead

So, is valerian harmful for cats? This extract is like a hard drug - it radically changes the behavior of your furry pet, and in some cases can even cause hallucinations. It is believed that the cat sometimes sees an invisible threat, which it either violently attacks or flees. For some, the fear may be so strong that the animal will be in panic for several days and shake in fear from any rustle. This explains the inappropriate behavior of many pets.

For these reasons, veterinarians have a more than negative attitude towards this kind of jokes from owners and do not advise offering valerian to cats. Too much of it can kill an animal, having previously put it into sleep, but awakening will never come!

How much valerian can you give a cat when an analgesic effect is needed? Not at all! In this case, it is best to seek advice from a specialist. Only an experienced veterinarian can determine the advisability of using any drug. Remember, animals react to this remedy differently, and this reaction will depend on genetic predisposition - a susceptible pet can die from even a couple of drops of the extract!

Be careful and protect your cat's health from stupid experiments. Inappropriate fun can end very tragically - even death. After all, your pet is a living creature that trusts you completely and loves you boundlessly! Always remember this!

Why don't all cats get euphoric?

There is no clear opinion why not all cats fall into euphoria from the fragrant medicine. An inadequate reaction of a cat to valerian occurs in 70% of cases. Scientists have noticed that not every cat reacts to the smell of the mixture.

In addition, it has been proven that females are much more relaxed about the smell of valerian. During the experiment, out of three animals, only two cats reacted to the smell, falling into a state of euphoria.

Our pets are completely dependent on us. Therefore, it is in our power not only to feed them with high-quality food, but also to protect them from situations in which cats can harm themselves.

What changes are happening?

As soon as a feline smells a medicinal herb or drinks a little tincture, a change in its behavior occurs literally immediately. Any domestic cat can turn into a real robber, and along the way he can damage the house by breaking a vase, scratching the wallpaper, tearing curtains, etc.

You shouldn't be surprised by this behavior; it's normal. Your pet may tear and bite various objects. Rarely, cats may even urinate in corners. Simply put, valerian can be safely called a narcotic substance for any cat. Although this is a medicinal plant, it can cause hallucinations in cats, which will definitely not lead to any good.

Features of the impact

Those who have pampered their furry friend with valerian at least once may have noticed an unusual reaction. And although it manifests itself differently in everyone, we can conditionally divide the behavioral characteristics of animals into characteristic groups:

• Indifference . In fact, the stereotype that all cats go crazy because of the smell of medicine does not entirely reflect reality. Scientists have found that a violent reaction occurs in only 70% of animals. The remaining 30% do not pay any attention to the “magic drops”. This third of the total often includes kittens under 12 months of age and neutered animals.
• Euphoria . This is exactly the word that can describe the state of a purr, licked with valerian. The cat's behavior resembles that of a person under the influence of alcohol. The animal may stagger or lie, looking at one point with glassy eyes. Later, the cat falls into a sound sleep. And after waking up, he will return to the place where he was given the medicine and will try to find it again.
• Wild insanity. It is rare, but it happens that an animal rushes around the house, tears up wallpaper and climbs up curtains in a frenzied fit. The loud yelling that accompanies all this madness naturally frightens the owners. This is practically a cat's delirium tremens, which deals a big blow to his nervous system.

• Apathy and relaxation . Some cats fall asleep immediately after trying valerian. Although, in fact, this behavior is not due to this particular substance, but to the alcohol contained in liquid formulations. More often than not, cats wait until it wears off, but it happens that they still lick off a small dose. It is alcohol that causes the animal to become addicted to the medicinal tincture.
• Hallucination . In exceptional cases, the cat begins to feel that someone is threatening its health. Therefore, they can fight an invisible enemy, hiss and rush into the void. In addition, people and objects in the house are perceived by them as unfamiliar.