The image of a cat playing with a catnip toy is so common that people are often surprised to find that not all cats respond to catnip. Over half of adult cats do find it intoxicating, and you may have wondered why.
Catnip is a member of the mint family. There are over 250 members of the mint family, and some cats may respond to more than one of them. Some cats are attracted to peppermint or spearmint, which can means it’s a good idea to keep breath mints secured, just in case!
How Catnip Works
The ingredient in catnip that cats respond to is an essential oil, neptalactone, found in the leaves and stems of the catnip plant.
When your cat sniffs catnip, neptalactone particles travel into your cat’s nose and into her nasal tissue, where they bind to protein receptors that stimulate sensory neurons. Signals travel from there to the brain, where information is routed to the pituitary gland, creating a response that is similar to that seen when encountering the pheromones of another cat. That’s right: catnip actually functions like an artificial cat pheromone.
Your household cat isn’t the only one who responds to catnip. Cats all the way up to lions respond neptalactone, too.
Your Cat on Catnip
Cats who encounter catnip will sniff it, and it’s not unusual to see them lick or chew on it as well as rub or roll on it. During your cat’s catnip high, which lasts about 10-15 minutes, your cat may respond sleepiness, or drooling. Some cats show aggression and will growl or even bite and scratch while under the influence of catnip.
After your cat has recovered from a catnip high, she probably won’t be interested more catnip right away. It usually takes an hour of two for your cat’s brain to “reset” and be ready to respond to catnip again.
If your kitty has catnip too often, she may stop showing interest in it. Try putting it away for a couple weeks before offering it to her again.
Is Catnip Safe?
Catnip is safe for your cat. Although people will joke about their cat being “addicted” to catnip, it doesn’t actually have addictive properties, and your kitty will walk away when she has had enough.
If your cat eats a lot of catnip, she could vomit or get diarrhea, just as she might if she ate grass. Let the catnip pass through her system and she will be fine. Cats who eat catnip might do better with toys that keep the catnip enclosed so that they can smell but not ingest it.
Catnip is not for Every Cat
If your cat isn’t into catnip, she’s in good company! Somewhere between 25-50% of cats don’t respond to neptalactone. Attraction to catnip is a trait passed down between parents and offspring.
Kittens under eight weeks don’t respond to catnip either. Some scientific studies showed that kittens will actively avoid catnip, so the smell of it may actually be unpleasant to them.
Humans and Catnip
Human brains don’t work like cat brains, so we don’t get high in response to exposure to neptalactone in catnip. It is, however, a mild sedative, and can be found in some herbal teas. Nepalactone is also a natural mosquito and insect repellent.
You can grow your own catnip for your kitty (and yourself!), and many garden centers have starter plants available. Doesn’t this sound like a fun weekend project to share with your cat?
Research and further reading
Natural Products for Pest Management, Natural Insect Repellents: Activity against Mosquitoes and Cockroaches
Economic Botany, Catnip and the catnip response
The Canadian Veterinary Journal, Catnip: Its uses and effects, past and present
Journal of Heredity: Inheritance of the Catnip Response in Domestic Cats
Photo credits
flickr creative commons/furphotos
depositphotos/c-foto
flickr creative commons/jdickert
flickr creative commons/katleb50
Summer says
Funny thing about Sparkle – she was a couple of years old before she began responding to catnip. I’ve heard that cats don’t really get into it until they are about six months old, so she was a late bloomer. I was early on the other hand – I loved it already when my human brought me home at the age of five months.
Brian says
Four out of seven of us here like the nip and the three that don’t really don’t!
The Florida Furkids says
We’ve had a couple of ‘nip plants but we never get to enjoy them because Mom deads them right away.
The Florida Furkids
da tabbies o trout towne says
everee one in trout towne haz been or iz a nip fan but me
……tuna of moon…..grazz…..now thatz a diffrunt storee
but eye can take ore leeve de nip…. & most lee….leeve it !! 🙂
♥♥♥
mommakatandherbearcat says
Bear is really weird with catnip. He ignores new stuff. I’ve bought him several new toys with catnip and he ignores them. But occasionally, he’ll go nuts for the catnip toys that are YEARS old. There’s one that’s ten years old and when he gets the bug, he’ll drag that thing around and roll all over it. It’s strange to say the least. That’s why I haven’t thrown them away – he still goes nuts and seems to enjoy them. But “new” catnip? No.
Savannah's Paw Tracks says
Didn’t know it was hereditary. My vet told me it is a gene that develops in some cats but not all. Mom L just k owns I’m not a nip kind’a cat
Laila and Minchie says
Two for two here that love us some nip! Very informative post.
Lola and Lexy says
I don’t respond to catnip at all. At first Mommy thought it was because I’m always stuffy, but now she knows why! Lexy, on the other paw, is a nip addict. But don’t tell her I told you that.
Emma and Buster says
We used to have a catnip in a pot, but it died. Emma loves it, but it has no effect on Buster.
Robin says
Catnip is essential in our home! Manna can’t get enough. It is so cute to see her enjoying her catnip. I hope to get a new catnip plant for her soon, but the dried stuff from the store works well too.
Oz the Terrier says
Well, this is an interesting post for those of us who do not have cats. I never knew what it was in catnip that made cats ga-ga over it though I knew it was safe (because why would anyone give their lovelies something that isn’t safe).
The Swiss Cats says
Very interesting post, we learned new things about catnip ! We both love catnip, and Zorro licks the toys until they are totally wet. Purrs
The Island Cats says
We’re all catnip lovers around here…though Wally seems to be the most affected by it.
Anne says
Quite a few cats do not respond to catnip but I’m not sure it’s half? I wonder if there’s an actual scientific study about this.
Connie says
I used to own a cat who was a mean and possessive drunk on catnip..
Melissa & Truffles says
How interesting! Truffles wasn’t impressed by catnip at all, but Mudpie loves it. If it’s good quality nip, of course 😉 I’ve never tried to grow my own.
Annie says
Both kitties here love catnip but I do try to keep their good nip toys sealed and locked up and just bring them out once a week or so in hopes that that will keep it special. Years ago, my kitty, Lucy, would go crazy and start drooling when I would rub Ben-Gay on my husband’s back. It has some kind of strong menthol in it. She just wanted to rub all over it but I worried about the safety.
Three Chatty Cats says
Great info here! All three of our kitties seem to like the nip!
William's Kith & Kin says
We all love nip here. In fact, Ivan just managed to bite open one of our nip-only test toys just so he could eat it!
Cathy Keisha says
I’m a study in contradictions. Some nips I respond to and others I don’t. Those Purrfect play toys are a good example. They reek of nip but I’m not innerested. OTOH, I do love to eat dried nip leaves. I used to be able to hold them but I rarely get them now cos they make me go potty.
Ellen Pilch says
I have heard some cats don’t respond to it, but all 13 of mine do and all cats I have ever had did.
The DAily Pip says
I had no idea that lions also respond to catnip!!!
Hannah and Lucy says
There’s nothing better than a big sniff of nip.