I put in a Nepeta's "Walkers Low" last fall and *my* cat loves it i.e. often hangs out beside or beneath it. Having said that I have not seen any other cat near it although that may be due to my cat having first dibbs ;).

I know people have posted they haven't had a problem with it, but I have, and I don't have a cat. I used to grow N. Little Titch in a container on my deck and couldn't figure out for the longest time why it looked so raggedy all the time. Until I found a cat standing on its hind legs at the planter clawing and chewing at it :)

My Walkers Low is always lower than most, condition arrived at when its had a cat plopped in the middle of it. For my own neighborhoods cats (and there are a few, one household feeds feral cats not too far away), it's coveted much like regular catnip. You've just reminded me I really should take it out, I've cut it back about three times this year to renew the flattened form and haven't even enjoyed it myself.

no, the actual 'catnip' is the small white flowered variety N.cataria (I kid you not). Stuff like Walker's Low and Six Hills Giant will please passing cats but they won't go insane in it or run amok or do that other unspeakable thing that cats do (and you discover when rootling amongst your plants)....and I am not talking about sicking up hairballs either.

Get a catapult (I swear that is the reason this handy little weapon is so-named).

My next-door neighbor lets her cats roam (a rant for another day...) and I've not noticed them in the catmint.

if you hate cats.. why in the world are you contemplating a catmint of any type???

there isnt enough biodiversity in the plant kingdom for you to find something else ...???

crimmeny man .. focus .. lol ...

whats next.. i hate the smell of horse poop.. but i am getting a horse???

well you are at it.. why dont you make a compost pile of rotting fruit.. and veggies.. and attract all the night vermin.. and then complain about the raccoons .. opossum .. rats.. mice.. voles.. moles [for the worms in the pile].. rabbits.. snakes [for the mice, etc] etc ...

focus man .. YOU HATE CATS ...

ken

It seems like every cat owner in my neighborhood let their cats roam. WHAT A PEST! They succesfully eradicated all rare small birds from all the gardens, so only sparrows and blackbirds are left. But there are just as many mice and rats as there always have been.

Ken - Please read my original post. I asked: Does Nepeta attract cats? I honestly don't know. I'm looking for comments from people who grow it and what their experience has been. So far from the responses, I really can't say for sure.

Kevin

I've got Walkers Low and other old NOID nepetas scattered in all my gardens. My only very rare cat visitor is someone's big orange tabby - which could care less about the nepetas, any other plants, or for using my gardens as a litter box. Someone will always have some different experience, but I think cats and the common nepetas we grow is largely mythical.

Too much caffeine, Ken?

Great question Kevin. I was hesitant as well about growing Nepeta because I am definitely not a cat person and several of my neighbors have them. I have not seen any cats near my plants, not one!

And Ken.......Really?

I got rid of the walkers Low ( probably) in the old yard because cats kept abusing it and beating the life out of it... Here at the new house maybe half a mile away, they don't touch it.

I don't think it attracts cats but they do seem to enjoy it when it's found.

When I bought my NWL in October the specimens were not good. I brought them home and put the 'scraggily' plants on the deck and within a few hours our cat had knocked over the plants, rubbing his face in what little foliage was still there. Both plants have thrived in this their first summer and although my guy does pay too much attention to one of them deer very much do not like it and so I am hoping that its place in our deer accessible garden will help protect other deer yummy plants...by association.

I believe the catmints contain less nepetalactones than actual catnip, so in the absence of the real nip, cats will go for the available but weaker scented catmint.

Ken - Please read my original post.
=-==>>

what part did i miss.. you hate cats.. you are thinking of catnip.. catmint.. etc ...

so i repeat.. why???

it is not a treat.. its a drug.. their eyes dilate.. they act weirder than normal.. basically.. they get stoned on it .... i guess that is a treat ...

man you put a real bummer on a gratuitous rant ...

ken

ps: perhaps if you plant some mary jane.. you will have druggies rolling in your yard.. lol ... with the cats ... lol ... both stoned out of their minds.. rubbing their faces in various plants ....

Here is a link that might be useful: link

kato said it clearly: "I don't think it attracts cats but they do seem to enjoy it when it's found." And, when they do ingest it, ken is correct, it's a little high. Have had cats all my life and Walker's Low for the past 20 years. Only one neighbor cat rolled in it, my girls simply bite off a leaf when they pass by it or, admittedly, when I give it to them. The catmint likes a sunny, dry place. Perhaps lavender would be a better bet for you inasmuch as you already have a cat problem. Best of luck.

Jane

sigh........

Dearest Ken,(see, I'm being nice)

Yes, I've read Nepeta is a drug for cats. But I don't own cats, lots of what you read on the web isn't always accurate. I just want to hear from real people with real experience. In other words, will I really have problems if I grow this stuff in your experience?

The comments have been great. Thanks.

Kevin

Now Ken, have you have been into something you shouldn't have. Coming on as strong as day old coffee!

There are numerous plants in the genus Nepeta. I have not heard of ornamental catmint cultivars being especially attractive to cats, nor have the ones that occasionally invade the garden paid attention to the couple I've grown in the past.

Once when we adopted an abandoned cat I brought home a bag of dried catnip as a toy for him. He showed no interest in it whatever. I've heard elsewhere that N. cataria doesn't attract cats unless the foliage is bruised.

I suspect that if Kevin's garden already has a problem with cats, adding a catmint or two won't significantly worsen the problem. He could always scatter some rose twig clippings around the base to discourage rolling.

In our circumstance, yes, catmint attracts cats. We love cats and they loll in the stuff regularly. If it's a high priority for you to not to attract cats I would opt for something else. Also, in my experience, catmint is only a so-so garden plant. I used to love it and planted several varieties. But over time I have fallen out of love and am taking them out. But I will always leave a few plants around for the cats to enjoy.

Noooo Ken, you are confusing Kevin with me - I am the cat hater - my own most of all - indolent, greedy, idle, shedding, noisy, selfish,idle (said that once) useless furballs - I don't know why I have them. Same for offspring, more idle ingrates.
Plants, though.........the perfect companions.

Thank you all for explaining why I better not add some to my flower beds. My cat is a mostly indoor cat or in the summer,she spends time near the back porch in a fenced area. But the neighbors cats are another story. They use my flower beds as their litter box, leaving urine smells and lots of surprises. We discourage them when we see them, but one neighbor leaves his cats out at night when he, and we, go to bed. Not much I can do to keep them out of my flowers. So, no catnip or catmint for me!

Linda

This thread is a little weird...Campanula, if you don't like cats why do you have some?

I grow both Nepeta cataria (catnip) and a couple cultivars of Nepeta x faassenii (catmint). I have never seen my cat or the neighbor's cat Tuffy in the Nepeta x faassenii, but they LOVE Nepeta cataria. And it doesn't have to be crushed, they will find it.

I suppose they might like both, but greatly prefer catnip, and will settle for catmint if the real deal isn't available.

My cat is an invaluable companion in the garden, she keeps the voles, moles, mice and chipmunks from running rampant. And I have so many birds you wouldn't believe, especially fledglings. I have spent a lot of time fostering a habitat for the birds, carefully siting the feeders and bird baths so they are safe from predators (esp. the cat), growing native plants with berries and seeds, keeping some dead wood and leaf litter intact, etc.

Nepeta is one of the most carefree long blooming plants there is. I think it's worth a try. I have two cats, and used to have another. None of them took any interest in my nepeta at all, even when I stuck it under their noses. We have ferrel cats in our neighborhood too and I have never seen one around my nepeta.

If you do happen to have a cat in the neighborhood that wants to eat it or lay in it, at least it probably won't want to poop there too.

Nepeta is easy to propagate. If you carefully pull a stem away from the base, it will already have itty bitty roots attached to it and can grow into a good size plant in one season. Just stick the new starts in a shady place for awhile until they get established. It should be very easy to get nepeta in a plant trade or make your own starts if you purchase a plant. Then if you do happen to have new cats hanging around, you won't have spent much and can rip it all out. I don't think you'll need to. In fact there may be some places in your garden where you can use nepeta as a ground cover instead of loose mulch where I suspect you're finding kitty poo. Cats like to scratch in loose soil, sand, or mulch. They're not likely to poop on top of a plant.

campanula wrote: "Same with the kids really - a moment of inattentiveness and bingo - out they pop, requiring financial stimulation forever."

hahaha. :)

Not all cats react to or are attracted to catnip. About 30% are lacking the "catnip gene" responsible for the reaction to the nepetalactones. The gene is inherited so there can be lines/families of cats that are not attracted to it. Kittens that have the gene may not react to catnip until they are a bit older.
Many cats are also attracted to honeysuckle wood, which contains a similar chemical.

I've had a dozen or two cats over almost 3 decades, and they have ALL liked catnip, so they must all have had the catnip gene. (I like that word "nepetalactones").

Haha Campanula, that is spot on, my son goes off to college in a few short days and I just paid my first tuition bill. Boy if a parent thinks they were expensive before, just wait till they go to a university!

"I've had a dozen or two cats over almost 3 decades, and they have ALL liked catnip, so they must all have had the catnip gene."

I have too and I remember just one not really impressed by it, yet his sister loved the stuff. We currently have 4 bratties, not related, that go crazy for it. Our neighbor just adopted a shelter cat and he sniffs the catnip and walks away(I have a bunch of it growing near the front door). Ours will chew on the leaves for a while and lay down next to the plants and take a nap. One of them likes the nip and the Asian honeysuckle growing nearby.
Aachenelf, sorry to veer off course. I would definitely not plant the stuff since it depends on the individual cats and you never know who's in the neighborhood(there is a large turnover of strays in this rural town anyway).

Just 10 minutes ago I looked out my door and saw a neighborhood feral cat rubbing his face enthusiastically in our catmint plant. I chased him away. But it sure looked like he was having fun!

Where did aachenelf/Kevin go?

Where did aachenelf/Kevin go?

Almost a year ago to the day I posed a similar question:

[aachenelf and ispahan?[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/are-aachenelf-and-ispahan-around-dsvw-vd~3146549)

While we are on the topic of missed members...is CMK still here? (Maybe under a different name?)