What Is Catnip? Why Cats Like It

Do you ever end up asking, “Why do cats like catnip?” Or perhaps you might be questioning what catnip (nepeta cataria) is, precisely. It seems that catnip, a uniquely stimulating plant for a lot of cats, is sort of as puzzling as cats themselves.

Whether or not you’re watching a cat in the course of a catnip excessive or learning the secrets and techniques hidden throughout the ‘nip itself, the dynamic between the plant and the feline is a continuing supply of fascination. On this article, we’ll dig deeper into the mysterious methods of catnip, discovering what it’s, the way it impacts cats, and how one can get began with utilizing catnip your self.



What Is Catnip?

If you take a look at a catnip plant, your first impression is of a weedy inexperienced perennial herb, generally topped with a bundle of white or lavender blossoms. Branching off the stalk are serrated leaves that seem like softer, dustier sprigs of lemon balm.

The plant is a member of the mint household (Lamiaceae) and is definitely mistaken for lemon balm, catmint, and peppermint.

What makes it completely different from these vegetation is one thing you’ll be able to’t see—a chemical compound known as nepetalactone.

Secreted in fragile microscopic bulbs coating the plant’s leaves, stems, and seed pods, nepetalactone constitutes between 70% and 99% of the important oil in catnip.

The Catnip Craze

Between 67% and 80% of the grownup feline inhabitants is delicate to catnip and its results. Delicate cats react to catnip by going a bit loopy—rolling round on the ground, licking up as a lot ‘nip as they will, rubbing their heads within the plant, and frisking across the room. Some cats even begin drooling. Others get agitated and violent.

Each small and large cats react to catnip. Lions, tigers, leopards, and different huge cats exhibit all the identical reactions to the herb. However whereas the expertise is widespread amongst all varieties of cats, they’re the one animals that get such a giant buzz out of catnip.

For the remainder of us, catnip is something between a repellent and a gentle sedative. Brewed right into a tea, smoked, or combined into treats, catnip, and catmint are soothing to people, canine, and different animals. And in case you’re not excited by stimulated cats or chilled-out people, you would possibly like realizing that the lively compound in catnip is a mosquito repellent extra highly effective than DEET.

How Does Catnip Work?

To know how catnip impacts your cat, we’ve to take a more in-depth take a look at two issues—what catnip consists of, and what makes your cat tick.

When these tiny bulbs rupture, nepetalactone molecules float off of the catnip plant and get inside a cat’s nostril. From there, they bind to protein receptors, which stimulate sensory neurons that attain out to different neurons situated within the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is a nervous construction within the cat’s mind that acts as a processing heart for smells.

The olfactory bulb initiatives this odor info to a number of areas of the mind, together with the 2 neuronal clusters known as the amygdala. This gland controls behavioral responses to stimuli. In different phrases, the amygdala will get the message that it’s time to rev up the emotional response and get the physique transferring.

In the meantime, the olfactory gland additionally initiatives to the hypothalamus or “grasp gland” of the mind, which controls nearly every part within the physique. It seems that the hypothalamus interprets the nepetalactone of catnip as one thing similar to feline sexual pheromones, regulating the response by way of the pituitary gland and triggering a behavioral response.

What Does Catnip Do to Cats?

No matter intercourse, cats affected by catnip begin appearing loads like females in warmth—with a twist.

You’ll discover estrus-esque behaviors like rolling round on the ground, frenzied cheek rubbing, purring, and vocalizing. Along with these behaviors, cats develop into usually excitable, chasing invisible mice, and frisking round the home.

How Lengthy Do the Results of Catnip Final?

The impact of catnip lasts for 5-Quarter-hour after which it fades away, leaving your cat catnipped-out for as much as two hours. Throughout that point, cats lose their sensitivity to catnip and want a while for the immunity to put on off.

So, since it seems that catnip causes one thing of an emotional response just like these created by feline pheromones, is it some sort of plant-derived pseudo-pheromone?

Not Fairly.

Not like pheromones, the risky oils in catnip solely have an effect on cats by way of the nostril. Cats don’t choose up nepetalactone with their Jacobson’s organ—also referred to as the vomeronasal organ—situated on the roof of their mouth. It’s a nose-driven expertise.

Although cats usually eat catnip after they’re in the course of excessive, ingested catnip doesn’t have the identical impact. When cats eat catnip, they expertise it roughly the identical manner we do once we eat it or brew it right into a tea—they could really feel a gentle sedative impact.

We are able to’t say precisely what cats are experiencing after they odor catnip. Within the scientific group, there’s no consensus on precisely why catnip impacts cats.

Catnip Security and Advantages

For all of its euphoric results, catnip is fairly protected. It’s unattainable to overdose on and is non-addictive. Cats of all ages can strive it, however solely grownup cats have the wiring to expertise a excessive. Most cats develop their curiosity in catnip across the time they attain sexual maturity (6 to eight months previous).

Whether or not your cat is nibbling it recent or rolling round in a pile of dried buds, catnip will be useful to their well being.

When eaten, catnip may also help stressed-out cats to loosen up and really feel a bit calmer, and when inhaled, the lively parts of catnip encourage your cat to play. Frisking, pouncing, and different types of play act additionally as highly effective stress relievers.

Catnip is a protected, light various to harsh behavioral redirection instruments.

When sprinkled or spritzed on a brand new scratching submit or mattress, catnip may also help to encourage your cat to go to and use the designated object. Paired with a mild deterrent, this type of optimistic path is an efficient method to change your cat’s patterns with out hurt or stress.

Options to Catnip for Cats

What in case your cat is likely one of the roughly 1/3 of the feline inhabitants who doesn’t react to catnip? You may have a couple of alternate options. Whereas silvervine is essentially the most promising catnip various, you may as well strive valerian root, Tartarian honeysuckle, and different sorts of catmint.

Silvervine

Although catnip will get extra press, silvervine—also referred to as matatabi—is a potent various. This native of China and Japan is a species of kiwifruit from the Actinidiaceae household.

As a substitute of nepetalactone, silvervine comprises excessive concentrations of a chemical known as actinidine. Actinidine triggers a response just like nepetalactone, however it seems to have an effect on a bigger share of cats. Based on a examine revealed in BMC Veterinary Analysis, nearly 80% of cats in a 100-cat group reacted to silvervine, together with 75% of the cats who didn’t get something out of catnip.

Silvervine additionally causes an extended excessive. Whereas catnip wears off after 5-Quarter-hour, a silvervine frenzy can final for as much as half-hour.

Like catnip, silvervine is protected for cats and the enjoyable comes side-effect-free. In case your cat is a part of the inhabitants that doesn’t get something out of a dose of catnip, take into consideration attempting silvervine as a substitute.

Valerian Root

Valerian root is a flowering perennial maybe greatest identified for its soothing properties. It’s additionally reasonably stimulating for cats, triggering a response in about 47% of cats. And simply as valerian may also help to alleviate insomnia and anxiousness in folks, this plant may also help cats loosen up as soon as the excessive involves an finish.

Tatarian Honeysuckle

Tatarian honeysuckle is a flowering shrub that, like catnip, comprises the monoterpenoid nepetalactone. Its wooden triggers catnip-like reactions in about 50% of cats. Whereas even catnip-sensitive cats don’t begin reacting to the plant till they’re about six months previous, it seems that cats of all ages can get a buzz out of this honeysuckle species.

Different Kinds of Catmint

Of the Nepeta species, nepeta cataria has the best focus of nepetalactone and essentially the most highly effective results, however catmint varieties like Blue Marvel, Persian, and Faassen’s catmint may also set off a response.

How To Give Your Cat Catnip

Giving your cat catnip is easy. If you happen to’re utilizing catnip leaves or a toy, pinch and therapeutic massage it earlier than giving it to your cat. This helps to heat issues up, burst the floor bulbs, and launch the catnip’s risky oils. If you happen to’re utilizing a twig, no preparation is important. Simply spritz it in your chosen space.

Catnip lasts longest if saved in an air-tight container in a darkish, cool space. When you have freezer area and need to maximize the longevity of your catnip, place your sealed containers of catnip within the freezer and thaw them out if you’re prepared for some enjoyable.

Catnip is at all times the identical herb, however it is available in a couple of codecs. Listed here are a couple of of the choices out there.

Dried Catnip

You should buy dried catnip nearly anyplace you should buy cat meals. Efficiency varies from product to product, with lower-quality catnip merchandise containing an excessive amount of stem and never sufficient bud.

Catnip Toys

Catnip toys are additionally out there, giving your cat one thing to kick, drool on, and bat round whereas they’re buzzing.

Catnip Spray

You can too use catnip sprays, that are a much less messy various to catnip leaves scattered on the ground. Catnip spray is beneficial for refreshing catnip toys and may also help to get your cat fascinated with new furnishings like scratching posts, beds, and timber.

Develop Catnip at Dwelling

If you happen to like the thought of a recent plant, take into consideration rising catnip in your house backyard. It’s a perennial plant that’s hardy and simple to develop in a spread of climates. Choose and dry the catnip as wanted. Although cats react to each recent and dry catnip, dehydrated catnip is stronger and simpler to retailer for the long run.

How A lot Catnip Ought to You Give a Cat?

Just a little little bit of catnip goes a good distance—only a teaspoon of dried catnip is sufficient to induce a full response. And simply as there’s no clear minimal dose at which the results start, there’s no solidly-defined restrict to how a lot catnip you may give a cat. Nevertheless, cats who eat an excessive amount of of it could expertise GI misery as a result of plant’s excessive fiber content material.

Do not forget that a cat’s response doesn’t improve in proportion to how a lot catnip they’re given, so it’s greatest to begin small and monitor your cat’s response. In case your cat licks up all the catnip and nonetheless appears to need extra, you would possibly need to drop an additional teaspoon or so. If you happen to’re left with a multitude of unused catnip, strive dialing it again just a little bit.

Do not forget that publicity to leftover catnip might lower your cat’s sensitivity to it, so it’s greatest to wash up afterward to verify your subsequent session is simply as enjoyable because the final.

Finally, Catnip Stays a Thriller

Whereas we will go into extra depth on how the compounds in catnip work together together with your cat’s mind, we will’t reply precisely why one species—catnip—has such an intense impact on so many members of one other species.  It’s a thriller as intriguing and enchanting as our cats themselves.

Additionally Learn: The 5 Finest Catnip Merchandise