A Surprising Discovery
As a longtime cat owner, I thought I knew most of the reasons cats refuse the litter box—poor hygiene, location issues, litter type, new pets, spotting another cat through the window, urinary tract diseases, and more. Feeling confident in my role as a cat mom, I was always relieved that my cat, Sophie, never had these issues. I keep her litter box spotless, thanks to my recent upgrade to the Litter-Robot 4, which ensures it’s always clean.
Beyond a spotless litter box, Sophie has no territorial stress since she’s the only cat in the house. She’s completely confident in her space. When visitors arrive—whether friends or even strangers like the cable guy—she struts around like a little queen, curiously sniffing them before seemingly granting permission to enter her domain. Given all this, I never imagined she’d have an accident—until one day, she did.
The Unexpected Litter Box Accident
One day, as I sat on my couch, I caught a distinct odor of cat urine. Surprised, I mentioned it to my husband, and we soon discovered Sophie had urinated near the couch. I kept an eye on her after that, but since I never smelled cat pee again, I assumed it was just a one-time accident.
Connecting the Dots: When I Realized Catnip Was the Culprit
Three months later, I saw Sophie playing with a catnip toy and decided to sprinkle a little loose catnip for her. She immediately rubbed her face on it, ate a little, and then started running around like crazy. Since I rarely give her catnip, I assumed this was just the typical effect.
After watching her play, I went to my bedroom to finish some work. About 30 minutes later, I returned to the kitchen for a glass of water—and was shocked. Sophie had peed on the carpet, and it was a big one! I couldn’t believe it. My well-behaved cat, urinating on the carpet? The only new factor was the catnip.
I started researching and found multiple accounts of cat owners on forums reporting the same behavior: their cats urinated right after consuming catnip. This was a relief—I finally understood the cause and how to stop it. Here are some testimonials on cat behavior after consuming catnip:
- Some cats pee directly on the catnip itself.
- Others release large amounts of urine near where they consumed catnip.
- Some cat owners report their floors looking like a “pee lagoon” after their cats had catnip!
- Other cats spray like territorial marking right after consuming catnip.
Cat spraying on tree right after consuming catnip
Why Does Catnip Make Some Cats Pee Outside the Litter Box?
While scientists don’t fully agree on how catnip affects cats, one thing’s clear—it can trigger a hormonal response, sometimes leading to spraying behavior, much like when they’re in heat (source). But why does this happen? Catnip contains nepetalactone, a compound that strongly affects cats, much like psychoactive substances impact humans. The excitement it triggers may lead to spraying in both male and female cats, similar to how hormonal changes naturally cause the behavior. However, not all cats react the same way—some get playful and excited, while others become overstimulated and spray.
Does Catnip Affect All Cats?
Nope! Not all cats react to catnip, and kittens usually don’t respond to it at all. Studies show that around 30-50% of cats don’t have the genetic sensitivity to catnip, meaning it has zero effect on them. But here’s the interesting part—about 75% of those non-reactive cats actually respond to other plants like silver vine or valerian root, which can have a similar effect (source). So, if your cat doesn’t care about catnip, they might still go wild for one of those!
What The Science Says About Catnip Effect in Cats
One study with 24 cats suggests that catnip binds to receptors in their olfactory system, triggering an instinctual response more like mating or courting than just playful hunting. But there is another interesting theory too! A study conducted in Japan and published in iScience in 2022 found that when cats rub, roll, or chew on catnip, it releases more insect-repelling compounds. So instead of just being a quirky behavior, this might serve a practical purpose—helping cats keep pesky bugs away.
Rule Out Medical Issues First
Even though I strongly suspected catnip was the culprit, I still took Sophie to the vet to rule out any urinary issues. I didn’t want to ignore a potential health problem.
After running tests, the vet confirmed Sophie had no urinary tract infections or kidney problems. She also confirmed that some cats react to catnip by urinating. Then, I remembered the previous accident near the couch—coincidentally, about three months earlier, I had also given her catnip.
Cleaning Up the Mess Properly
To ensure Sophie wouldn’t return to the same spot, I invested in a high-quality enzymatic urine cleaner that destroys the odor-causing compounds in cat urine. Regular cleaners don’t break down these enzymes, which is why cats often return to pee in the same spot. I also bought a blacklight urine detector to find hidden spots. Sure enough, I located and cleaned the old stain near the couch as well.
This is What I Learned About Cleaning Cat Urine:
- Some enzymatic cleaners can take up to 24 hours to fully break down urine compounds, so patience is key when cleaning.
- Baking soda and vinegar solutions can help neutralize odors, but they don’t completely eliminate the enzymes that trigger repeat urination.
- Many professional cleaners recommend blotting rather than rubbing to avoid spreading urine deeper into carpet fibers.
No More Catnip for Sophie!
After connecting the dots, I decided to eliminate catnip from Sophie’s life entirely. I threw away any remaining catnip and removed stuffed toys that contained it. Since making this change, Sophie has not had another litter box accident.
Could Catnip Be Affecting Your Cat?
Not all cats react to catnip in this way, but for those that do, it can be a major trigger for inappropriate urination. If your cat has occasional accidents and you use catnip, this could be worth investigating.
Update:
My cat used to have peeing accidents with catnip every time, which is why I stopped using it altogether. But over the years — and especially lately, now that she’s turning 10 — that no longer seems to happen. I recently gave her catnip again as part of a test comparing silvervine vs catnip, and her reaction was much more controlled. She hasn’t peed at all since reintroducing it. 👉 Here’s what happened in that side-by-side comparison.
If your cat is having litter box trouble, catnip might be one more piece of the puzzle worth exploring — it certainly was in my case. And while it doesn’t affect every cat the same way, my experience shows that even this kind of reaction can change as a cat gets older.
Every since my cat ate catnip sees urinate all over the house
Where catnip might have been see pres there or if see are it see goes and hides and pews there
It’s true Addison, I would have never thought catnip was causing my cat to pee outside the litter box but thank goodness now I am well aware of it.
Wow! My cat is 6 months old and I’ve had him for a month! He had been great for using the kitty litter box until the other night! I let him come in the bed and the next morning I swore I could smell urine but didn’t see any anywhere! When my granddaughter got here in the am for her ride to school she went in my bedroom and said the sheet felt wet! I checked it and Oh Yes it was and smelled like urine! It was on my side of the bed at the bottom but I had leggings on so I never felt it! Of course EVERYTHING came off the bed and was washed in super hot water! Well the next night everything was okay when he slept in the bed but then the next night the same darn thing happened so of course there I went again having to take everything off the bed and wash it all again! I change my sheets every week but this was having to do the comforter, blankets and mattress pad! I normally do all that stuff once a month but this was 2 times in one week! I had been giving him toys with catnip in them never in a million years having any thought of this happening! Now I just have to find the toys because he runs all over the house with them and sometimes they end up under bureau so now I’ll have to look for them! So glad I found this out and hopefully that was the problem! Thanks for the info!
You are very welcome, Patty. I hope you can find those toys and get rid of them. Good luck!
OH MY GOSH!!! THATS CRAZY!! My 2 year old cat Simba just started peeing in the house about a week ago ( has NEVER had an accident) so we rushed him to the vet, fearing the start of urinary tract problems like we had with our previous cat and he was fine! I was so scared that this would just keep happening forever and my house would smell like cat pee. Until today. Today I noticed the catnip plant I had was completely demolished. Like he ate the shit out of it. Then I thought…. Weird…. He only started peeing around the same time I got the plant…. Well, time to see if this is our problem. Bye bye catnip!!
Hello Makayla! I am so glad I could help you with my article. When this happened to my Sophie I couldn’t find any article about it, just some random comments in forums. That’s why I created this article and I am happy I can help people going through the same problem with their cats. So from now on, by bye catnip for Simba :-)
Thank you so much for this article. My cat just peed on my bathroom floor shortly after I put some catnip on his new scratcher toy. It was way too coincidental because he was acting a bit crazy from it and then peed. No more catnip in my house!
You’re welcome Valerie, no catnip in my house either :)
Many herbs *do* have *definite* diuretic properties, and that includes Catnip! So, it shouldn’t be surprising for cats that have eaten it to have ‘urination issues’! LOL! . . . “[Catnip] can act as a diuretic, increasing urination . . .” https://www.healthline.com/health/catnip-tea#how-to-make-catnip-tea
That’s good to know Pam. I thought it could be a response to hormone stimulation but it could also be the diuretic properties of the catnip lol. Thanks for your comment Pam!
We got a container of catnip for our cat on Christmas. I have been sprinkling it on his cat tree. For the last month he has been peeing huge amounts all over the basement. I didn’t even connect it with the catnip. I am throwing away the cat tree and the catnip!
Thank you so much!
I am happy my article helped you Ren!
Thanks so much for this. My 8 year old cat is perfect and today he decided he would pee right on the floor next to the catnip toy! He never does not use his litter tray. The toy has gone in the bin and I hope thats why and it is a one off occasion!
Hello Debbie, I am pretty sure your boy won’t do this again. My cat NEVER did that again after I got rid of the catnip.
My cat hasn’t had catnip in months and yesterday I gave her some and less than 15 minutes later she peed on a pile of plastic bags. Gonna monitor her for sure, but finding your post made me realize that this can actually be a side effect of catnip, so thank you!
You’re welcome Rose, I am happy to help.
My 12 year old cat just did this! I haven’t given him catnip in about 2-3 months – he never has accidents. I gave him a plate on the hard surface floor in the kitchen. He went right at it and I walked out of the room. I walked in not more than 3 minutes later and I saw the puddle and stood with my jaw almost on the ground. I immediately googled to find this article! Good to know it’s not anything to worry about. Will start giving him the catnip outside!
That is a good solution Polly, I am happy you found your answer quickly. That’s why I created this article. God bless.
We just recently bought a scratch chaise infused with catnip for our Leia. Thinking nothing of it we noticed her having a huge pee on our rug close to the catnip. This is so unlike her so I looked it up and found your article. Thank you so much. It has helped. No more catnip for her.
I am very happy to help, Tanya.
We just adopted two 4 month old kittens at the Humane Society. They have been using the litter box just fine. I got them some catnip toys. Within 4 hours one of the kittens peed on the couch. I’ve thrown out all of the catnip toys! Hope that she goes back to peeing in the litter box…..
Hello Rebecca, I am sure your kitten will keep using the litter box again. Catnip causes this type of reaction but once it’s gone, it won’t happen anymore. That’s my experience with my cat Sophie.
Hello! I never would have believed it, but I saw it myself. After sprinkling some catnip on a throw rug, my 14 yo cat, Alien, went nuts, rolled around in the ‘nip and then stood up and peed right on the ‘nip. No more ‘nip for Alien!
It’s crazy, isn’t it? No more catnip for my cat Sophie either.
Hello !
I have a 3 year old cat (sterilized) and ever since we switched our couch she doesnt have a place to nap anymore so now she hates the couch and pees on it constantly. I bought her a bed so that she has a new place and in hopes of her liking the bed i put catnip on it ( i haven t tried it on her before) she peed right after on her new bed! Thank you for the article it was very helpful now !
My only question is , do you think that if i put some catnip in her litterbox , will it make her want to use the litter box rather than the couch ? I will schedule a vet visit right away but I am pretty convinced that she pees on the couch out of spite . Thank you!:)
Hello Janine, your cat should use the litter box as the place to do her business, not out of her hormone response with the use of catnip so I don’t think this is a good idea. Taking your cat to the Vet is a wise decision because you can discard other issues. One thing I will tell you is that you should clean the pee on the couch with a special cat urine eliminator since cats can still smell the urine even after you clean the spot, and then they pee in the same area again. Nothing to do with human emotions :) A good cat urine eliminator is Nature’s Miracle.
Thank you so much for your article about cats urinating under the influence of catnip. I was mystified when my cat urinated copiously on the settee after playing with catnip. He did it right on the toy! I now feel much better informed. It seems a shame to throw away his catnip products that he enjoys so much but I don’t want any more pools on the furniture. He can have them outside!
That’s a very good solution Laura, at least you know now that catnip inside the house is a risk of a pee party :) Thanks for your comment!
I haven’t given my cat catnip since she was a kitten (she is 3 now). I just figured she didn’t really need it because she will spaz around the house on her own, lol. My next door neighbor told me how he used to give his 3 cats catnip and decided to buy me a good size bag. We put some on the floor and she rolled around in it. The next day I put some in her toy…. she went crazy playing with her toy… then later she peed in a decorative basket I had sitting on the living room floor. The next day I caught her peeing in another spot in the living room close to where the catnip toy is. My last two cats never peed outside their litterbox and one of them was a diabetic. I started thinking about what had changed, and the only thing was the fresh cat nip I put in her toy. So I started to Google “does catnip make cats pee” and found your article. Reading all these responses gives me comfort knowing that my own theory of the catnip making her pee isn’t a crazy one.
Thank you for the article.
You are very welcome Melanie.
Came home from work walked into my bedroom found the nightstand drawer open and the plastic bag of catnip that I kept in it shredded on the floor surrounded by cat pee. I have been giving my cat a pinch of cat nip every now and then .he just gets rambunctious but never peed out side of his litter box . I think he must of overdosed on it he is still running around like crazy kitty . …. No more cat nip for him!!!!
That’s the best solution, in my opinion, at least no more catnip indoor. Thanks for your comment Elaine!
I just adopted a 5 month old kitten. She is using the litterbox just fine but I noticed when I gave her catnip the other day she peed but I thought it was because I confined her to a room while I was at work. I gave her some more today and she went NUTS. I immediately smelled peed in the floor and went around the corner and she had also pooped in the floor. I hope it is the catnip that caused this. I can’t find anything that indicates it would cause her to poop in the floor though. Unless she was just so wound up? I have had her less than a week.
Hello Laura, wait for a week to see if your cat hasn’t peed or pooped after you stop giving her catnip. I believe the pee and poop problem is related to the catnip. If your cat is still doing it after, you will have to take her to the Vet.
I stumbled across a negative review on amazon with a woman claiming the silver vine made her otherwise normal cat pee outside of the litter box which brought me to google and this article. I have been struggling with one of my boy cats who up until around 3.5 years old had never peed outside of the litter box. I have done so much trouble shooting from setting out multiple food bowls, adding an additional litter box, calming pheromone plug ins, calming treats and finally taking him to the vet to try out anxiety medicine and nothing has helped. I’ve been at a loss on where to go from here. I did a lot of reading up in how a cats behavior can change when they hit social maturity between the age of 3 and 4 but never came across any articles about catnip not having an effect on cats as kittens but how it can impact their behavior once they’ve matured due to hormonal responses to the stimuli. Thank you so much for writing this article! I’m going to run an experiment by removing all of their catnip toys to see if this has a positive effect on the inappropriate peeing! I would have never made that correlation. Keeping my fingers crossed this does the trick…
Hello Jessica, I am sure it will do the trick! Thanks for your comment :)
I’m happy I stumbled across this article and hope the stories concluding that catnip makes cats pee were true. I’ve been having issues with my 1yr old intact male he’s urinated around my house an hour or more after he’s had catnip. Part of me thinks it’s because he’s not fixed and the other part is now saying it’s the catnip as well to blame for him peeing on random things in the house. Needless to say he will be getting fixed, but for now I’ll not be giving him catnip to see if he stops this behavior.
Hi Heather, I am sure your cat will stop that behavior without the catnip.
Thanks Lorena , I had similar incident with my 10 months male Cat ViVi ,not neutered yet I’m really confused coz I feel it’s not the right thing to do . But most of the vet docs are telling me to neuter Vivi coz he might also spray around the home space . Let me know if you have some or fiends in this forum suggest any solutions to this .
Syed
Hello Syed, if your cat Vivi is fully indoors you should neuter him, if you don’t, your cat’s hormones will tell him to mate all the time. As he is indoors this situation makes him suffer more, not even mentioning the spraying issue that will know no end in your house. That’s the only solution I know. If you don’t really want to neuter him, you can let your cat be outdoors all the time but the risk of him getting killed on a road is bigger since they may follow females wherever they go. Hope that helps!
Two of my cats recently started peeing outside of their litter box for seemingly no reason. I was sitting on my couch, tossing one of my cat’s favorite toys for him (a catnip stuffed mouse), when it suddenly hit me- what if the catnip is making them have these accidents?? I immediately googled “can catnip make cats pee” and found this article.
There’s absolutely no coincidence that I gave them the toy around the same time we started finding pee around the house.
I just threw the toys away, I 100% believe that the catnip caused some sort of hormonal response to spray. I hope the accidents will immediately stop, following the removal of the toys.
Hi Leanne, I am sure the litter box accidents will stop and I am glad you were able to confirm the issue with my article. Good luck!
Hi, I’m experiencing this problem atm with my cat who goes outdoors, he had a new cat mop toy and that triggered it, I’ve got rid of all the toys that contain it and cleaned everywhere and thing that I find had been sprayed in. Can you tell me please how long this behaviour may last?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Claire, you have to make sure to clean the areas where your cat has sprayed with a specialized product that eliminates effectively the enzymes that cause cats to spray again on the same spot. I recommend using an ultraviolet flashlight to find all the sprayed spots in the house and clean with Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for taking time out of your life to share this story. My male cat has always loved loved catnip since a kitten and I always purchased the best for he and his sister. She not so much as he. He would even get territorial about it and not let her near his “stash” and has even started a fight with her over it. He has always been on the “spectrum “, so I assumed this was just a part of his cooky make up. He has recently started urinating in strange locations, such as my kitchen counters, my dish drying mat with clean dishes, brand new wooden cutting board, the bed. After being woken up this morning at 5am and having to strip the linen off the bed and into the wash, I noticed that he had peed on their pillow right on the catnip. As I reflected on the other incidents it came to mind that it must be related. He has been to the vet and nothing was wrong physically so the vet was thinking psychologically since I’m newly divorced and he and my ex played and rough housed religiously every day for 6 years, since he was a kitten. Me and baby girl don’t like the rough housing which leads to accidental scratches and a bite too hard. Lol. He has always been strange around natural oils, which I used to cure the cutting board and my cast iron pans, stealing q-tips that had alcohol on them, and certain spices used in Indian and Mediterranean cooking. I would have thought this was just me grasping at straws to figure out why he would do this when they are so spoiled and have everything that they need to be safe, healthy, and happy. Their litter boxes have always been clean since kitten and thanks to automation, so I was getting very frustrated, and tired as I am writing this. Thank you again for giving me some hope that this is indeed the issue. All catnip is going in the trash and we start over. I pray this is indeed the trigger as counseling him on why daddy is gone is way above what I and I suspect any other human can do. 🤓 It’s still better than any underlying health issues for my normally sweet and well-behaved babies. He also thanks you for keeping him from being banned from sleeping with me for the rest of his life.
Hi Theophilus, I am pretty sure the catnip is what’s making your cat to urine marking. I am confident everything will be resolved once the catnip is out. God bless :)