Silvervine Plant: An Alternative to Catnip

Updated Dec. 18, 2024
A cat plays with a cat toy with silvervine in it.

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Cats have a sensitive sense of smell. Certain scents, like the smell of catnip, can have an array of effects on cats, such as helping them adjust to their environment and interact socially.

So, what if your cat doesn’t respond to catnip? There are some alternatives--plants such as silvervine, honeysuckle, and valerian have all been used to satisfy the feline sense of smell.

Surprisingly, silvervine is the most effective of these plants, as more cats respond to its smell than catnip.

Let’s explore what silvervine is, the effect it has on cats, how silvervine for cats compares to catnip, and how to give your feline silvervine.

Key Takeaways

  • Silvervine for cats produces a euphoric effect on cats, like catnip.
  • Silvervine has many benefits to cats.
  • Some silvervine supplements can be ingested by cats such as chew sticks, sprays, and powders.

What Is Silvervine?

Silvervine, otherwise known as Actinidia polygama, is a plant native to the mountainous regions of China, Japan, and Russia. It’s a member of the kiwi family (Actinidiaceae) and gets its name from the silver-white marks on its leaves.

Silvervine produces white, cup-shaped flowers. While most plants are monoecious—meaning their flowers have both male and female structures—silvervine is dioecious.

This means that each individual plant is either male or female. You will need both a male and a female for it to produce fruit.

Matatabi is a nickname for silvervine, as it causes some cats to wiggle around on the floor.

Silvervine produces orange fruit that has an egg shape. The fruits are edible and typically appear in October and November. This fruit is rich in vitamin C. In humans, silvervine is considered a medicinal plant that is sometimes used in alternative medicine.

Silvervine was first introduced to cats in 1906 after scientists at Harvard University had it imported from China. It was also used in Japan as one of the first stimulants in cats.

Silvervine has also been studied as a mosquito repellant in cats since its natural properties encourage cats to rub against this plant, transferring the repellant to the feline.

What Does Silvervine Do to Cats?

Cats need a variety of stimuli to keep them happy. Silvervine for cats produces a euphoric effect on cats, like catnip.

The effects begin immediately after encountering silvervine, and only last up to 30 minutes. Typical cat behaviors associated with smelling silvervine include sedation, hyperactivity, rolling, and licking.

The use of silvervine for cats is common in some Asian countries, and a cat’s reaction to it is known as the matatabi dance.

Matatabi means “travel again” in Japanese. Matatabi is also a nickname for silvervine, as it causes some cats to wiggle around on the floor.

According to research done at Harvard University, one of the active ingredients in silvervine, nepetalactol, activates the reward and pleasure center in cat brains. However, silvervine is not addictive in cats.

Benefits of Silvervine for Cats

Silvervine has many benefits to cats. These include:

  • Exercise—Since silvervine is a natural stimulant for cats, it can encourage them to be more active, thus burning more calories than playing with other toys. This often causes bursts of energy that can aid in a cat's weight loss.

  • Stress relief—The active ingredient in the silvervine plant has been shown to provide cats with anxiety and stress relief as it provides a euphoric effect.

  • Dental health—Silvervine can help promote dental health. Chew sticks and other treats containing silver vine for cats can help to break down and remove plaque and tarter from cat teeth.

  • EnrichmentCats need enrichment in their lives to help prevent them from getting into trouble. Providing your cat with a silvervine toy can keep them busy and happy.

  • Attracting cats—Cats have been shown to be attracted to the smell of silvervine. For example, if you get a new cat bed, putting silvervine on the bed will hopefully attract your cat to come and enjoy it.

Silvervine vs. Catnip

In a 2017 study, almost 80% of cats were responsive to silvervine versus 68% of cats that responded to catnip. Approximately 75% of the cats that were unresponsive to catnip were responsive to silvervine.

The exceptions to this include kittens less than 8 months old and pregnant females. While unclear why, cats in these groups will probably not react to silver vine, or they will have less pronounced reaction.

Plants like catnip and silvervine produce allomones, which cause a reaction by smell rather than ingesting.

In catnip, the active ingredient is a compound known as nepetalactone. By contrast, silvervine has six active ingredients as well as two additional active ingredients your cat will respond to—actinidine and dihydroactinidiolide.

How To Give Cats Silvervine

Silvervine comes in a variety of preparations to give to your cat. It comes as a chew stick, powder, and in a leafy mixture with catnip.

Silvervine is safe for cats. There is no risk of toxicity in cats from this plant nor its supplements.

Silvervine powder can be put on the floor, in your cat’s bed, or even on their new scratch post to encourage playful behaviors and exercise.

It’s important to monitor your cat very closely with any new chews or toys. This is to avoid fragments and small pieces breaking off and becoming a choking hazard or an intestinal obstruction.

Silvervine is not toxic or harmful in large amounts, but it can cause stomach upset. Because of this, silvervine for cats should be used as directed.

You can also speak to your veterinarian about silvervine options and what’s best for your individual cat.

Silvervine Plant FAQs

Can cats eat silvervine?

Some silvervine supplements can be ingested by cats such as chew sticks, sprays, and powders.

The gallfruit—from which silvervine is obtained—needs to be boiled or dried in the sun before it’s consumed by cats.

Is silvervine safe for all cats?

Silvervine is safe for cats. There is no risk of toxicity in cats from this plant nor its supplements.

Is silvervine toxic to dogs?

No, silvervine is not toxic or harmful to dogs.

References

Abramson CI, Lay A, Bowser TJ, Varnon CA. The Use of Silver Vine (Actinidia Polygama Maxim, Family Actinidiaceae) as an Enrichment Aid for Felines: Issues and Prospects. American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. 2012;7(1):21-27. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajavsp.2012.21.27 

Actinidia polygama Silver Vine PFAF Plant Database. pfaf.org. Accessed October 4, 2021. https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Actinidia+polygama

Uenoyama R, Miyazaki T, Hurst JL, et al. The characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids allows them to gain chemical defense against mosquitoes. Science Advances. 2021;7(4):eabd9135. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abd9135

Bol S, Caspers J, Buckingham L, et al. Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and catnip (Nepeta cataria). BMC Veterinary Research. 2017;13. doi:10.1186/s12917-017-0987-6

Crazy for Catnip: the Mosquito-Repelling Story behind a Cat’s Love for Catnip. Science in the News. Published February 18, 2021. Accessed October 4, 2021. https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2021/crazy-for-catnip-the-mosquito-repelling-story-behind-a-cats-love-for-catnip/

Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants and Its Uses. Actinidia polygama.

References


Autumn Madden, DVM

WRITTEN BY

Autumn Madden, DVM

Veterinarian

I am from Washington, DC, and I wanted to be a veterinarian since watching my uncle on his farm at 8. I graduated from Tuskegee University...


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