Traditionally, catnip has been used primarily as a gentle fever and cold-comfort herb, especially when chills or early cold symptoms call for a warming, calming tea. It is commonly prepared as a hot tea or tincture made from the dried leaf and flower.
Common Name: Catnip Latin Name: Nepeta cataria Alternate Names: Catmint
- Parts used: Leaves and flowering tops
- Primary properties: Diaphoretic, antipyretic
- Common preparations: Tea, tincture
- Best known for: Traditional fever and cold comfort, along with a calming reputation for people (quite the opposite of its effect on cats)
What It Helps With
Health conditions this herb is commonly used to support.
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Featured Recipes
Explore and try simple ways to prepare and use this herb at home.
Active Compounds
The tiny plant chemistry doing all the heavy lifting.
Key Herbal Properties
What this herb is known for, herbally speaking.
Herbal Synergies
Other herbs that pair especially well with this one — together, their combined properties work better than either herb does alone.
Health Conditions Catnip Helps With
- Early cold symptoms and chills — Catnip’s central traditional use, taken hot to encourage a gentle warming, sweating response.
- Occasional fever discomfort — Long traditional use as a mild fever-easing herb.
- Mild stomach upset — Some traditional use includes catnip tea for a fussy or unsettled stomach, often in gentle blends for both adults and children.
- Occasional mild sleeplessness — Catnip has a secondary traditional reputation as a calming herb for humans, sometimes used in the evening alongside its cold-comfort use.
Compounds
- Nepetalactone — The primary aromatic compound in catnip, responsible for its calming reputation in humans and its very different, stimulating effect on cats.
Properties
- Diaphoretic — Catnip’s defining property; traditionally used to encourage a gentle sweating response during early illness.
- Antipyretic — Traditionally used to help ease fever discomfort.
Recipes Using Catnip
- Warming cold-comfort tea — Dried catnip steeped as a hot tea, often blended with elderflower for cold and flu comfort.
- Gentle bedtime tea blend — Catnip combined with chamomile for a calming evening tea.
- Mild tummy-soothing tea — Catnip paired with fennel for gentle stomach comfort.
Products Featuring Catnip
- Dried loose leaf — The most traditional and common form, used for tea.
- Tincture — A concentrated liquid extract for a quick dose.
Synergies
- Elderflower — A classic pairing for cold and fever comfort, often combined with catnip.
- Chamomile — Frequently paired with catnip in calming bedtime tea blends.
- Fennel — Complements catnip’s gentle digestive-soothing traditional use.
Safety & Precautions
Catnip is generally very well-tolerated by most healthy adults in typical tea amounts, though some people experience mild drowsiness given its calming reputation. Because it has a mild sedative-leaning traditional use, it may add to the effects of other sedative medications or alcohol, so combining them should be done cautiously.
Catnip should be used with caution during pregnancy, as it has a traditional association with uterine stimulation, and it’s generally advised to check with a healthcare provider before regular use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Catnip is one of the gentler traditional herbs and is sometimes used in mild tea blends for children’s occasional stomach upset, but as with any herb, checking with a pediatrician first is a reasonable precaution.
Catnip has a very different, well-known effect on cats than on people — while it’s traditionally calming for humans, it produces a temporary stimulating, euphoric response in many cats. Fresh or dried catnip intended for cat toys and enrichment is generally considered safe for that specific purpose in small amounts, but human catnip tea products, tinctures, or blends (which may contain other herbs not safe for cats) should not be given to a cat or any other pet without veterinary guidance.
Q&A
Does catnip taste bitter?
No, catnip has a mild, minty, slightly sweet flavor that most people find pleasant and easy to drink, especially compared to more intensely bitter herbs. It’s part of the mint family, which comes through in its aroma and taste.
Because the flavor is gentle, catnip is often a good starting herb for people who are new to herbal tea and want something approachable.
Can catnip be used every day?
Yes, catnip tea is generally fine for most healthy adults to enjoy daily in typical amounts, whether for its calming reputation or general enjoyment. It’s considered one of the gentler herbs for regular use.
If you’re using it specifically for sleep or calm, an evening cup as part of a wind-down routine is a common traditional approach.
Why does catnip make cats go crazy but calm people down?
This comes down to how nepetalactone, catnip’s key compound, interacts differently with feline versus human biology — in many cats, it triggers a temporary, playful, stimulating response, while in humans, catnip has the opposite, calming traditional reputation. It’s one of the more interesting examples of the same plant compound producing very different effects across species.
Not all cats respond to catnip either, since the reaction is genetic and roughly two-thirds of cats show the response, while the rest seem unaffected.
Is it safe to give my cat human catnip tea or tincture?
Not necessarily — while dried catnip meant for cat toys and enrichment in small amounts is generally considered safe for that specific purpose, human tea bags, tinctures, or blended products may contain other ingredients, concentrations, or additional herbs that aren’t appropriate for cats. It’s best to use products specifically made and labeled for pets.
If you want to share catnip with your cat, a small pinch of plain, pet-specific dried catnip or a cat toy containing it is the more appropriate choice over your own tea or tincture.
Is catnip safe during pregnancy?
Catnip should be used with caution during pregnancy due to a traditional association with uterine stimulation, so it’s worth checking with a healthcare provider before regular use. Occasional, mild tea use is generally considered a lower-risk consideration than concentrated tincture use, but professional guidance is still recommended.
If you’re pregnant and looking for a calming herbal tea, your provider can help you find an appropriate alternative.
References
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any herb, especially if pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or managing a health condition.