If your cat ignores catnip, try silver vine first. About one in three cats do not respond to catnip, and in the largest comparison study, Bol et al. (2017), almost 75% of those catnip non-responders responded to silver vine. Tatarian honeysuckle and valerian root are the next options for cats that ignore both.
Why do some cats ignore catnip?
The catnip response is partly inherited: studies going back to Todd (1962) found it runs in families. Kittens also do not respond until they are a few months old, and older cats can respond less. So a cat ignoring catnip is normal, not a sign the catnip is bad, although stale catnip is a common second cause.
The catnip alternatives, compared
| Alternative | Share of all cats that responded (Bol et al., 2017) | Works for catnip non-responders? | Common forms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver vine / matatabi (Actinidia polygama) | About 4 in 5 | Yes: almost 75% of them | Powder, fruit galls, sticks, toys |
| Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) | About half | About 1 in 3 of them | Wood chips, sprays |
| Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) | About half | Some | Dried root, toys |
Silver vine: the strongest alternative
Silver vine, called matatabi in Japan, contains several iridoids, including nepetalactol, which Uenoyama et al. (2021) identified as its main attractant. Its response looks like a catnip response, often stronger, and it reaches most cats that ignore catnip. Powder gives the strongest but shortest reaction; fruit galls and sticks last longer.
Tatarian honeysuckle
Only the wood of this one honeysuckle species works, and only for some cats. Never give cats the berries. It is a reasonable third option if your cat ignores both catnip and silver vine.
Valerian root
Valerian reaches about half of cats and has a strong, earthy smell many people dislike. Dried root in a toy is the usual way to offer it; do not use human valerian supplements.
How to test your cat
- Offer one plant at a time, a pinch on the floor or a fresh toy, in a quiet room.
- Watch for sniffing, licking, cheek rubbing, rolling or a burst of play within a minute or two.
- Wait at least a day before trying the next plant, so the cat is not still in its refractory period.
- Use fresh herb. Old catnip that has lost its smell gives a false "non-responder".
A blend reaches the most cats
Because catnip and silver vine act on cats through partly different compounds, a toy that combines both reaches roughly nine cats in ten. That is the reasoning behind Ponoto's Le Croissant, which is filled with whole catnip buds and silver vine; for other brands with herb blends, see our cat toy brand comparison.
Frequently asked questions
- What can I give my cat instead of catnip?
- Silver vine (matatabi) is the strongest alternative: almost 75% of cats that ignore catnip respond to it (Bol et al., 2017). Tatarian honeysuckle wood and valerian root work for some of the rest.
- Why doesn't my cat react to catnip?
- About one in three cats do not respond to catnip, largely for inherited reasons. Kittens under a few months old and some older cats also respond less, and stale catnip can look like no response.
Sources
- Bol S, Caspers J, Buckingham L, et al. (2017). Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and catnip (Nepeta cataria). BMC Veterinary Research 13:70.
- Uenoyama R, Miyazaki T, Hurst JL, et al. (2021). The characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids allows them to gain chemical defense against mosquitoes. Science Advances 7(4): eabd9135.
- Todd NB. (1962). Inheritance of the catnip response in domestic cats. Journal of Heredity 53(2): 54-56.