What is in catnip?

Question

What exactly is catnip? Im watching my kitten play with a toy mouse that has catnip in it and its making him go crazy... hes rubbing it all over his face! its soo cute

Answer 1

Catnip is a member of the mint family of plants. Its cousins include basil, oregano, and spearmint. All these plants produce essential oils that contain flavorful and aromatic terpenoids such as limonene, menthol, and spearmint.

The leaves, stems, and seedpods of catnip are covered with microscopic bulbs called trichomes, which store the essential oil until they reach maturity and burst. External forces, such as a hungry bug biting into a leaf or a passing animal brushing up against the plant and bruising the leaves, can also release the oil.

That the essential oil is contained inside the fragile bulbs may explain why cats are seen rubbing up against, and even chewing, the leaves. Cats gain nothing by ingesting the leaves because the biological activity of nepetalactone is most likely centered in the olfactory tissues. But chewing the leaves will rupture the tiny packets of oil and release nepetalactone into the air.

Answer 2

Catnip is a perennial plant that is marketed mostly when dried. It contains a chemical that stimulates their brain like a sex pheremone does, which is why is kittens aren't affected by it until near sexual maturity - 5 or 6 months of age usually, but as early as 3 months is also normal.

For a more scientific point, from Wikipedia:

Catnip contains nepetalactone, a terpene. Cats detect it through their olfactory epithelium and not through their vomeronasal organ [2]. At the olfactory epithelium, the nepetalactone is hypothesized to bind to one or more G-protein coupled receptors on the surface of sensory neurons which are found in the sensory layer of the organ. Via a signal transduction pathway (probably involving a G-protein and a transient receptor potential channel) an influx of calcium ions that occurs creates an action potential along the axon of the neuron. The sensory neurons from the olfactory epithelium project to the olfactory bulb where multiple neurons (each expressing a single receptor type) synapse at special neuropil called glomeruli. Here the neurons synapse with mitral cells which, in turn, project to various brain loci, including the amygdala, where the signals are integrated into behavioural signals. There is some evidence of projections to the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates a neuroendocrine response via the pituitary gland. These hormones would mediate the "sexual response." The chemical probably hijacks the pathway normally influenced by a cat pheromone.

Answer 3

Surprisingly enough catnip if part of the mint family. There is also a plant called cat mint that cats enjoy eating as well.

The reason they go crazy for it is because of a chemical called trans-nepetalactone. It's almost identical to the essence excreted by the female cat, which is why tom cats love catnip the most. Most cats aren't attracted to it until they are about 2 months old. And cats basically het high on the smell of it. The only reason they eat the plant is to aid in the digestion of furballs.

If you are planning on growing your own catnip, i suggest growing it indoors out of reach of your cat, and offering it to him on occassion. If you plant it outdoors, you may end up with the whole feline neighbourhood visiting your yard.

Answer 4

Catnip is a variety of mint, it has euphoria inducing qualities in SOME cats the reasons are not know. Basically it's marijuana for cats.

Note: It shouldn't be used in kittens under 9 months!

Answer 5

There's a type of plant inside catnip that has a weird smell that cats like.

Answer 6

Yep, it's a plant. If you do choose to find out where locally you can buy it (most green houses have it) and your cat is an outdoor cat, be careful what you plant it next to. The cat will roll around in it and might destroy the plants around it. Becareful and have fun.

Answer 7

Catnip is a plant.

Answer 8

Here is a Good explanation of Catnip and what it is and does...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catnip

Answer 9

catnip is a plant-and it stimulates the brain of cat's-

Answer 10

Catnip is a plant, infact you can grow it so your cat can have a fresh "nip"