Cats & Valerian

[dvmarie]

My cat goes nuts over Valerian - even more than she does Catnip. I found this out when she used to rub on me and purr/vocalize when I'd fill my vitamin hoppers. I noticed she'd come around when I opened up the Valerian jar. So I tossed one on the floor and she sniffed it, rolled in it, attacked it - she even drooled! (she never eats it though). So now when I do the weekly vitamin hopper fillup - I drop one for her.....it's bizarre to watch her love on that thing :)

Does anyone else have a cat that reacts this way to Valerian?

[kpickell]

I don't really know what valarian is. But a google search for Valerian and Cats shows that it is a stimulant for cats. Rats too.

[dvmarie]

Valerian is an herb. I take it every evening (in tablet form) - it seems to help me sleep better. It smells a bit like limburger cheese :p

[bizarro]

I don't really know what valarian is. But a google search for Valerian and Cats shows that it is a stimulant for cats. Rats too.

its the herbal form of vallium. i think it smells like dirt.

[Christy]

It smells like stinky feet. My cats didn't seem fazed by it, but they act a little whacked out most of the time.

[Jessica]

I read this message with yesterday but didn't write because.... well, I didn't have anything to write! I'd never heard of cats liking valerian.

But last night the weirdest thing happened. I went into the kitchen and made a cup of tea. A few minutes later one of the cats, Carrots, started trying to get into the recycling bag. He was scratching around and getting all excited. I took him out and looked at the object of his affections, and it was the wrapper from my tea bag, which he'd chewed and licked into mush. And what kind of tea had I just made myself? Valerian! What a coincidence!

So yep, dvmarie, I have a cat who acts soppy over valerian! Given kpickell's post, it looks like I should try it out on the Rat Boy too!

[Chook]

I have valerian growing in my garden and I quite often find a neighbourhood cat curled up asleep in the middle of it. :sleep:

[kpickell]

ha.
that's funny :)


I suppose I should buy some of this stuff.

[resmart67]

Yep, my cat goes nuts for it too. We just found this out tonight. My wife was taking her nightly Valerian dose and dropped a drop on the kitchen floor (we use the liquid) and didn't notice. Later the cat was licking and rubbing the floor. Putting two and two together, I put a small drop down on the tile, he immediately licked it up and then started purring and twisting and acting goofy. That's when I looked it up on the net and found this posting.

Weird Huh?!