What is Catnip?
You’ve probably seen the infomercials for Meowijuana, the catnip company specializing in toys, treats and other catnip-themed merchandise. They're not the only ones to market this plant to felines; many of the cat toys you see in pet aisles today have, in some way, incorporated catnip.
So, what exactly is catnip?
Image courtesy of Andrew Kota.
Nepeta cataria, or catnip, is a plant in the mint family, native to Europe and Asia and naturalized in North America. It’s hardly unrenowned; catnip has historically played many roles in herbal medicines, namely for sedation and digestive relief. It wasn’t until the 1940s that its compounds were studied—however, humans have been offering catnip to their fellow felines for centuries.
Why are cats so attracted to this curious plant? One word: nepetalactone.
Nepetalactone is an isomer produced by catnip, consisting of a large percentage of the plant’s essential oil. It was discovered in 1941 by Samuel McElvain, a chemist at the University of Wisconsin. Like other mammals, cats have olfactory systems in their noses, which contain sensory neurons. When inhaled, nepetalactone binds itself to these receptors, which sends it to the brain and causes a state of euphoria—hence, we see the characteristic rubbing, rolling and frenzied play of a feline who’s gotten themselves into the catnip jar.
Do other animals like catnip?
Catnip is a feline-inducing plant, hence the name. It certainly doesn’t only pertain to household cats; even lions, tigers, cougars, and the like have demonstrated an attraction to the plant.
It may come as a surprise, however, that not all cats respond to catnip. It’s estimated that about one-third are insensitive to the plant, and the chances of having a response to it are completely hereditary!
Is there such a thing as too much?
While catnip is not toxic to cats, too much can lead to habituation (a developed tolerance to the plant) and possibly an upset stomach. It may be best to limit exposure to once every few weeks!
Image courtesy of Andrew Kota.
written by Anna
