My Rabbit Ate Catnip Will He Get Sick?

Reviewed By Tom •  Updated: 01/08/21 •  3 min read
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If you’re like many households, you may have more than one fur baby at home! In fact, having cats and bunnies is a common thing! Who would have thought?

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Have you ever seen your rabbit go for some your cat’s catnip? It can happen, especially if your kitty happens to leave a little bit of catnip on the floor. Then your bunny comes over and has a taste!

Is catnip safe for bunnies?

What is Catnip?

Catnip is an herb that comes form the mint family, believe it or not! Cats love this stuff because catnip’s active ingredient, nepetalactone, is an attractant to cats. Cats that are around catnip may sniff the herb, lick & eat it, shake their heads, roll their bodies around, more.

If the catnip happens to be sniffed up into your cat’s nose, it can stimulate areas of the brain that control emotions and how the cat acts. It’s almost as if the cat becomes high. However, it has a short-lived effect and once the cat’s had enough, she’ll walk away from it.

Catnip’s often used as part of the stuffing in cat toys, too. Which is why you may notice your cat playing quite actively with one toy and not another.

But what about catnip and bunnies?

Is Catnip Safe for Rabbits?

You’ll be relieved to learn that catnip is safe for rabbits. Most bunnies don’t really like the smell of catnip, even wild rabbits don’t like it. They usually leave it alone.

In rabbits that do enjoy a little catnip, the active ingredient in the herb can work to calm bunnies that are restless or nervous.

As with other types of herbs, it’s probably a good idea to first check with your vet to make sure catnip is safe for your bun. If she’s never had catnip before, you might try giving her only a little bit of the herb. Then monitor her behavior afterwards.

And if your bunny has a large amount of catnip by accident and is showing any concerning signs, then it’s a good idea to call the vet for their advice.

Fresh Catnip is Best

Rather than dried catnip, you may want to give your bunny fresh catnip. In fact, you can grow this at home! You can find catnip seeds to grow, and then either grow them indoors or outdoors. Either way, you can then be sure the catnip is safe for both your cat and bunny.

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Tom

Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!

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