Do Cats Like The Smell of Weed

First of all, it’s worth knowing that no two cats are the same. While some cats like the smell of cannabis, others might actively hate it. Some felines even love the smell of weed, including vapor as well as the flower. However, the real question is, what are the effects of weed on your feline?

Well, second-hand pot smoke can lead to severe health complications, including inhaling and respiratory issues. Plus, your feline friend can also attain these health problems by chewing on the leaves of the plant or eating marijuana brownies. 

Most cats out there think marijuana is another form of catnip. However, this could be far from the truth:

Marijuana and Catnip

Let’s start with one of the most common myths that marijuana and catnip are the same. Catnip or catmint is a part of genus Nepeta. This plant is available in China, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Cats are quite attracted to this plant. Besides your feline’s attraction, this plant is used to make herbal teas and is valued for its relaxant and sedative properties.

On the other hand, marijuana or cannabis is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. Indian Subcontinent and Central Asia are quite popular for their production. Marijuana is used for both entheogenic and recreational purposes. We, humans, consume this plant in several ways, including vaporizing, smoking, within the food, and as an extract.

While the smell of catnip can make your feline go crazy, marijuana can cause some serious health problems. In common cases, the smell of weed can lead to vomiting, sleepiness, and low blood pressure. Keep reading to learn the possible symptoms of marijuana poisoning in cats.

Cats and Smell of Weed

If cats like catnip, then why do cats not like the smell of weed? Well, catnip is not toxic or poisonous for your feline. The common effects of catnip on cats include frisking, pawing and rolling. Besides domestic cats, catnip can also affect lynxes, servals, cougars, leopards, lions and tigers.

In comparison, marijuana or weed is quite harmful to your feline. The smoke of weed can cause asthma or other lung-related diseases. Besides the smoke of weed, the whole weed plant is toxic for your feline. If you offer brownies or cookies made with marijuana, your cat will suffer more than the smoke.

Symptoms

How can weed affect your cat? Well, according to ASPCA – American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – the smoke of weed can cause numerous health problems, including low blood pressure, dilated pupils, hypersalivation, excitation, and extreme sleepiness. 

In some rare cases, second-hand pot smoke can lead to low body temperature and even the death of your feline friend. Besides these symptoms, there are numerous other health complications caused by the smoke of weed, including:

• Bradycardia
• Vomiting
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Depress
• Uncoordination
• Seizures
• Comas

If your feline shows any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you should immediately contact your vet and follow his instructions.

Do Cats Know When You’re High?

Most people think cats are aloof. However, your feline friend is more intelligent than you think. Cats are known to read several human expressions, including sadness, happiness and anger. But do cats know when you are high?

There is no rock-solid research available out there, so it’s hard to say for sure. But most people believe that cats can detect when you are not in your normal state. According to many experts, cats are more independent than other felines and can pick up on their owner’s impaired state.

Compared to humans, cats have a better sense of smell. Therefore, the smell of weed affects your feline friend quickly. With their extreme senses, cats can detect what you have in your pocket, including Altoids box, vaporizer and more. However, as cats don’t know weed is illegal, they will not narc on you.

Best Practices to Keep Your Cat Safe

Now that you know the smell of weed is not an ideal scent for your feline, it’s time to discuss possible ways to keep your cat away from your stash. It’s worth taking into note that you should not use harsh methods like beating. As cats are quite fragile, even a slap can cause bleeding or organ damage.

To help you out in this regard, below, we have mentioned some of the most effective methods to keep your feline away from your stash:

Hide in the Cabinet

The first method is to hide your stash in a locked cabinet. Most weed users think back of their toilet is the best way to hide their stash. But that’s not wise or effective, is it? To protect your feline from the smell of weed and the possible symptoms, you should lock your stash safe in a cabinet.

Don’t hide your weed under your bed, either. As cats have a strong sense of smell, they will surely find it and consume it. Compared to the smoke, raw marijuana is even more lethal to your feline. It can lead to choking, which can easily cause the death of your feline friend.

Use a Smell Deterrent

You can also use a smell deterrent to keep your cat away from your stash. Cats are quite moody. They hate several smells, including vinegar, lemon, hot & spicy scents and more. You can use vinegar spray to hide the smell of weed. As a result, your feline will surely lose interest in it.

Ignore Their Behavior

If the above-mentioned approaches are not effective for you, you can simply ignore your cat for some time. As cats are considered attention-seekers, if you ignore them for a while, your little furball will surely lose interest in your stash. 

Final Verdict

Do cats like the smell of weed? Well, most cats think marijuana is actually catnip. As cats are attracted to catnip, they will surely like the smell of weed as well. However, unlike catnip, weed can cause some serious health problems in cats, including asthma, vomiting, low blood pressure, depression, and even death (In Rare Cases)