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Meet Traute Klein,
AKA biogardener.

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Catnip, not just for Cats

by Traute Klein, biogardener

Herbal relaxants and how to use them effectively. With a bit of cat poetry thrown in, in fact, the first of my poems which I decided to hold onto.

The Catnip Monster

Lecturing my cat on her bad habit
of eating catnip plants to the root



You found it again!
True - it was planted for you.
Catnip was meant for cats to enjoy,
but why do you have to destroy it? All cats like catnip.
True - they love it immensely.
Catnip is meant for cats to enjoy,
but why do you have to devour it? Let me keep it alive for you.
Let me save some slips for new plants.
Catnip was meant for cats to enjoy,
but you little monster won't let it grow.
Written June 12, 1993



A Herb for Cats and Humans alike

I never heard of catnip until I came to Canada. I don't even know its German name. That is certainly unusual considering that I grew up with a family history of natural remedies.

Some cats supposedly do not react to catnip, but then they have only been exposed to the dried plant, and that does not compare to the fresh one. In my garden, all catnip would get eradicated as soon as it emerges from the soil, if I had not found a way to protect it from overzealous feline admirers. A wire basket placed upside down over every plant has proved to be the perfect solution. It upsets the cats only until the aromatic leaves start growing through the basket. This protection is only required the first year.

Saving Catnip for the Winter

Catnip is one of the three mints which are hardy in our zone 2 climate. The other two are spearmint and peppermint. Whereas those two mints are stimulants, catnip is a relaxant. At the end of the season, I cut off and dry all catnip plants and keep them in a pillowslip. I place this dream pillow in whichever box is going to be my cat's bed for the winter. That is the only way I know of assuring that she will actually use the box, especially if it is placed near a source of heat. Should I have a difficult time falling asleep some night, I know whose pillow to borrow.

Proper Use of Herbal Relaxants

Valerian root is the strongest of all herbal relaxants. I grew up with it and love it. My family drank the tea made from its root, and my father's favorite candy was a couple of drops of the "Baldrian" tincture on a sugar cube. Unfortunately, all relaxants lose their effectiveness with repeated use, and I noticed that no amount of valerian root had any effect on me whatsoever.

After a fifteen-year period of strict abstention, I again tried a few drops of valerian extract and found that it put me to sleep immediately. I now reserve it for occasional emergencies.

List of Herbal Relaxants

In order of effectiveness. And remember that I only write about what I know from personal experience.
• Valerian Root
• Hops
• Catnip
• Chamomile

All of these can be used fresh or dried, chewed or brewed. They are also available in tinctures and tablets. The choice is a matter of personal preference, but I prefer my herbs fresh whenever possible. Drying dissipates the volatile oils and so do storage and heat, reducing the effectiveness of the herb.

As with so many herbal remedies, the taste of most relaxants is pleasant to the people who were introduced to them as infants and unpleasant to those who did not taste them until later in life. The best example is valerian root. It is a delicacy to the initiated and totally unpalatable to others. It is good to get infants introduced to various flavors early in life to prevent taste prejudice later.

The Question of Addiction

People have mentioned that some of these relaxants may be addictive. I have never seen any evidence of that. Certainly, my family loves the taste of valerian root, but I effortlessly abstained from it for 15 years simply because I did not want to waste my money on an expensive remedy which no longer worked for me. That seems to indicate that the herb is not addictive. Let's say it is no more addictive than candy is to a person with a sweet tooth.