Live catnip plants for diabetic cats?

We've been tempted by those catnip plants PetSmart sells. I didn't want to add anything new while he was on insulin, but now that he's OTJ, we're considering this. Does anyone have any opinion about whether these are okay for diabetic cats?

 

i have several catnip plants growing on my deck in pots. all four of mine love the fresh 'nip. :mrgreen:
i haven't noticed any difference in alex's numbers when she's been on or off insulin...

 

I started giving catnip a few weeks before Prudence went OTJ. I figured that this may help keep her energy level up since she's an indoor kitty. So, twice a day I made sure she got her catnip along with the other crew. Laser light was a plus :dizcat I do think the exercise helped speed the process. With all those ear prickings... I am sure play time was something she looked forward to.

Good luck!

 

All forms of catnip is fine for all cats, diabetics included :thumbup Cat grass is fine, too.

If you want to keep the live catnip plant growing longer, take it out of the store pot and replant it into a bigger pot. Alternatively, buy catnip seeds (most gardening stores have them or growing kits. Burpee is one brand of seeds) and plant those. Use plain potting soil, no fertilizer or fancy stuff. Tease the roots apart a little to help the plant reestablish itself in the bigger pot. Water as needed with plain water. Pick the leaves when they are about a inch long or so. Frequent picking will encourage the plant to grow bigger.

I replanted a small store grown catnip plant into a 8 inch pot and it grew into a HUGE plant within a month My cat loved fresh catnip leaves. You can even dry the leaves for later use.

 

One warning about catnip plants if grown outside...(we have or had several in our yard) Once you start picking, pick all you want because once the scent of freshed picked catnip is in the air every stray for miles will find your plants and happily eat them down to the ground...lol

Also for those that don't know Cat Grass is really nothing more than young oats like they raise for horses, you can go to most feed stores and ask them for a handful of raw oats. ( some charge a small amount, other will just give you a handful)

Bring home, plant in a kitty friendly container and water as needed. Our cats love it.

Mel & Muse

 

This is fantastic feedback; thanks, everyone!

Very glad to be made mindful of the risk of an outdoor plant. I was thinking of putting it on our screened porch, but there are some strays in the neighborhood ( :cry: another topic for another time), and we don't want to draw them to the porch.

I was also interested in the grass -- but I thought the point of that was to make the kitty throw up hairballs. Is that not the case?

 

I always used Cosmic Kitty Herbs grass seed which was a mix of barley, oat, and rye.

Not really. Cats just like the taste of grass. It's more of a treat. Cats who eat too much grass too fast may throw up but that happens with regular food sometimes too.

 

Oh, catnip is a yummy treat for OTJ kitties. Crash gets a 12" branch several times a week, and can eat it any time he is outside.