Practically every experienced cat breeder knows that representatives of the cat family are not indifferent to preparations made on the basis of a plant called valerian. For this reason, the famous medicinal perennial is called cat root, cat grass, or moun grass. Human valerian affects as a light sedative and antispasmodic, but the etheric components of the plant have a strong stimulating effect on domestic cats and cats.
After conducting a series of scientific observations, scientists managed to find out that adult matured valerian cats act less excitingly than cats, and if among females 30-35% of all individuals show interest in plants, then among males this figure is 70-75%.
Composition and release form
The pharmaceutical industry produces valerian in tablets, drops, in the form of alcohol tinctures, as well as in the composition of soothing charges, where the raw materials are presented in a crushed form for the subsequent preparation of broth from it. Any of these dosage forms are of interest to the cat, therefore if you have a valerian bottle in your house, sooner or later your pet will get to it.
The danger for the animal is not only the drug itself, but also the fact that the cat is able to break the glass bottle and get hurt or swallow a piece of broken glass.
There are the following forms of release.
- Tincture valerian is available in the form of drops for oral administration, the medicine is packaged in dark glass bottles of 15, 25, 50 or 100 milliliters. 80% of its volume, the drug consists of 70% ethyl alcohol, and the rest of it is dry valerian root powder. As part of drops, the role of the active medicinal substance is performed by extracts of the essential small plant consisting of borneol and isovaleric acid, and the plant alkaloids, valerin, valepotriaty and hotin, have a spasmolytic and sedative effect.
Since the tincture is prepared on the basis of ethyl alcohol, when it is used, the animal almost instantly has a strong alcoholic intoxication.
- Pills Valerians are produced for internal use, coated. In their packaging is usually from 10 to 50 pieces. Each tablet contains 20 mg of a thick extract of valerian root. In addition to the active ingredient, the tablets contain magnesium carbonate, croscarmellose, potato starch, gelatin and calcium stearate. For cats, pills are no less dangerous than tincture.
With a large amount of the drug eaten by animals, a strong drug poisoning is possible, then the situation will require urgent veterinary care. In addition, the auxiliary components of the tablets can cause an unexpected allergic reaction in a cat.
- Drug collection of dry herbs is a crushed raw material of valerian root and its aerial parts. Such a collection is packed in cardboard boxes or bags of mica, usually the weight of the packaging of such a collection is small - 200-250 grams. If your furry pet finds such a bag, it is unlikely that it will chew dry grass, and it will not eat much.However, you can be assured that the contents of the entire package will be scattered, and the cat with great pleasure worn in crushed valerian.
A big danger, for example, severe poisoning or intoxication does not threaten the animal, however, behavior change even in this case can be pronounced.
Raw materials obtained from the root of medicinal valerian are used in the manufacture of sedatives, which normalize the psycho-emotional state of a person, help him fall asleep faster, reduce nervousness and irritability, relieve spasms, and improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The valerian root influences the body of the domestic representatives of the feline family in exactly the opposite way, causing excessive motor activity, euphoria and hallucinations in animals, accompanied by inadequate behavioral responses.
The animal is intoxicated for a rather short period of time — from 5 to 15 minutes, and then it begins a phase of deep and sound sleep.. During sleep in cats, all smooth muscles, including respiratory organs, relax, so veterinarians are not uncommon when a furry pet, asleep, could no longer wake up.
What is attractive for cats?
The reason for the inadequate behavioral changes after taking valerian with alcohol in domestic cats is that the smell of the plant very much resembles the animals the smell of the urine of the female, which is ready for mating. Essential components affect the cerebral cortex of the animal, arousing unconditional reflexes of reproduction in it, and since the valerian aroma is similar to cat pheromones, the reaction to it in cats is similar. The situation is aggravated by alcohol intoxication, if the cat has taken a certain amount of alcohol tincture, therefore expressions of the excitation phase are expressed several times stronger.
Usually, the reaction to male valerian is manifested. The females are more affected by the ethereal substance nepetalactone, which is contained in valerian. A similar substance is in the cat's catnip, which is also called catnip. It is because of the smell of neptalactone that cats and cats love both of these plants so much.
Nepetalactone causes euphoric hallucinations in cats, which are manifested by motor agitation, increased appetite, loud meows and inappropriate behavior. Excitement from nepetalacton also lasts no more than 15 minutes, and then the cat's brain becomes insensitive to the substance, but after about an hour and a half, the reaction of the brain neurons is restored and the effect on the brain of the substance is repeated again.
Harmful or helpful?
Alcohol valerian is more dangerous for animals than tablet form or dry herbal preparations. Alcohol dependence in felines develops from the first dose, because their body lacks an enzyme capable of splitting alcoholic components. Ethyl alcohol has a toxic effect on the cat's liver, and also irritates the mucous membrane of the walls of the stomach and intestines.
If you regularly take this drug, your pet may develop a peptic ulcer or cirrhosis. Fluffy pets very quickly become addicted to the drug, while their nature and behavior change significantly - the animal becomes nervous and aggressive.
If valerian pills were available to the cat, then most likely, all that he found will be eaten by him. Excessive dosage will cause feline poisoning. This is manifested by increased salivation, vomiting, foam can go from the mouth of the animal, and in addition, a convulsive syndrome can begin. This condition is dangerous due to the fact that during convulsions the tongue of the animal may fall into his throat and block the access of oxygen to the lungs.
With increased nervous excitability, the brain and the entire central nervous system of the animal body suffer greatly. In the cerebral cortex at this time, foci of arousal and inhibition occur in a chaotic manner, which can lead to a prolonged loss of consciousness or stroke.
It often happens that an animal happens reflex respiratory arrest. After such an excessive test, the nervous system is inhibited, and the cat falls into a long sleep. In a dream, the state of work of the central nervous system is stabilized, the foci of excitation subside, and the neurotransmitter receptors of the brain come to a balanced state.
However, not all cats can withstand such a test, often the mischief of valerian leads to the death of a pet.
As for the benefits, valerian can still be used for good purposes, but it does not necessarily give it for internal use to a cat or a cat. For example, using this tool you can train an animal to sleep in a specially designated place. To do this, a few drops of valerian need to drop on the stool of a cat, and he will be happy to sleep there. If you have a problem, how to teach your pet to the tray, and in this case, you can use a few drops of the drug.
In the same way, it is possible to teach your cat to sharpen claws not about furniture, but to use a claw brush for this.
The main thing in this matter is not to exceed the allowable dosage. In order to achieve the effect, it is enough to apply only 1-2 drops of the means in order to arouse your pet's strong interest in the object on which you inflicted valerian.
How does it affect cats?
The effect of valerian on cats from the use of tincture is more pronounced. If the drug was accidentally spilled or the cat itself could reach it, then a pool with alcohol drops will be the cause of the strongest interest of the animal.
Most likely, that a cat or a cat will start licking the tincture and wallowing in it, and you will notice that this pet likes it very much. After consuming the drug, the animal’s reaction will be very inadequate. - the cat will be agitated, he will have physical activity, the cat will run or bounce, in addition, the pet may meow loudly or make heart-rending sounds.
Such a disinhibiting effect on the cat's brain is influenced not only by the extract of valerian, but also alcohol, which is part of the drug. The animal for 5-15 minutes inadequately perceives reality and is in an altered mental and emotional state. Cats react in such a way that begin to mark the territory hard, and females can roll on the floor in a state of euphoria.
Adult mature cats love the smell of valerian, and if at this moment you try to take away a bottle of medicine from your pet or try to drive the animal away from the pool with the drug, then from the fluffy friend you will unexpectedly encounter very violent and aggressive resistance. There is nothing surprising in this, because the effect of valerian essential oils is such that animals literally go crazy.
Under the influence of intoxicating components, your domestic cat can inflict a very serious injury to you with its claws or teeth, without being aware of what is happening.
Therefore, at such moments you need to be very careful in dealing with pets, and young children at this time it is better to take them to another room altogether.
Is it possible to give valerian?
Some owners of cats and cats believe that nothing bad will happen if you water the pet with valerian to calm it down. But do not underestimate the power of these drugs. The most dangerous of them is the tincture - getting used to it begins after a single use. Your pet will go around the house, heart-rending and screaming, and look for this remedy, especially if it smells somewhere nearby.
The tablet form of the medicine is less dangerous, but here everything depends on the dosage that the animal will eat. However, even to small doses in cats an inadequate dependence is established, and soon you will not recognize your favorite pet. All his attention will be given only to find valerian, and he will not be interested in anything else.
Sometimes, in very rare cases, a veterinarian may prescribe your pet valerian, but only in the form of low concentration broth. Assign such a decoction can with spasms of the gastrointestinal tract, with skin problems in the form of eczema, as well as a sedative. In this case, only a specialist can correctly calculate the dosage of the drug; it is not recommended to do it yourself.
And yet, most veterinarians believe that valerian preparations do not bring cats and cats any benefit, and in order not to cause irreparable harm to their furry friend, these medicines should always be kept out of the reach of a pet and, of course, should not be given these funds. to your pet purposefully.
For soothing purposes, there are other, milder means that are not addictive and do not affect the animal's nervous system so much. The veterinarian will help you find these remedies and their correct dosage.
Possible problems
If your pet is mistreated with valerian medications, you may experience a loss of coordination in movements, impaired working functions of the fore or hind limbs, impaired vision or hearing. All these manifestations are consequences of hemorrhages in the brain of the animal, which often occur under the influence of valerian.
If the animal was able to survive a stroke, then the recovery period for it may take many months or even years, and a positive result may not come at the same time. After such difficult trials, the feline nervous system can cause frequent malfunctions, and in addition, against this background, it is possible that the endocrine system is out of balance.
In addition to a stroke, under the influence of the stimulating action of essential oils, an animal may have a heart failure, and in the worst case scenario a cat may develop a heart attack. With a strong nervous overexcitement from large doses of the drug in adult cats, acute heart failure often occurs, which in a fairly short period of time can be fatal.
Often, after poisoning with drugs with valerian, malfunctions in such important organs as the liver and kidneys begin. And all these changes can occur after a single dose of valerian. It should be understood how catastrophic the consequences for your pet's body can be if these situations repeat more than once.
The combination of these negative factors can significantly reduce the duration and quality of life of your fluffy pet. In addition, his character and habits will change, and from a cheerful and cheerful your cat can turn into a sullen and aggressive.
About why cats and cats love valerian, see the next video.
