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Cats & Valerian Tea...

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  • 23-10-2009 12:29am
    #1
    Acoshla
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,729 ✭✭✭


    Hey all,

    I'm more curious about this than looking for help or anything, it's an odd one though.

    I have a gorgeous black cat who is almost a year old, had him since June, brilliant little guy. I recently started drinking Valerian Tea, and this is where it gets weird. My cat got hold of one of the envelopes that the teabag comes in and went *mental* for it, if you give him one he lays it on the ground and rubs his neck and back along it rolling over and over before cuddling, licking and eventually devouring the paper (He has only managed to eat it twice, once when he did it so fast I couldn't stop him and the second time it was like trying to grab a needle from an addict, I got clawed to death and gave up)

    As soon as he gets the smell he is over to me whining, meowing, purring and trying to grab it...why??

    I was so curious about this that I brought a tea bag to my mom's house, her cat who is generally a very odd cat and doesn't do anything that regular cats do did the exact same thing, put it on the ground, rolled around on it then cuddled it and licked it :confused:

    The ingredients in the tea bag are Limeflowers, Valerian Root, Hops, Passion flowers and Fennel and I would love to know what it is about these teabags that smell like feet that drives cats mad.

    If anyone has any idea please enlighten me :)


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    #2
    star-pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    I was curious after your post myself and google has given me this
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_%28herb%29#Effect_on_cats_and_rats
    An unusual feature of valerian is that the essential oil of valerian root is a cat attractant similar to catnip. The active compound in valerian for this is actinidine. Cat attractants might mimic the odor of cat urine which is caused by 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol (MMB).

    and this http://www.catniptoys.com/valerian_faq.htm


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    #3
    Acoshla
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,729 ✭✭✭Acoshla


    Thanks! I had a quick Google but didn't get much, must've been my late night crappy incoherent googling :)


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    #4
    HereticPrincess
    Registered Users Posts: 411 ✭✭HereticPrincess


    That does sound very odd, although kinda entertaining :rolleyes:

    I was wondering myself, as I have a cat & kitten, & the older lady is a little bit fussy, loooves her Whiska's treats, but otherwise isn't into kitty snacks.

    But if I make peppermint / camomile tea, she acutally waits til I'm done & the tea is barely warm, to stick her head into the cup & paw at the tea bag until it's come out on her paw! & then she nudges it around etc. It's so funny.. Weird little kitty!


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    #5
    joyce2009
    Registered Users Posts: 530 ✭✭✭joyce2009


    you sure its tea and not cat nip???:D:D:D sounds like the same reaction:rolleyes:


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    #6
    star-pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    Well peppermint is close to catnip as its a member of the mint family AFAIK so that would explain why the cat might go nuts for the peppermint tea too. Not sure about chamomile.


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    #7
    sunshinegirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 126 ✭✭sunshinegirl


    my cat goes mad with valerian tea as well she rolls around and goes mad and acts drunk.she has had catnip and that makes her hyper


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