Why do cats like catnip so much

Crack open a tub of dried catnip or rub leaves of fresh catnip, and you’ll be sure to please a cat or two in your house. Watching a cat’s antics when they smell catnip can be hilarious, but have you ever wondered why they act this way in the first place?

The secret to cat’s love for catnip is nepetalactone. Catnip produces this oil in their stems and leaves. When the cat smells it, it triggers receptors in their brains that specialize in sensing pheromones. When these receptors are triggered, they give the cat a feeling of overwhelming happiness.

Catnip is comparative to psychedelics in humans, but don’t worry. The effects wear off very quickly, and after a few minutes the cat will ignore the catnip for a while. It may take a couple of hours for a cat to become interested in catnip again after enjoying it the first time.

If you have a cat that isn’t interested in catnip, you’re not alone. The ability to enjoy catnip in cats is hereditary, and not all cats can. It’s estimated between 50% and 75% of cats can sense the oils in catnip, while the rest can’t and therefore don’t react.

Another factor at play may be where you got the catnip. Ornamental catnips for use in the garden are bred to have very little nepetalactone, which means it won’t attract cats. If you got catnip from this variety you may have disappointed cats.

Instead, order catnip plants designed for pets, collect wild catnip if it is native in your area, or get dried catnip from the pet store to see if your cat has a reaction.

Catnip is fine to give your cats, and won’t cause them any harm. If you enjoy seeing your cat purring and rolling about on some catnip leaves, feel free to keep doing so.