Is Catnip toxic to cats?
Catnip is mildly toxic to cats (S1 Caution): the ASPCA notes that while many cats love it, nepetalactone can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and it leaves some cats sedated and others stimulated — an upset stomach at worst, not a poisoning.
- TOXINnepetalactone
- WHAT TO EXPECTvomiting; diarrhea; sedation in some cats
- CALL THE VETCall your vet if vomiting or diarrhea persists or worsens, or your cat stops eating or drinking.
Symptoms
| SIGN |
|---|
| vomiting |
| diarrhea |
| sedation in some cats |
| stimulation in some cats |
If your cat just ate it
Care at a glance
FAQ
Are catnip and catmint the same thing — and is catnip a mint?
Catnip and catmint are the same plant on our record: the ASPCA's catnip entry is Nepeta cataria and lists catmint and catswort as alternative names, so both fall under this S1 Caution verdict. Is it a mint? It is in the mint family, Lamiaceae, but it is not Mentha, the genus of garden mint, and the two have separate records with different toxic principles — nepetalactone here, essential oils for garden mint. Our mint page does not extend its verdict to plants that merely carry "mint" in the name, and this page returns the courtesy. Read each page for its own plant.
Why is catnip graded S1 if cats are supposed to love it?
Because loving it and tolerating it are two different things, and the ASPCA records both. Its entry says that "many cats love catnip, but it can cause vomiting and diarrhea," and that "it makes some cats sedated and others stimulated." Vomiting and diarrhea are gastrointestinal signs only, with no contact irritation and no systemic effect on record, and that is the definition of S1 Caution on our scale — an upset stomach at worst, not a poisoning. So catnip stays a treat, just not an unlimited one: a cat that eats a large amount may bring it back up. If signs persist, call your vet.