Most cats love catnip. And they show it in strange ways — rubbing against everything, rolling around on the floor, pawing random objects, and just generally acting weird.
So what’s going on? The above video, from the YouTube channel Today I Found Out, gives a nice rundown of what researchers know about catnip.
As Ramona Turner previously explained for Scientific American, the essential ingredient of catnip, which is part of the same family of plants as mint, is nepetalactone. This chemical, which is believed to mimic a cat pheromone, enters a cat’s nose, stimulates sensory neurons, and leads the brain to send what is essentially a “sexual response.” (That’s why catnip leads some cats to act like females in heat.)
To put it simply, it triggers a chemical reaction in the brain — much like psychoactive drugs do for humans — and makes them act really weird, which can be pretty fun for the cat and the owner.
Catnip doesn’t work on every cat, only affecting as much as 80 percent of them. And catnip doesn’t last for long — only a few minutes, maybe 15, before cats are immune to it for 30 minutes to a few hours.
Cats can, in theory, overdose on catnip — although, as far as we can tell, not to death. Instead, they may just get sick and throw up. Most cats, however, can tell when they’ve had enough and will stop before they get to the point of overdose.
Catnip also affects other animals, including potentially cockroaches and mosquitoes. It even appears to be a strong mosquito repellent.
But since even big cats can like catnip, it’s probably not a good idea to apply catnip on yourself for a hike where mountain lions may be around.