How Do You Understand Why Cats Love Catnip?
Catnip is a plant famous for making cats go crazy. Catnip has often been characterized as a drug for cats. But why do cats really go crazy for catnip? First of all, “Catnip” is a layman’s term for a genus of plants called “Nepeta.” It is related to the mint family of herbs. Cats often roll around and generally act strange when they are exposed to catnip. The “active ingredient” in catnip is called Nepetalactone, a chemical which exudes a very particular smell for cats. Specifically, some cats confuse the smell for “cat pheromones” which help control cat behavior. This condition of mistaken smelling affects about 66% of all cats and is hereditary. The kitty’s crazy reactions seem to occur and then go away because the cat’s brain quickly acclimates to the false positive. However, after a few hours of being away from the catnip, the reaction can happen again. Although many people claim catnip is like a narcotic for cats, catnip is completely non-toxic and does not harm your kitty in any w
