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Benefits of catnip for dogs.
On the left is my catnip plant; on the right are Scout's catnip toys.

A few years ago, I purchased a ton of catnip toys for Cosmo and our dog Scout, came across one and it became his favorite toy. Most evenings, we'll find him laying in his bed licking and nibbling on his catnip toy until he falls asleep. Curious about this behavior, I did some Google research and discovered that my belief that catnip revs up cats is a myth. Catnip has the opposite effect – helping them relax and calm down. So I now make sure to make catnip accessible to Cosmo in the evenings.

He's still nocturnal, but he's no longer bouncing off the walls.

But what about catnip's effect on dogs?

Benefits of Catnip for Dogs (and Cats)

When catnip is inhaled, it has a euphoric effect on our cats that make it seem like they're getting a little high. But when ingested, catnip has a calming effect on cats, dogs, and humans. In fact, we humans can make catnip tea to help fall asleep at night (recipe below).

What surprised me most in my research was that catnip is an effective mosquito repellent, which is why I began growing it around our deck.

Catnip Toys My Dogs Love

I'm certain that my dogs would love any catnip toy, but the ones I purchase for Scout and Zoey (Rodrigo and Sydney aren't interested) are the 11″ Kitty Sticks that you can find online or at local pet stores. Or, at times, when a sock goes missing, I'll add organic catnip to the solo sock (as long as it doesn't have holes), knot it off, and toss it to Scout who happily takes it to his bed.

Diffusing Catnip Essential Oils

Did you know that there is catnip essential oil? I love essential oils and, of course, I have a bottle of catnip essential oil that I have begun to use regularly and it'll be a favorite this summer.

Catnip Oil Promotes Calm and Relaxation: I often add a few drops (three or four) to my diffuser to promote calm and relaxation.

Catnip Oil Repels Mosquitoes: I use travel size spray bottles to mix the following ingredients to create a mosquito repellent:

  • 3 drops of catnip essential oil
  • 3 drops of citronella essential oil
  • fill your travel-sized spray bottle with mostly filtered water and add a natural soap (to help keep the oils together).
  • Shake before spraying on yourself or your dog.
  • Do not spray on your dog's face and don't use on your cat.

How to Dry Fresh Catnip

For the aspiring DIYers out there, you can easily make your own catnip. I've been buying catnip from a local store, but now that I have a huge pot of it growing in front of my house, I want to start drying it for use with my dogs and cat because fresh catnip will be so much better (and more potent). But how?

  • You want to start harvesting the catnip before the plant begins to bloom.
  • Plan to trim your stems in the morning; I'm not sure why this is the case: I read that this is the best time of the day.
  • Clip 4-6 inch stems (clipping right above a leaf so that the plant continues growing), pruning as much as you need.
  • Bundle the stems together and hang upside down in a warm area or in direct sunlight, over a countertop because some leaves may fall.
  • When the leaves are dry and crumbling, remove from the stem and store in an airtight container.

In a hurry?

If you want your catnip RIGHT NOW, you can try rolling your stems in a paper towel and microwaving them in 30-second intervals until the leaves are dry and crumbling. Then you can add the leaves to your airtight container.

Catnip Tea for Humans

Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons of fresh catnip leaves
  • 2 cups of filtered water
  • lemon or honey (optional)

Directions

  • put your leaves in a mug or coffee cup
  • bring your water to boil; once the water reaches the boiling point, remove from the heat and let it sit until it stops boiling (water that is too hot will greatly reduce the benefits of the catnip leaves)
  • once the water has settled, pour into a mug over the leaves
  • add honey or lemon as you like

If you grow any type of mint, you can make a tea for yourself using those leaves; this is great for digestive health.

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