Getting the Catnip Crazies

Earlier this week, I was brainstorming some simple, fun activities to do in rainy weather. I had an empty 8 inch self-watering pot and some soil, but nothing to grow. And I don't really keep any real plants in the house since the cats like to chew on leafy greens, so it had to be something cat friendly. Well, what is more cat-centric than catnip!

The scientific name for the catnip plant is Nepeta cataria. It is actually a perennial herb belonging to the mint family. The magic chemical in catnip responsible for your cat's funny behavior is called nepetalactone, which is found in the leaves and stem. For all of my science nerd friends out there, nepetalactone is a terpene, which is a volatile organic chemical. This means that it is evaporates at room temperature when the plant's oils are released (similar to how essential oils work, but do NOT use those around your pets).

The cat inhales the evaporated chemical and the fun begins. The catnip does not have to be dried to release the oils. Simply rub a leaf with your fingers and the chemical will be released. It causes euphoric behaviors like facial rubbing, rolling, and vocalizing. Some cats will salivate while others can actually become slightly agitated or overstimulated. And some cats may not seem to react to catnip at all. There is some debate in the literature, but it is believed that about 70% of cats are sensitive to catnip. Oliver is definitely part of the 70%.

What are some cool catnip trivia tidbits?

• Catnip is not addicting and your cat isn't actually getting "high." Nepetalactone acts like a synthetic pheromone (chemical messenger) that elicits stimulating effects in cats. Cats have a special pheromone-sensing gland on the roof of their mouth that connects to their nose called the vomeronasal organ. Have you ever seen your cat sniff something, open its mouth slightly, then sort of grimace and freeze? That is called the Flehmen response and they are using that organ to sense something in the air. Pretty cool stuff!

• Kittens don't actually respond to catnip until they are about six months old. This correlates with the onset of sexual maturity.

• Response to catnip seems to be genetic; if your cat's parents enjoy catnip, chances are that your cat will as well.

• The catnip-induced euphoria lasts about 10 minutes. Catnip won't have any additional effects for about another half of an hour after it has worn off (like a temporary immunity).

• Lions, tigers, and leopards have been known to respond to catnip both in the wild and in captivity. I wonder how much catnip it takes to elicit a response?

Here are some miscellaneous facts about catnip! I don't take pictures of insects or humans, so unfortunately I don't have any fun photos to share.

• Catnip is a natural insect repellent! It is known to repel mosquitoes.

• Humans can't get high from catnip, so don't try smoking it. We don't respond to the same pheromones as cats.

• Catnip is said to have medicinal purposes for humans and can be made into a tea. It has been used for stomach upset, mild sedation, and for sleep. Not sure I'd want to make myself a cup of catnip tea, but good to know.

I looked online to buy some catnip seeds, but most places were either sold out, required in-store purchase (unfortunately not an option for me right now), or the cost of shipping was astronomical compared to the cost of the seeds and shipping times were prolonged. There were a few sellers on Amazon and Etsy, but I have no idea about the quality of the seeds and didn't feel safe experimenting. So I had to come up with plan B. I called several local nurseries and found one that had catnip in stock with quick, outdoor pick up. The catnip plants are pesticide/insecticide free and cat-approved by the farm's resident kitties. Success!

I brought the plant home and repotted it in my self-watering planter. I put it on the floor for the cats to explore and to make sure that they were interested in the plant and not the soil underneath. Thankfully, they paid no attention to the soil at all.

Oliver is definitely our #1 catnip lover. He actually prefers to ingest his catnip, which may have more of a calming effect than an excitatory one.

Catnip is nontoxic when ingested in small doses. As with pretty much everything else in the world, cats can get an upset stomach from eating too much of the plant at once. So Oliver bit off a leaf, inhaled the nepetalactone and got his kitty high, then ingested the leaf and went off to take a nap.

Owen always follows his brother, so he started to nibble on the plant as well. After a few minutes of investigating, he realized why his brother was so interested.

Owen didn't ingest the leaf, but went off and found his favorite toy to bunny kick for a few minutes.

Orange gets super affectionate during her catnip trips. She rubs all over everything and rolls on her back and attacks her toys.

I had some of the oils on my finger from plucking one of the leaves and she was obsessed with my hand. After the effects wore off, she fell asleep on me with her tongue sticking out. Such a happy girl.

Fifi pretends to be indifferent at first, then checks out the plant after everyone else.

Once the effects hit her, she turns into a wild woman. She bites her toys and bunny kicks the heck out of them.

After everyone's exhilarating afternoon of catnip experimentation, it was nap time.

I put the plant on the table to get some sunlight and recover from the kitty nibbles.

I'll keep everyone updated on how the plant is doing and any new adventures we have. Catnip plants can grow up to about 3 feet tall, so that would be super awesome! And as the mosquito population grows, I'll have to take the plant outside with me in the evenings as natural protection.

If you're looking for a simple activity to do at home, I'd definitely recommend getting your own catnip plant! It's the gift that keeps on giving and you'll totally make all of your friends jealous. It's also excellent mental and physical exercise for your kitty! Owen totally agrees and wanted to show off his moves.