If your cat sniffs a brand-new catnip toy and then walks away like you've personally offended them, you're in good company. About one in three adult cats simply doesn't respond to catnip, and it isn't a broken nose or a picky personality — it's genetics. For those cats, the answer is usually a different plant, and valerian for cats is one of the alternatives worth testing.
Here at Purromp, we're cat people first. This guide comes from our own experience as cat owners, from published feline behavior research, and from what we hear from cat owners every day — including the question we get most often, which is some version of "why does my cat ignore catnip?"
Tip : See our guide to How to Introduce Natural Cat Toys: A Catnip Alternative for Picky Cats for more on rolling out a new scent without overwhelming your cat.
Why Some Cats Don't React to Catnip
The reaction starts in the nose. Catnip's active compound, nepetalactone, binds to receptors in a cat's olfactory system and sets off something that looks a lot like a pheromone response — sniffing, cheek rubbing, rolling, and sometimes a little drooling. Nepetalactone is an iridoid lactone, and one line of thinking is that plants evolved compounds like it to fend off insects rather than to entertain cats (Borges, 2024).
Whether a cat responds at all seems to be inherited. A 2024 review of the catnip literature notes that, according to work published by Todd back in 1962, responsiveness to nepetalactone is passed down as an autosomal dominant trait. That's a secondhand citation rather than a fresh experiment, so treat it as the historical explanation it is — but it does explain why some cats are simply wired not to care.
Age and circumstances can flatten the response too. Very young kittens generally don't react yet, and older cats or cats with a dulled sense of smell may barely react at all. Stress, an unfamiliar room, or a cat in heat can all suppress a reaction that would normally happen.
So a non-reaction isn't a problem to fix — it's a signal to try a different plant. Whatever you do, don't answer it by piling on more catnip or leaving it out all day. Overexposure is a reliable way to make a cat avoid the smell entirely, and it's hard to walk that back.
Deep Dive: Reaction Rates for Valerian, Tatarian Honeysuckle, and Silvervine
The best numbers we have come from a study of 100 domestic cats, plus nine tigers, that offered each plant material repeatedly against a control (Bol et al., 2017). Roughly 80% of the cats responded to silvervine, while about half responded to Tatarian honeysuckle and about half responded to valerian.
The single most useful finding for anyone with a catnip-immune cat: among the cats that didn't respond to catnip at all, roughly 75% still responded to silvervine. That makes silvervine the first thing to try when catnip falls flat. A Silvervine Sticks is the simplest way in — it's a single piece of dried wood, so there's nothing to hide behind and nothing else to blame if your cat shrugs.
The plants aren't interchangeable, chemically speaking. Catnip runs on nepetalactone. Silvervine contains nepetalactol along with actinidine, and it tends to hit harder. Honeysuckle wood and valerian root have messier compound profiles, and the laboratory picture is genuinely complicated — in one set of trials, most cats didn't respond to actinidine on its own, even though it shows up in several of these plants (Bol et al., 2022).
It's worth keeping the limits of that research in view. The 100-cat study recorded reactions by human observers, and "responds" does not mean "benefits from" — nobody has shown that these plants improve a cat's health. The authors also note that the tigers in the study mostly ignored silvervine, so none of this should be generalized to every cat species.
How to Test a New Cat Attractant Safely
Test one plant at a time. Start with silvervine, wait about 24 hours, then try Tatarian honeysuckle, then valerian. If you put all three in front of your cat at once, you'll have no idea which one did the work — and you'll probably end up buying the wrong thing.
The method matters more than the product. Put a dried stick or a filled toy somewhere your cat already likes to hang out — next to the scratcher, beside the bed — rather than holding it up to their face. Step back and give them ten to fifteen minutes of free access. If you want something with a handle on it, a Silver Vine Wand Toy lets you drag the scent across the floor and let your cat chase it instead of being ambushed by it.
Then grade what you saw, roughly:
- 0 — nothing. Sniffs once, walks off.
- 1 — sniffing and licking, but no contact.
- 2 — cheek rubbing, head pressing against the toy.
- 3 — rolling, biting, drooling, hind-leg kicking.
Level 2 and up is a real response. Level 0 or 1 across three different plants probably means your cat is one of the cats this whole category doesn't work on, and that's fine — most cats are perfectly happy with a wand and a paper bag.
Stop immediately if you see sneezing, heavy panting, a cat backing away, or any sign of aggression. Put the plant away, air out the room, and don't push it. And keep sessions short: no more than fifteen minutes at a stretch, with a half-hour or more of downtime in between, once or twice a day at most. In a multi-cat household, test cats separately so you're not reading one cat's excitement as another cat's interest.
The Benefits of Valerian for Cats (and What It Won't Do)
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is best known as a sleep aid for humans, which makes it sound like the wrong tool for a play session. But dried valerian root is one of the classic cat attractants, and it appeals to somewhere around half of cats — the same ballpark as Tatarian honeysuckle.
So what does valerian for cats actually do? The reactions we see are gentler than silvervine: a lot of drooling, heavy cheek rubbing, rolling, and the occasional enthusiastic bunny kick aimed at whatever's closest. Sessions also tend to run shorter, which some owners prefer — it's easier to wind a cat down afterward.
The real value isn't the high, though. It's the on-ramp to activity. For an indoor cat who's stopped bothering with toys, a valerian or silvervine toy can turn a ten-minute session from a one-sided battle into actual chasing, grabbing, and wrestling — the kind of play that burns energy and gives a bored cat something to think about. In our experience that's the part owners notice most, more than the rolling around.
One hard rule: never give a cat human valerian products. Capsules, alcohol-based tinctures, and valerian essential oil are all a different risk category from dried root, and none of them belong near your cat. Dried root sealed inside a toy is the only form we'd recommend, and even then, if your cat is on medication, has liver disease, or is pregnant or nursing, ask your veterinarian before you use it.
Which Cat Attractant Plants Are Actually Safe
"Honeysuckle" is a word that covers a lot of plants, and only one of them belongs in a cat toy. Look for Tatarian honeysuckle wood (Lonicera tatarica) on the label — other honeysuckle species can have leaves and berries that cause vomiting and diarrhea, so a vague "honeysuckle" on a package isn't good enough.
The plants generally considered low-risk for cats are a short list: catnip, silvervine, valerian root, and Tatarian honeysuckle wood. Low-risk is not the same as all-you-can-eat, though. Offer dried plant material only, don't let your cat ingest the stuffing, and never substitute something you picked out of the garden unless you're certain of the species.
Then there's the list to avoid outright. Essential oils are the big one — eucalyptus, tea tree, peppermint, wintergreen, citrus, clove, and cinnamon are all toxic to cats, and a cat licking an oiled toy is a real exposure route. Lilies, azaleas, rhododendrons, and oleander are the classic household plants to keep out of reach. If a toy's ingredient list says "fragrance," "essential oil," or "blend" without naming a plant, skip it. Single-plant products that name the botanical species are the ones worth your money.
When in doubt, move the plant out of your cat's reach and call your veterinarian or a pet poison hotline. This article isn't a substitute for their judgment — especially with a cat who's already unwell.
How to Compare Cat Attractant Toys
Once you know which plant your cat cares about, the toy itself matters less than you'd think — but a few things are worth checking before you buy.
Single-ingredient filling — You should be able to see whether it's silvervine, catnip, or valerian, not a mystery blend. The more specific the ingredient line, the more likely the maker is being straight with you.
Refreshable scent — Dried plant material loses its aroma over weeks to months. A toy you can re-crush, top up, or simply replace beats one that goes flat and boring. (A free trick: rubbing a flat catnip toy between your palms releases some of the oils and buys you a few more sessions.)
Size and feel — Cats who like to grab and kick need something they can wrap their front legs around. A Catnip and Silvervine Ball works for batting and chasing, but for full bunny-kicking you want something longer — roughly the length of your cat's body from chest to hind legs. Seams should be tight, and nothing should dangle loose enough to pull off and swallow.
Combination test — If you don't yet know which plant your cat prefers, a mix of catnip and silvervine covers both bases while you figure it out. Once you know, though, single-plant toys are more informative.
Storage is the unglamorous part. Keep dried plant toys in a sealed bag between sessions and the scent lasts noticeably longer. If you're building a rotation, our silver vine toys are all single- or two-plant fills, which makes it easy to swap rather than guess.
Safety note: don't leave your cat unsupervised with any toy that has a string, cord, or elastic. Yarn and ribbon can be swallowed and may not pass on their own.
Valerian and Cat Attractants FAQs
Is valerian for cats safe?
Dried valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is generally considered low-risk for cats and is most often offered sealed inside a toy, where a cat can sniff, rub, and chew it. Human valerian products are a different matter — capsules, alcohol-based tinctures, and valerian essential oil should never be given to a cat. If your cat is pregnant, nursing, on medication, or has liver disease, check with your veterinarian before offering it.
My cat ignores catnip. Which attractant should I try first?
Silvervine. In a study of 100 domestic cats, about 80% responded to silvervine, and among the cats that didn't respond to catnip at all, roughly 75% still responded to silvervine (Bol et al., 2017). Tatarian honeysuckle and valerian are the next two to test, one at a time and a day apart so you can tell which one your cat actually cares about.
Is honeysuckle for cats the same as the honeysuckle in my garden?
No. Cat toys use the wood of Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica). Other honeysuckle species can have leaves and berries that cause vomiting or diarrhea, so check that the ingredient list names Tatarian honeysuckle wood specifically before you buy anything.
How long does a reaction last, and how often should I offer it?
Reactions tend to arrive in short bursts — a few minutes of sniffing, rubbing, and rolling — followed by a stretch where the same plant does nothing at all. A filmed study of cats with cat-attracting plants found that both the duration and the behavior varied a lot from one cat to the next (Bol et al., 2022), so watch your own cat rather than the clock. Once or twice a day is plenty, and rotating between plants keeps the scent interesting.
Can kittens use valerian or silvervine?
Young kittens generally don't respond to cat attractants at all, and many owners wait until a kitten is a few months old before testing anything. For pregnant or nursing cats, or cats with breathing problems, ask your veterinarian first — and skip it entirely for a cat who's already unwell.
Can I use all three plants together?
Test them one at a time first, so you know which one your cat responds to. After that, mixing is fine — a toy that combines catnip and silvervine works well for cats who react to either — but rotating the scent every few days holds a cat's interest better than offering the same one daily.
Conclusion
If catnip does nothing for your cat, that's not a flaw in your cat or in your cat parenting — it's just genetics, and there are three more plants to try. Silvervine first, then Tatarian honeysuckle, then valerian, one at a time, is the most efficient way to find out. It may take a couple of weeks to land on the right one, and it's also completely fine if the answer turns out to be none of them.
Suggested Reading
- Catnip vs Silvervine Chew Toys: Which Will Your Cat Actually Chew?
- Is Catnip Safe for Cats? A Pre-Purchase Natural Cat Toy Checklist
- How to Read a "Natural Cat Toy" Label: Non Toxic Cat Toys, Decoded
Sources
- Bol, S., Caspers, J., Buckingham, L., Anderson-Shelton, G. D., Ridgway, C., Buffington, C. A. T., et al. (2017). Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and catnip (Nepeta cataria). BMC Veterinary Research, 13(1):70. link
- Bol, S., Scaffidi, A., Bunnik, E. M., & Flematti, G. R. (2022). Behavioral differences among domestic cats in the response to cat-attracting plants and their volatile compounds reveal a potential distinct mechanism of action for actinidine. BMC Biology, 20(1):192. link
- Borges, R. M. (2024). Convergent evolution: What do cats, catnip, aphids, and mosquitoes have in common? Journal of Biosciences, 49. link
