Many cats go wild for valerian. Just a whiff of it can turn a calm house cat into a rolling, drooling, overexcited ball of fur. Interestingly, valerian has the opposite effect on cats and people: in humans, valerian root is used as a mild sedative, while in many cats it causes excitement. Is valerian safe for cats, and how does it compare with catnip? Let’s find out.
Why Do Cats Love Valerian?
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a flowering plant whose root has a strong, earthy smell that many people find unpleasant, and many cats find irresistible. The root contains a number of aromatic compounds, including actinidine, which is thought to be one of the main substances that attract cats. These compounds stimulate scent receptors in a cat’s nose, triggering a temporary “high.”
When cats smell valerian, they may roll on the floor, rub their cheeks and body on the source, drool, purr, chirp, kick and play energetically. Some become very relaxed afterward. The effect is similar to the reaction many cats have to catnip and looks a lot like the behavior of a female cat in heat, though it isn’t actually linked to mating hormones.
Not all cats respond. The response is inherited, and roughly half or more of cats react to valerian. Kittens under a few months old usually don’t respond at all.
Valerian, Catnip and Silver Vine
Several plants have a similar effect on cats:
- Catnip (Nepeta cataria) contains nepetalactone and is the best known. Roughly two-thirds of adult cats respond to it.
- Silver vine (Actinidia polygama), popular in Japan and increasingly in the US and UK, contains actinidine and nepetalactol. Some studies suggest that most cats respond to silver vine, including many that ignore catnip.
- Valerian root contains actinidine and tends to cause a more energetic reaction.
- Tatarian honeysuckle wood is another option for cats that don’t respond to catnip.
If your cat ignores catnip, it may still enjoy one of the others.
Is Valerian Safe for Cats?
Dried valerian root in cat toys, such as valerian-filled kicker toys and pillows sold in pet stores, is generally considered safe for cats when used occasionally and under supervision. Cats usually just sniff, lick, rub and bite the toy. The effect lasts about 5 to 15 minutes, after which most cats lose interest for a while.
But never give your cat valerian made for people. Valerian tinctures, drops, capsules and other human supplements are not safe for cats:
- Tinctures and many drops contain alcohol. Alcohol is toxic to cats even in small amounts. It can cause vomiting, incoordination, dangerously low blood sugar and body temperature, slowed breathing, seizures, coma and death.
- Supplements contain concentrated extracts that can cause excessive drooling, vomiting, wobbliness, extreme drowsiness or overexcitement.
- Combination products often contain other herbs or ingredients that are toxic to cats.
If your cat has eaten or licked a human valerian product, especially an alcohol-based tincture, call your vet or an animal poison hotline right away. In the US, contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661. In the UK, contact your vet or the Animal PoisonLine at 01202 509000.
Important: don’t give your cat valerian or any herbal remedy to “calm it down” without talking to your vet first. There are much safer, better-studied options. Read more: safe calming options for cats.
How Cats Behave on Valerian
Most of us have seen how cats react to valerian. A valerian toy instantly becomes the center of attention. A cat may:
- roll on the floor and rub its face and body on the toy;
- grab the toy, bite it and kick it with its back legs;
- drool and purr;
- meow, chirp or yowl;
- run around the house in bursts of energy;
- become very relaxed or sleepy after the excitement wears off.
Some cats become overexcited, and a few may swat, hiss or bite if they’re disturbed. A cat on a valerian or catnip “high” may not want to be touched, so let it enjoy the moment and don’t pick it up. If you have several cats, give each one its own toy, or offer valerian to them separately, so the excitement doesn’t turn into a squabble.
How to Use Valerian Safely
- Choose toys made for cats that contain dried valerian root, from a reputable pet brand.
- Offer the toy for short sessions a few times a week rather than leaving it out all the time. Cats can become less sensitive if they’re exposed to it constantly.
- Supervise your cat, and throw the toy away if it starts to fall apart, so your cat doesn’t eat the filling.
- Store valerian toys in an airtight container to keep them fresh and to stop your cat from finding them on its own.
- Don’t use valerian with cats that become aggressive or overly stressed when they’re excited.
- Keep human valerian products, and all medicines and supplements, locked away where your cat can’t reach them.
