This Cute Pet

Catnip

Cats love Catnip.

Catnip has been around for a long time. Originally from Europe and Asia it was used by the ancient Romans for cooking and healing. It was used for the treatment of nervousness, colds, and other complaints during the Middle Ages.

Catnip is a perennial herb from the mint family. It has no effect on human, however, it does on cats because they rely heavily on their noses.

The chemical nepetalactone in catnip is responsible for the response. Some cats are totally unaffected by it. Other cats experience extreme pleasure and playfulness from it. The intensity of responses varies from cat to cat. Its effect is short-lived, usually 5 to 20 minutes. After enjoying this brief “catnip high,” a cat is unable to respond to catnip again for about an hour.


Some say that the cat’s responsiveness to catnip is inherited . It is sometimes described as the presence or absence of a “catnip gene.” Up to 30 percent of all cats do not have this gene. Kittens with this gene may not respond to catnip until about six to eight months of age.

For the catnip-loving cat, sniffing this herb is harmless and non-addictive.

Catnip can be purchased alone or already in a cat toy. If you prefer, you can grow it yourself however, be warned that you will have a garden that is very popular with cats.