I bought some catnip the other day and my cats are sniffing that stuff and rolling around like they are high as a kite. What is in that stuff that drives them nuts?
2006-09-10 15:41:08 · 9 answers · asked by Belle 3 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
Catnip contains nepetalactone, a terpene, that is thought to mimic feline sex pheromones. Cats detect it through their vomeronasal organs. When cats sense the bruised leaves or stems of catnip, they will rub in it, roll over it, paw at it, chew it, lick it, and leap about and purr. Some cats will also growl and meow. This reaction only lasts for several minutes before the cat loses interest. It takes up to two hours for the cat to "reset" and then it can come back to the catnip and have the same response as before. Young kittens and older cats are less likely to have a reaction to catnip but big cats, such as tigers, seem to be extremely sensitive to it.
Cat owners do not need to worry about allowing their cats access to catnip because there are, for the most part, no negative side effects to it. However, some cats become overly excited when exposed to catnip, and so aging cats with heart troubles should not be given it.
At least three species attract cats, Nepeta cataria, N. grandiflora and N. faassenii, but most other species have not been tested. Of these, both true catnip and Faassen's catnip have a sharp, biting taste, while the taste of giant catmint is bland. Hope this helps you out hun............Flo
2006-09-10 15:48:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, not all cats are affected by catnip--it's some genetic thing. Sorry, don't remember where I read that. But it sure is fun watching the ones that do like it. I grow catnip in my herb garden just so my 3 kitties can have the fresh stuff.
2006-09-10 22:46:12 · answer #2 · answered by warriorwoman 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think my cat
2006-09-11 21:45:35 · answer #3 · answered by Cookies m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is the mint that they like... my cats like other kinds of mint too
2006-09-10 22:51:13 · answer #4 · answered by wickink 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its something in the oils it has I think. Nepentha id he Latin name, Maybe google it.
2006-09-10 22:48:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that it is other cats in the nip
2006-09-10 22:43:31 · answer #6 · answered by NaijaPrincess 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's like a drug to them.
2006-09-10 22:43:55 · answer #7 · answered by Judas Rabbi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think alcohol!!
2006-09-11 02:20:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anry 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dunno . . its alll natural weed maybe?
2006-09-10 22:42:40 · answer #9 · answered by ????a?? ? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋