catnip tincture

Catnip is harvested at peak potency from and steeped in organic alcohol for a minimum of six weeks. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) has been used historically as a mild tranquilizer that helps relieve stress and stimulate the appetite. Catnip herb has also been used to treat anxiety, colds, flu, fever, inflammation, and general aches and pains. This cat‚’s fancy has also been shown to be effective as a mosquito and insect repellent.It is also used with restlessness, nervous irritation, nervous headaches, insomnia, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea.

Catnip is also available in tincture form to take by mouth or apply topically. A tincture is a herbal preparation made by diluting the herb in alcohol. A catnip tincture or crushed catnip can be applied to a compress to treat cuts and scrapes. The principles behind making tinctures are to obtain the spiritual and physical quintessence of the plant. This is done by using ethyl alcohol to dissolve and preserve the herb you are using. The material used to extract the herbs is known as the menstrum. The herbs you are tincturing are called the mark. Tincturing will extract and maintain both the water-soluble and alcohol-soluble properties of an herb. The material used to extract the herbs is known as the menstrum. The herbs you are tincturing are called the mark. Tincturing will extract and maintain both the water-soluble and alcohol-soluble properties of an herb.

To cook up your own tinctures, you need either ">dried or fresh cut catnip herbs, vodka, brandy or rum, 80 - 100 proof to pour over the herbs, mason jars complete with lids, unbleached muslin or cheesecloth, ands of course, labels. We usually make tinctures with all-natural brandy or 80 proof vodka, but last summer we discovered a whole new take on a Catnip tincture. We found a thriving stand of Catnip growing wild at the beach, and wanted to put it up fresh as it loses potency when dried. All we had on hand was tequila, so that's what we used. Result: an effective medicinal tincture with a pleasant minty after taste.

Here's how you do it:

Pack a pint (or larger) clean glass jar with fresh Catnip. Harvest just before it blooms for greatest strength. Pour in tequila (we used gold) to cover all of the herb, cap, label, and date. Put away in a cupboard for 10 days to two weeks, then strain into another clean jar. Pour into glass dropper bottles for use. Dose: 1-2 droppersful 3-4 times per day as necessary for cramps. And don't drive after dosing -- take a Cat nap!

At the beginning inspect the tincture daily to be sure the vodka, brandy or rum still is covering the catnip herbs. Allow the brew to steep for at least 2 weeks and up to 3 months. Line a sieve with the cheesecloth or muslin and pour the fluid through the sieve into a fresh, clean bottle. Draw in the ends of the cheesecloth and press to get all of the tincture. Now fill smaller bottles with droppers with the tincture. Be sure to tag the jar with the name of the catnip herb and the day, the month and the year that it was produced.

Tinctures are made with herbs and grain alcohol. Small quantities of tinctures are effective. They are stable, convenient, and probably represent the actual chemistry of the herb more closely than any other preparation. Tinctures are quickly and readily absorbed into the bloodstream and are not dependent upon the efficiency of digestion which is an advantage over tablets and capsules. Absorption is a bit more efficient if taken between meals. To use the tincture, drop one teaspoon into juice, water, or tea, three times per day.

Many people are making their own tinctures from dried and fresh herbs in an attempt to be more involved in their health. Tinctures of fresh herbs have proven to be more vitalizing and longer lasting than dried herbs. Dried herbs tend to get moldy or be eaten by insects; tinctures will not. Tinctures will keep for as long as two years and sustain their potency if stored properly. Creating your own tinctures will save you quite a bit of money. If you buy tinctures at a retail shop you might get a few ounces but if you create them yourself you can yield a quart.

Nepetalactone

Nepetalactone is an organic compound first isolated in the plant catnip, Nepeta cataria. Nepetalactone is bicyclic terpenoid, i.e. it is a ten-carbon compound derived from isoprene with two fused rings, a cyclopentane and a lactone. Nepetalactone is a cat attractant. The structure and the effects of the compound are similar to those of valepotriates. A number of isomers of nepetalactone are known.
Nepetalactone was first reported in 1941 after it was isolated by steam distillation of catnip.[1]
The compound is also present in the wood of tartarian honeysuckle (lonicera tatarica), shavings of which are often used in cat toys.

Effects on animals
As 4aα,7α,7aα-nepetalactone it is the active chemical in Nepeta cataria that causes its characteristic effect on cats. Around 75% of cats are affected; susceptibility is gene-linked. The chemical interacts as a vapour at the olfactory epithelium. The compound only mildly affects humans: it is a weak sedative, antispasmodic, febrifuge, and antibacterial. In high doses it also has an emetic effect. Nepetalactone also has effects on some insects: it repels cockroaches and mosquitos,[1] is poisonous to some common flies and is a sex pheromone to aphids.

MEOWING

There are thought to be over 30 different cat meowing sounds and the amount of sounds your cat may make will depend on how often they communicate with other cats and with non cats i.e. humans. Cats who spend a lot of time around other cats will use a different vocabulary made up of body language, scent, and other forms of cat communication. They mainly vocalise with each other at time of mating and between mother and kitten. Cats meow to get human attention. Except from mother to kitten cats rarely meow to one another. Occasional meowing is cute and adorable but excessive meowing can be a problem. As with most behavioral problems there is always the underlying possibility that it stems from some physical ailment. It is important to rule this out before treating any behavioral problem.

There are general sounds that most cat owners will recognise and broadly speaking their meanings are the same, these are:
The general Meow - attention seeking used to communicate with owners or with kittens.
The Chatter – excitement or frustration, often seen when they are looking at birds through a window and can’t get at them. (involves rapid jaw movements).
The Growl - warns others to stay away.
The Mew (of kittens) – used to attract mothers attention usually when they are hungry or cold.
The Hiss – is used as a threat to other cats usually, can also be a sign of fear.
The Caterwaul – used when looking for a mate.
The Purr – a sign of contentment and relaxation, but also used to comfort itself if in pain.
The Scream – used when in pain or distressed, don’t tread on that tail again!
The Chirrup – this is a friendly sound, often used to greet other cats or their owners.

The cat is doing this to get your attention. Getting up to see what the cat wants, shushing or yelling at the cat is the worst thing to do because you are reinforcing the undesirable behaviour by giving the cat attention. Your attention is its reward. The easiest solution is to get a pair of earplugs. If you do not respond to the cat’s meowing it will probably stop within a few days. Excessive cat meowing is often caused because the cat has learnt that this gets them what they want, a bit like a child who learns to cry when they want something. This can become a bit of a habit and the cat starts to do it more and more. Usually this can be quite cute, however if it starts to happen all night long or is driving you crazy during the day, then it’s time to break the habit.

How to Control Cat Meowing

By G. Wallace-Taylor

Instructions
Step 1
Perform a quick check to make sure the noise is not intended to bring attention to an immediate need. Make sure he has food and water and is not in pain. Check to see that he can reach his litter box or put him outside to relieve himself.
Step 2
Make dinner a constant buffet. As long as your cat is not overweight, you can leave his food bowl out for him to dine on at his leisure. Most cats will only eat when they are hungry. Likewise, make sure he has access to water at all times.
Step 3
Install a pet door just his size. Cats are indecisive creatures, wanting to be outside when they are in--and inside when they are out. If you find yourself constantly opening the door for a cat that can’t make up his mind, installing a pet door will install some sorely needed silence.
Step 4
Praise your kitty for good behavior. If his howling is strictly to get your attention, withhold it until he is silent. Once he settles down, shower him with kind words and a lap-snuggle session. Ignoring him until he exhibits the correct behavior shows him that you are serious.
Step 5
Read the newspaper instead of hitting him with it. You may temporarily scare him into silence, but he will become more anxious and the howling will return with a vengeance. Worse, he will learn to run whenever you enter the room. Physical punishment does not work with cats.
Step 6
Water down the wail. Cats are not big fans of water unless they are drinking. A concealed child’s squirt gun will show him that meowing unnecessarily may result in a shower. Use only a squirt gun that sprays, not one with a powerful stream that will cause pain.

It should be noted that if you have a quiet cat that suddenly starts meowing, or a loud cat that suddenly stops, it may indicate your cat is sick. You should pay particular attention to cats that start meowing constantly while using the litter tray, cleaning themselves, or eating. Any of these could be signs that your cat is in some kind of distress. Listen to and enjoy the chatter of your cat. She does want to be understood.