Catnip vs Silvervine Treats

Catnip and silvervine are different plants, so a treat built on one is a separate experiment from a treat built on the other. The label names which plant is inside, and that line is the first thing to read.

Two plants, two effects

VCA Hospitals describes catnip as an herb in the mint family whose active compound, nepetalactone, sets off sniffing, rubbing and rolling in the cats that respond, and it notes that not every cat does. Some react strongly and some show no interest at all, whatever you hand them.

Silvervine comes from another plant entirely, a climbing vine in the same genus as kiwifruit. No source this site cites gives a response rate or an effect for silvervine, so this guide gives none. What a cat does with it is what you see on the day.

Every effect in this guide is attributed to the source that gives it. Where a source is silent, the sentence says so.

Both plants turn up in the same handful of forms: dried leaf, powder, stick and treat. A cat that has met one in a toy may react differently to the same plant in a treat, because smelling and eating are different experiences.

A treat named for the plant on the front may list it near the end of the ingredient list. FDA describes that list as running from the most by weight to the least, so a plant named last is the smallest part of the treat.

Crunchy treats with catnip inside

A crunchy catnip treat is a small baked or dried piece with catnip mixed through it. The cat gets the plant and a crunch in one bite, and the treat is gone before you have finished watching. The label does not say how much catnip each piece holds, and this guide cannot say either.

The trade off is time. A crunchy treat is a moment, and a cat that finds it exciting wants a second one. If you are using treats to reward a behavior, that moment is exactly what you are paying for, and the page on how to train a cat with treats covers how to use it.

If you try a crunchy treat for the first time, offer one piece and watch. Some cats go straight to it. Some sniff it, roll on the floor beside it and eat it later. Both tell you the cat noticed.

Sticks, powders and treats

A stick is a piece of the plant, or a chew made from it, for the cat to bite, rub and carry. A stick lasts. A cat can come back to it for days, and a stick on the floor will do its work without your help.

A powder is sprinkled over a scratching post, a blanket or a toy, and the effect depends on how much you use and where. It is the least tidy of the three, because powder ends up in the carpet.

A treat is the shortest option, since it is eaten. Each form suits a different use: a stick for play, a powder for refreshing a toy, a treat for a reward. That makes price per ounce a poor comparison across forms. Count a stick as one object the cat returns to and a bag of treats as so many rewards, then compare. Read the supplier's listing for which plant is in the product before you buy.

Sniff and Shift does not make a catnip treat. Its freeze dried minnows and sardine heads are labeled for dogs and cats, and they are the house option for a cat that wants something to crunch, though they are fish and not a plant.

Why some cats ignore both

VCA Hospitals counts the cats that respond to catnip as the lucky ones, which is another way of saying plenty do not. A cat that ignores it is not broken and not being stubborn; some cats simply lack the response. A cat that shows no interest after two or three offers will not change its mind with a fresh bag.

The same is true of the treat itself. A cat that is not interested in a catnip treat may be turning down the texture, the smell of the baked piece, or the room you offered it in. If it ignores everything, move on. The page on cat treats for picky cats looks at smell and texture, and the cat treats shelf has more to try.

Give the cat two or three fair tries. Offer the product when she is awake and settled, in a spot she likes, and take it away after a few minutes. If there is still no interest, put the pack away and spend the money on something else. There is no trick that makes a cat respond to a plant she does not respond to.

Common questions

Is silvervine the same as catnip?

No. Catnip is a mint family plant, and silvervine is a climbing vine in the kiwifruit genus. A cat can react to one and not the other.

Why does my cat ignore catnip?

VCA Hospitals notes that not every cat responds to catnip, and some never show any reaction. A fresh bag will not change that.

Which lasts longer, a catnip stick or a catnip treat?

A stick, because the cat bites and rubs it for days. A treat is eaten in a bite or two.

How much catnip is in a catnip treat?

The label does not usually say. If the amount matters to you, ask the supplier before buying.