Study 4: Assessing the Safety and Suitability of Silvervine

Assessing the safety and suitability of using silver vine as an olfactory enrichment for cats

Reiko Uenoyama, Sae Ooka, Tamako Miyazaki, Hiroki Mizumoto, Toshio Nishikawa, Jane L. Hurst, Masao Miyazaki. Assessing the safety and suitability of using silver vine as an olfactory enrichment for cats. iScience, Volume 26, Issue 10 (2023). See original source.

Proven Long-Term Safety

Assessing the safety and suitability of using silver vine as an olfactory enrichment for cats (Uenoyama et al., 2023)

Findings: A landmark three-year study involving nearly 1,000 hours of monitoring proved that silver vine is exceptionally safe. There was no evidence of addiction, withdrawal, or stress, and long-term users showed no damage to liver or kidney function. The study also noted that drying the leaves (such as MataTabi) actually enhances the feline response by changing the chemical profile.

DankNips “Takeaways” from this study:

It is proven to be completely safe, nontoxic and nonaddictive to give cats catnip and silvervine, with no adverse effects. Therefore it is only a positive addition to your cat’s life. Drying leaves enhances bioactivity therefore that is the best way to serve it. That’s why we developed our signature MataTabi treat, containing only dried silver vine leaf with a sprinkling of seaweed for additional sensory intrigue along with nutritional and dental benefits.

This study provides the most comprehensive proof to date that silver vine is a safe and healthy tool for feline enrichment.

Summary of Findings

Proven Long-Term Safety: Researchers monitored cats exposed to cat-attracting plants like silver vine for nearly 1,000 hours over a two-year period. They found no adverse physical or mental health effects, confirming that regular use is safe for domestic cats.

It Is Not a “Drug”: Unlike psychoactive drugs (such as THC or cocaine), the active compounds in silver vine do not enter the bloodstream to bind with brain receptors. Instead, they work exclusively through olfactory receptors in the nose.

Non-Addictive Bliss: The “high” cats experience is caused by the release of beta-endorphins, which are the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. The study found the response is short-lived, non-addictive, and results in no withdrawal symptoms or abnormal behaviour once the session ends.

Positive Social Impact: While not the primary focus of the clinical data, researchers noted anecdotally that cats showed more positive social interactions with each other when these natural stimulants were present in their environment.

Sensory Sessions for Pet Enrichment and Bonding