Both catnip and catmint are types of mint that are safe to cats. Garden mint may cause gastrointestinal upset if too much is eaten. The essential oils specific to garden mint have also been known to relax the esophageal valve, making vomiting more likely in a cat who may already be ill.
Fortunately, most of the varieties, like peppermint, spearmint, lavender mint, apple mint, and even pineapple mint, are totally safe. However, you should steer clear of Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), a type of non-culinary mint that is toxic for both people and pets.
All parts of mint, particularly leaves, flowers, and stems, are unsafe for your feline friends. These plants are loaded with essential oils, which are highly toxic to not just cats, but also horses and dogs.
Mint is a common aromatic ingredient used in many products. In the form of an essential oil, it is extremely toxic to your dog. If your dog has been around mint and is now acting abnormally, contact your veterinarian.
What's this all about? A: Menthol is derived from mint leaves, and many cats have a gene that attracts them to mint. Catnip is also a member of the mint family; offer Nala some and enjoy her response. Fortunately, menthol is safe at the small doses Nala ingests when she licks your skin.
More smells cats hate include mint and strong mint-related odors, such as wintergreen and menthol. This may be for good reason, as ingesting mint and its relatives can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats.
Nepetalactone is the ingredient in catmint—a member of the mint family—that makes cats crazy. Rather it makes 70% of cats crazy; about 30% of cats are unaffected by catnip. In addition, your new kitten will most likely not respond to catnip (good news, as kittens are plenty wild without drugs).
The smell of mint disturbs cats and thus keeps them away. Anything minty contains concentrated amounts of salicylate, an organic chemical found in many fruits and vegetables. It is toxic to cats and would warn them of danger.
Castor, peppermint, and spearmint oils are odors that digging and burrowing animals dislike. (This can include groundhogs, mice, moles, rats, skunks, voles, and others.)
As a general rule, cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might just surprise you. They can't stand citrus and as much as you might love the smell of fresh herbs, cats hate rosemary and thyme. Banana and mustard are a big no-no too, as well as lavender and eucalyptus.
While it is not deadly, lavender is toxic for cats. Lavender contains linalool and linalyl acetate, which cats cannot process in their livers. This means that consuming too much lavender can lead to liver damage.
Is Rosemary Safe For Cats to Eat? Rest assured, according to the ASPCA animal poison control, rosemary is non-toxic to cats1, as well as to dogs and to horses. There are members of the Lamiaceae family that the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats. These include, surprisingly, catnip, lavender, marjoram, mint, and oregano.
According to the ASPCA, basil is not toxic to cats. Basil is actually the common name for Ocimum Basilium and is an herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Commonly known as the mint family, this family of plants also includes catnip, lavender, sage, rosemary, oregano, lemon balm, and, obviously, mint.
Many cats do not like the smell of peppermint as it contains Salicylate which is poisonous to cats. Unfortunately, some cats are attracted to the peppermint plant because it contains Nepetalactone mimicking compounds, the active ingredient in Catnip.
Garden mint and catmint are listed as toxic plants for cats, according to the Animal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Both garden mint and catmint go by a multitude of common names, including lamb mint, spearmint, catnip, and more.
Cats dislike the smell of rue, lavender and pennyroyal, Coleus canina and lemon thyme. Plant a few of these throughout the garden. (Interplanting can attract pollinators and other beneficial insects too.) Cats steer clear of strong citrus scents.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a common, white-flowered plant in the mint family found throughout the United States, especially in disturbed areas. Cats love to roll in these low-growing plants, and cat toys filled with the dried leaves are famous for driving cats wild.
While all of the plants listed above are toxic to cats, perhaps the most dangerous is the lily. Lilies can cause kidney failure in cats who come in contact with the flower's pollen, then ingest the pollen during grooming.
3) Can cats eat rosemary? Yes they can, if they want to! Rosemary is a wonderful herb to have in the garden, especially when it's in bloom. Luckily, your cat won't be as interested in it as you, but even if you have an extra curious pet, it's safe for them to nibble on.
Houseplants poisonous to cats
Care should be taken when purchasing house plants, as varieties such as cycads, cheese plants and aloe vera are not cat-friendly. Seasonal plants like mistletoe and poinsettia are also dangerous.
Unlike catnip, catmints include many species in the Nepeta genus. While there is large-scale cultivation of catmints, in the U.S. they are primarily used in gardening rather than grown for essential oil or cat toys. In general, most garden catmints share catnip traits and preferences for drained soil and full sun.
Catnip and mint are herbs from the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Both herbs have strong aromatic scents that are attractive to humans, bees, and other insects, but catnip has a scent that is specifically appealing to cats and repulsive to deer.
Catmint vs Lavender: Description
Both of these plants grow delicate purplish flowers, though catmint plants tend to be more blue compared to the gray found in lavender plants. In addition, catmint leaves resemble mint leaves more often than not, while lavender leaves are typically narrower and longer by comparison.