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Most pet owners love to see their cat when it encounters catnip. Most cats love it and show it in crazy ways, such as rubbing against everything, clawing at random objects, rolling around and generally acting strangely. Catnip will make your favorite cat behave like a cat in heat, although it affects both males and females. It can turn a docile cat into a stripped-down madman in seconds. But what exactly is catnip and why does it affect some cats and not others?
Catnip is a herb
This fragrant plant, with the scientific name Nepeta Qataria, is a member of the mint family. It is also called catnip or catnip and is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, although it is also found everywhere North America. This perennial herb has more than 250 species worldwide. It can grow up to a meter in height and shows strong steam with heart-shaped leaves and saw-tooth edges. Blue, white, pink or purple flowers bloom from late spring through fall. Gardeners often include it in their flower beds because catnip is drought tolerant, deer resistant, and a mosquito deterrent. Besides driving cats crazy, it also attracts butterflies.
Active ingredient of Catnip
Catnip’s essential ingredient is a compound called nepetalactone, an oil found in the leaves and stems of the plant. Nepetalactone stimulates the pheromone receptors in a cat’s nose, triggering a chemical reaction that gives the animal a sense of euphoria. The effect is similar to how people react to a hallucinogenic drug. The smell of nepetalactone sends signals to the olfactory bulb in an animal’s brain for processing, to the amygdala, which regulates emotions, and the hypothalamus, which regulates bodily functions.
When cats smell catnip, they will rub it, paw, lick, eat, and roll in it. Individual animals with extreme reactions to catnip may meow, growl, purr, become frisky, shake their heads, salivate and generally behave wildly. Some cats look like they’re getting stoned or having some sort of drug trip. While researchers aren’t exactly sure what cats experience, they do know that smelling catnip results in the release of beta-endorphins, natural opioids produced by the body. When cats’ opioid receptors are blocked, they don’t respond in the same way, indicating that endorphins are responsible for their crazy behavior.
Cats also don’t seem to get addicted to the plant. Most cats will know when they’ve had enough and will walk away from it. For the few cats who eat too much of it, they may experience stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhea, but no other ill effects. As long as your pet takes a break from catnip, her body will return to a state of equilibrium.
Why doesn’t my cat like catnip?
Not all cats are attracted to the smell of catnip. Estimates indicate that about 50% to 80% of the house cats experience effects of the scent of the herb. Cats seem to inherit this trait. For example, most Australian domestic cats show no behavioral effects when exposed to catnip. young kittens and older cats don’t respond well to it. Researchers theorize that cats have evolved to love the herb because it can protect them from mosquitoes and parasites.
The smell of catnip affects more than just domestic cats. Big, wild cats love lions, tigers, and leopards, exhibit similar behavior when exposed to it. Nepetalactone also affects mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches and termites gets rid of its odor and is 10 times more effective than DEET. However, nepetalactone is not a candidate for use in insect repellents because it loses its effectiveness when applied to human skin.
Nepetalactone also affects aphids as a sex hormone, as they like to plant the sap of catnip. At the same time, the pheromone also attracts aphid predators such as the lacewing, ultimately protecting the plant.
Other plants and animals have a similar effect on cats
Catnip isn’t the only plant that can send cats into frenzied behavior. Silvervine, which contains a compound called neptalactol, can affect cats in the same way. This plant is a species of kiwi in the Actinidiacae family of flowering plants. Valerian and Tartar honeysuckle woods also have similar properties.
Crazy enough, mice produce lactones, molecules similar to nepetalactone in their sweat. They may have evolved this way to distract cats when caught, and it could explain why cats often scurry around and play with mice, similar to the way they do when they come across a toy mouse filled with catnip. .
Giving your cat catnip
Pet owners can find all kinds of catnip products in stores and online. You can find them as part of toys, in pouches or even loose, allowing you to sprinkle the herb for your cat wherever you want. You can even grow your catnip to give your cat a ready supply.
Catnip is useful as a training aid. Sprinkling catnip around certain items encourages your cat to use items such as scratching posts, litter boxes, bedding, or cat carriers.
The type of catnip also affects the intensity of your pet’s experience. Give your cat fresh or dried catnip, but if you plan to keep a large supply, store it in an airtight container in the freezer to prevent the essential oils from evaporating quickly and to maintain potency. You may be tempted to try commercial catnip sprays, but these products aren’t as effective as fresh or dried catnip because they don’t contain as much nepetalactone.
Other Uses for Catnip
Since it is an herb, catnip has long been used as a natural medicine. When made into a tea or infusion, it acts as a mild sedative and has a soothing and anesthetic effect. Its historical uses include it as a remedy for nausea, headaches and toothaches.
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