Is this Catnip?

[Dicko]

Hi all. 

Catnip or common mint? Im fairly sure this is catnip but just wanna see if someone that definately knows can confirm.

 

My cat never goes near it however some cats just dont like it I spose. 

[ballzac]

Certainly looks like it to me. Catnip has a very distinctive smell. Even if you don't know what it should smell like, you should at least be able to rule out a mint or anything else you're familiar with from the smell. Catnip has a very 'heavy' scent, which I would liken to something like tomato leaves, cannabis flowers, hop cones, or possibly even burnt rubber. Grab a leaf and bruise it vigorously by rolling it between your fingers, and have a smell. This is also the best way to get your cat interested in it. They'll be much more receptive to the smell on your fingers when they're not familiar with it. Then when they are used to it, they are likely to end up rolling around on the plant or chewing on it---although, as you say, some cats are just never interested.

[Dicko]

Yep I reckon it is then

Thanks for the quick reply

[SayN]

I dunno - looks more like nettle to me.

 

is your cat male?

[Northerner]

1 hour ago, ballzac said:

Certainly looks like it to me. Catnip has a very distinctive smell. Even if you don't know what it should smell like, you should at least be able to rule out a mint or anything else you're familiar with from the smell. Catnip has a very 'heavy' scent, which I would liken to something like tomato leaves, cannabis flowers, hop cones, or possibly even burnt rubber. Grab a leaf and bruise it vigorously by rolling it between your fingers, and have a smell. This is also the best way to get your cat interested in it. They'll be much more receptive to the smell on your fingers when they're not familiar with it. Then when they are used to it, they are likely to end up rolling around on the plant or chewing on it---although, as you say, some cats are just never interested.

Introducing your cat to drugs 101.

[oncewhywechange]

Hey, I do not think it is , Catnip leaves are silvery/grey to an almost blue/green colour.  it also has white fine hairs on the leaf.

 

 

 

[Dicko]

Hmm theres catnip in the nursery at work ill have a squiz.

Defs not nettle that stuff grows all over the place around my area.

[Dicko]

3 hours ago, SayN said:

is your cat male?

 

Yup he is

[ballzac]

2 hours ago, smithy said:

Hey, I do not think it is , Catnip leaves are silvery/grey to an almost blue/green colour.  it also has white fine hairs on the leaf.

 

 

 

 

The colour and hairiness can very based on conditions. As you can see, mine do not really have a bluish hue, and although they have hairs, they're fairly shiny and the hairs don't always show up in a photo depending on the lighting conditions. I think I can see hairs on Dicko's plant when zooming in on the close-up. It's also wet, which can can make the hairs lie down a bit. That said, looking at the images side by side, I'm far from 100% convinced now. Dicko, if you rub your fingertip across the leaves, is there a velvety feel to them? Even the ones that don't look hairy have enough hair on them to to able to feel (and hear) it. I still think the best way to identify it is by smell, but it's obviously not easy if you don't already know what it smells like.

 

 

 

 

[Dicko]

Yeah they have the velvety feel. 

Ill check the smell soon, gonna go and see what chilli plants the nursery has and im fairly certain I saw catnip in there a while back. 

The smell of my plant reminds me of the smell of molasses grass. But its been a long time since ive smelled that.

[SayN]

when you rub it over a sensitive bit of skin, do you get a rash?

 

i thought i read or heard somewhere that generally only female cats are attracted to catnip (mine goes nuts) and for male cats it's valerian.

 

[Strontium Dawg]

My male cat used to go cuckoo over the nip...

[Dicko]

Yeah it smells exactly the same as the catnip in the nursery. 

Looks like it is nip