MATATABI para GATOS: pros y contras 😻🌱 | ¿Un PREMIO PARA RELAJAR a tu gato en cualquier situación?

If I told you that there is a treat that could help your feline companion be calmer at home when there is a stressful situation, or even go to the vet more calmly, aren't you interested in knowing more about it? Well, today I'll tell you all about it. Hello, I'm Carlos and I'm a veterinarian. Welcome to the Happy Pets and Families Channel. You've probably heard of catnip before, and you've probably heard of me too, because we dedicate a video to it on the channel. Catnip is a plant that has some calming effects on our feline companions. It helps them to be more relaxed, to be a little less aggressive when they are in a stressful situation. But it has a small problem that it doesn't do anything at all for some cats. That's why you often ask me for alternatives to catnip, or because you come across plants and herbs that are recommended to you on the Internet and you don't know if they are safe for your feline companions. Today we are going to talk about one of them called Matabi or Silver Bid. Is it safe for your cat? Does it have any toxic effects? Can we use it as much as we want? Well, today we are going to answer all those questions. Matabe is a plant that is traditionally used as an alternative to catnip in parts of Asia. So you probably haven't heard much about it. In fact, I have read some surveys out there that many veterinarians don't even know what it is. Its scientific name is Actinidia polygyma, and it is a vine type plant that has been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine with many effects on people. But the thing is that our cats are also very attracted to it. What makes our cats react to these plants like Matabe, catnip and many others are the substances they give off. Interestingly, plants use these chemicals to repel insects or bugs that could eat them, or perhaps also to attract predators of these insects so that they remain safe and sound. And one of these insect predators could be cats. The best studied component of catnip, for example, is called nepetalactone. In the case of Matabe, in addition to nepetalactone, which is found in very low concentrations, there are six other components that are very, very similar and that have effects on cats. Various studies have shown that cats do not react to the taste of this substance, but to the smell. They perceive it just as they perceive other substances such as pheromones, and that causes them to have specific Effects such as relaxation, being calmer, rolling on their backs, slightly salivating, rubbing against the plant, licking it, biting it, or even kicking the plant so that it continues to release more substances. And so all this is an endless cycle. And we are going to answer one of the main questions that arise with these plants. Are they toxic to cats? It is true that I would like there to be more in depth studies, but what has been shown, according to scientific studies, is that these substances, such as nepetalactone, which I have already mentioned, do not have any toxic effects on cats. But as I said before, the reason why Matabe has become so fashionable is because up to 33% of cats, one in three, do not react to catnip. And it has been shown that they do react to Metabi. In fact, according to a very interesting study that I will leave in the description box, up to 80% of cats have this reaction of relaxation, of being comfortable and calm when faced with Metabi or silver catnip. And something very positive is that up to 75% of cats that had no effect whatsoever on catnip. That is, if we wanted them to be more relaxed or calmer in a certain situation, it did absolutely nothing to them. If they reacted to Matabe, therefore it does have an effect on them. But if you remember what I told you in the video about catnip, we used it with our cats with the dried leaves or the fresh leaves, putting them on or rubbing them on a surface and having the cat come into contact with the leaf of the plant. How is Matabe used? Matabe, unlike catnip, is usually sold in sticks because it is the trunk of the vine that has been cut so that you can give it to your cat. Many times people offer these sticks to their feline companions in the form of treats, and they can have some advantages, such as cleaning their teeth a little. However, what cats respond best to when playing with Matabi is its fruit, not its wood, although the wood can also have some of the effects I've mentioned. What I recommend is that you use Metabi as a supplement to enrich your cat's environment. For example, it's very useful for cats that are stressed when they go to the vet. I already mentioned this at the beginning of the video. If you give them a toy or a branch of Matabi, you may notice the effects of being more relaxed and the cat won't get so stressed and will have a better time during the consultation. You can give it to your cat 10, 15 minutes before leaving the house. Another very good use for Matabe, that has been shown to work is for cats that don't use their scratching posts. I recommended it with catnip, but as I told you in this video, catnip doesn't usually work for some cats. However, with matabe, it has been shown, according to a study that I have linked below, that cats use scratching posts for longer and that they tend to go to those scratching posts. In this way, we can prevent our cat from scratching in some areas of our house where we do not like it to do so, and instead use the scratching post or the mat that we have purchased. And these are the situations in which I recommend using matabe. I do not like it to be used indiscriminately, that is as if it were any type of candy. Because although they are safe plants that do not have toxic effects on our cats, it is true that they have psychoactive effects, that is, they do something to their central nervous system. In fact, hallucinations have been described in some people who have smoked these plants. I do not mean that this happens to cats because it has not been described, but, well, that feeling of being a little calmer, a little less overwhelmed. Well, we do not know exactly to what extent the cat goes. We have not been able to ask. And of course we don't want our cats high every day, even if it's natural. That's why I recommend that they only be used for a very specific purpose and with criteria if we want to use it for the scratching post, because that way we're going to get them to use that scratching post. Or if we want to use it for the vet, because we want our cat to have an easier time at the vet's office, but always thinking about the benefit for the cat and not for you. And did you know about Matabe? Have you ever used it with your feline companion? Do you like it more or less than catnip? Well, leave me a comment so I can find out and see if you're interested in feline botany. Also, if you liked the video, give it a like and subscribe to our channel. If you haven't already, remember that we have a secondary channel here on YouTube called Questions and Answers from a Veterinarian. Stop by and take a look because there are a lot of questions that will surely be very useful to you. And before we leave, we always say hello to some friends of the channel. We say hello to Hamero and Samson, who live with Natalia Millennial. Here we have Mikosito, which is the affectionate name Elena has given to her feline companion Pepe to say goodbye. We have heroes and Bugia, who is called it because they rescued him from a car engine. They greet us with their human companion, Grace. Thank you very much for following the Happy Pets and Families channel and we'll see you in the next video. Catnip is a substance. It is not a plant called Matabi or silver biz. In addition to Nepetalactone there is Adjodar. But as I told you before, for whatever reason. But for what Jodon is better. It is better to use fruit. I mean, the best effects are seen in fruit. Although what they sell is the stick. I. I recommend that you look for the fruit. I understand what you mean. It's not that I recommend it because you probably won't find fruit. I just want to point out that what they respond to best is fruit. Because you might say that's a lie. My cat doesn't do anything with a stick. Well, the studies have actually been done with fruit. Yes, but at the end of the video I'll give you a pro and con of mate Bien. So I don't want to get too involved now, even though the video is a bit long, we're going to eat it like this because I'm already halfway through. You won't find fruit. So this study is a bit falsified. Well, they did it with what they did. What do you want me to tell you? So the stick won't do anything? Yes, because it also has a higher concentration of all the substances. Well, well, I don't want to mislead anyone. No, I don't either. Don't worry. I know you've missed a bit of it, but if you realize that it is a lot of information. A lot of information. Leave me a comment so I can find out. Oh, this contact lens is itching me. Emma has already mounted her feline companion, Pepe. Oh, Emma. No, Elena, her feline companion. Elena, her feline companion. No, but if you know anything about Barcelona. Ah.