What to know more about the effects of Tatarian honeysuckle sprays and powders for cats?
You’ve landed at the right place.
If you’ve seen cats showing a euphoric reaction to catnip or heard about the effects of cats and catnip – only to see your cat completely ignore it – you’re not alone.
I’ve read different estimates. But it’s believed that between 40-50% of cats have no reaction to catnip. Which is disappointing when you see how much the other half of the cat population love catnip.
There are other options, however. Silver vine or Matatabi has a similar effect on cats and affects more of the cat population than catnip.
Honeysuckle also has a similar effect to catnip on a lot of cats. And interestingly seems to affect a lot of cats that don’t seem to even notice catnip being waved in front of their noses.
My cats love all three. Maybe I’m just lucky, but they’ve always loved all the cat herbs.
I use honeysuckle sometimes and have seen it work first hand, so I thought I’d put together this post with everything you need to know about honeysuckle and cats.
What Does Honeysuckle Do for Cats?
Honeysuckle contains a chemical similar to what’s found in catnip and known to create that excited, almost ‘high’ reaction in cats. So it’s no surprise that cats react much in the same way to honeysuckle as they do catnip.
So you can expect to see most cats start rolling around and rubbing themselves on the toy or item with honeysuckle in.
Some cats will purr, they may even dribble a little, most will be visibly very happy. I’ve seen even the laziest cats start rolling around after a whiff of honeysuckle, it’s quite the sight.
As far as I can find in my research, it’s not really known exactly why some cats react to honeysuckle and not catnip, and vice versa.
It certainly has a stronger, sweeter smell. So I think this has something to do with it as it’s livening up the sense of smell, so maybe cats more susceptible to smell get more out of it.
Where to Buy Honeysuckle for Cats?
Like most things, Amazon stocks just about everything you could need when it comes to Honeysuckle products for cats. Here’s what I’m using:
Comfort Zone Calming Spray for Cats
I like the spray because it’s easy to use (not that I’m lazy or anything). I’ve used it to give my cats favorite toys a catnip scent which resembles honeysuckle, attract them to scratch their posts and not my furniture, and basically just spray it where and when I need it.
I keep reading people commenting that this product doesn’t work. Like I said above, there is no guarantee your cat will enjoy honeysuckle. It’s more likely that they are in the small % of cats that don’t react to honeysuckle than the product itself.
Click here to check price on Amazon
Honeysuckle Cat Toys – Cheeky Mouse
Cats and toy mice, it’s a perfect match. Add honeysuckle into the mix and 
You get a choice of ‘cat drugs’ to fill this little guy when you’re buying it. Go for the Tatarian Honeysuckle as that’s the topic of this post, but switch it up got valerian, Silver vine, or catnip when refilling it if you want to mix things up.
Hours of fun for you and kitty. I always like to add a piece of thread so I can help the mouse try and escape. 🙂
Click here to check price on Amazon
Potaroma Catnip Toys
If you want a ready-made cat toy that smells like catnip, I’ve got the thing for you. Few cats can resist any of these: catnip, silvervine, gall fruit or jingle bell, not to mention the four together!
Click here to check price on Amazon
Is Honeysuckle or Catnip Dangerous to Cats?
There are no risks to using honeysuckle, catnip, Silver vine, or any of the other cat herbs available as treats for your cat.
Personally, I don’t give my cats any honeysuckle they can ingest. I use the spray highlighted above, and when I use the dust or wood chips I keep it sealed up inside their toys.
So, my advice is not to let your cats ingest any. They get all the simulation and fun they need from rubbing up against toys with the scent and smelling it.
It’s always a good idea to keep a close eye on your cat the first time they are exposed to anything, so honeysuckle is no different.
There is always the small risk of a cat getting sick from something they haven’t tried before. I’ve never heard of this happening with honeysuckle, but something worth mentioning.
Related Content – Interestingly cats have a similar reaction to the smell of chlorine and bleach. But these are not as safe or suitable as honeysuckle and other herbs!
Using Honeysuckle for Stressed or Anxious Cats
Honeysuckle isn’t just a stimulant for cats for our enjoyment as we watch them roll around enjoying themselves.
It’s actually a safe and natural way to help stressed and anxious cats relax. A friend of mine said it was honeysuckle that made the difference when he adopted a 14-year-old Persian that was incredibly anxious about the change of home.
He felt like nothing was helping the cat settle in. He was shaking when approached, spent his days hiding under a cupboard, and it was getting worrying how little he was eating.
My friend started placing a honeysuckle toy mouse like the one above near him. After a few days, he noticed the cat was pulling up closer to the toy, and even started loosing up its posture.
He placed another toy a little out of his reach and slowly lured him out from hiding all day. Step-by-step the cat became more comfortable around him, his home. Now he even spends time on his lap in the evenings!
He likes his toys and is clearly attracted to honeysuckle, which is great.
Have you seen any interesting or different reactions from your cats and honeysuckle products? Which type if so, and if you have any tips or advice for the community please drop a note below – thanks!
