Evening star., 1950-01-04
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,ceU

Now that Christmas is over, people fond
Of house cats, whether Persian, Siamese or
common. will wonder what all the fuss was
about In trying to please their animal
friends.
There is just one thing all cats want for
Christmas and that is catnip One may
purchase variously made balls, MICE other
toys, but the cats unite In one voice to praise
catmint.
This ancient herb. once widely used for
collie In babies is the one thing out Of the
plant kingdom all cats 'go for"
They like its taste. but particularly they
like its smell.
The reaction Of the feline kingdom to this
humble plant is a curious one.
/ It intoxicates them, people say, but actu-
ally it Is not intoxication. although 1t must
be admitted that the rolling over and over
1t causes might be so interpreted.
Actually. the catnip eater is in no sense
intoxicated, even with joy. He or she simply
likes both the smell and the taste Of catnip.
It is an odd thing that out Of the whole
plant kingdom there are just two things
that make any sort Of special appeal to the
members Of the cat family.
Catn1p, OF course. and aSafctida.
The latter Is sinking sort OF gum. still
used In medicine for various nervous dis
orders.
The smell somewhat resembles that Of
human sweat
It Is an odd thing that cats love 1t. While
they do not react to 1t In the same way
as TO catnip, they win do great deal
Of snufding and perhaps some rolling.
The liking for this substance, those who
do not like cats might say. shows Q distinct
lack Of character, or something.
Nearer the truth Is that animals OF all
types have no such shrinking from certain
odors as humans have. We must remember
that our own reactions to smells are built
UP by associations over the centuries.
We have certain smells we call good" !"
to trace them down to their origins. Much
human living has given each one character
Of its own.
Animals know nothing of all this. ALI
they do is apply their sensitive nostrils and
come up with Indifference liking or disliking.
By far the greater number Of odors We
humans like cats shrink from. All perfumes.
for instance. #
The alcohol smell is one no cat likes in
the least.
Any sharp smell. such as mints In alcohol,
WILL cause the sensitive cat n0Str1lS to twttch,
the animals body to draw back.
|, Catnip seems to represent the cat height
Of enjoyment.
Chemical analysis Of this plant offers no
clues
All we know is that practically all cats
enjoy 1t. It seems to take the place, In dry
form. OF the succulent grasses they eat in
the great outdoors for medicine, principally
to bring up fur balls. II
The cat is his own doctor. 1t is an art
handed down to him from the days Of the
building OF the great Pyramids.
But catnip has an extra quality, q COM
bination Of taste and smell The combina-
ton is guaranteed to please either the alley
cat or the silk cushion Siamese or Persian.
Next Christmas. then, II you wish to please
your cat friends, think no further than cat-
nip. in some form.
Either catnip. whole. from the box or
catnip in the form Of mouse" or small
pillow. The latter Is simply small bean
bag, stuffed with catnip and sewed up. IT
is best made Of some stout material such as
sofa covering. The main thing is to see that
1t Is stuffed tightly, but not too tightly and
that the whole is color fast" because II
will be subjected to lot Of licking. The
trouble with the manufactured catnip mice"
Is that cats tend to swallow the tails and
even the button eyes, which Is not 80 good.
With the catnip bean bag, there Is no such
danger.