I just always wondered.
2007-02-28 11:17:04 · 17 answers · asked by Sam H 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
It is a name for the Nepata genus of plants.
"Nepeta is a genus of about 250 species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The members of this group are known as catnips or catmints due to its famed liking by cats—nepeta pleasantly stimulates cats' pheromonic receptors."
There is a large article about these plants on wikipedia, listed here under sources.
2007-02-28 11:21:53 · answer #1 · answered by dale 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
My mom grows catnip plants in the garden, then she just takes a few leaves of it and puts it on the floor and the cats are rolling all over it.
2007-02-28 11:22:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The substance that attracts cats in catnip has been isolated. It's a volatile turpenoid, and has a specific chemical name: nepetalactone. Nepetalactone is not attractive to all cats; only about 30 to 70 percent of cats are actually attracted to it. But when it works, it really works, appearing to drive cats wild with excitement.
The Catnip Trip
A cat reacts to catnip with ecstasy and unbounded joy. They are given to:
Sniffing, chewing and batting around the catnip source, salivating profusely
Shaking their heads
Rolling and rubbing themselves on the floor
Becoming ataxic, falling and stumbling
Tandem kicking forward with the hind feet
Excitement and chasing behavior
Although some people may be philosophically opposed to the drunken, appetitive, and seemingly erotic state that catnip produces, it has not been shown to be harmful and may even be beneficial in some circumstances. Catnip-sensitive, feuding cats have been made to perceive each other in a new light following the application of catnip to one or both cats. Also, the analgesic properties of catnip may be helpful for cats in pain. It seems that catnip in cats has similar effects to marijuana in people. Luckily we don't need a campaign to legalize catnip for medical use in our feline friends.
2007-03-01 11:11:36 · answer #3 · answered by Phoebhart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a grounded up plant. I had a catnip plant in my garden and we have a "buddy problem" They ate the plant and got "high" and passed out in out garden. So its just a dried leaf of the plant catnip.
2007-02-28 11:22:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catnip is a wonderful herb that makes cats crazy but actually works as a sedative for people. Catnip tea is a great relaxer.
2007-02-28 11:22:49 · answer #5 · answered by wildremedies 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Catnip is an herb. You can grow it yourself, although everytime I try to do that my little furry catnip fiends roll on the young plants a destroy them. The kind you buy is grown, cut and dried.
2007-02-28 11:27:22 · answer #6 · answered by Holly R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catnip is a sort of plant that you can grow and dry up and your cat will go wild
2007-02-28 12:05:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a plant that you can grow on your windowsill or outside in the warm months. It is from the mint family. Both of my cats love it when I bring it in fresh in the summer. In the winter we use the dried form.The problem, when it grows outside in the warm weather is, if you have any stray cats running around they usually roll allover , and eat all of the catnip, before I can bring it in for my kitties.....oh well, they love too.
2007-02-28 11:42:27 · answer #8 · answered by Kitty Mom 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catnip is a tea. It is a plant like peppermint tea.
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_catnip.htm
2007-02-28 11:23:44 · answer #9 · answered by grandma 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's a plant (an herb) , guess what? It's called catnip.
2007-02-28 11:22:12 · answer #10 · answered by Mj 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋