Catnip: what it does to your cat and whether it's safe
A pinch of dried leaves and your cat, the same one that sleeps all day, rolls around, rubs itself, drools and charges about like mad for a few minutes. Catnip is one of the most entertaining curiosities of the feline world, and it's safe. But it doesn't work on every cat, and it's worth knowing why and what the alternatives are.
What catnip is
Catnip, also called catmint, is a plant in the mint family, scientific name Nepeta cataria, that grows wild across much of Europe, Spain included. Its leaves and stems contain an aromatic compound, nepetalactone, which is responsible for its effect on cats. Don't confuse it with so-called cat grass, sold in pots in supermarkets, which is actually sprouted cereal such as wheat, barley or oats: many cats nibble that grass, but it has nothing like the effect of catnip. They're two different things with similar names.
What it does to a cat
When a sensitive cat smells catnip, the nepetalactone reaches receptors in its nose and activates areas of the brain linked to emotion and pleasure. The typical reaction lasts five to fifteen minutes: the cat sniffs, licks or chews the plant, rubs its cheeks and head against it, rolls about, sometimes drools, purrs or meows, and may switch between bursts of euphoria, with running and leaping, and spells of total relaxation. Recent research has shown that these compounds activate the cat's reward system, which is based on the body's own natural opioids, and that explains the feeling of wellbeing. Afterwards, the cat loses interest.
Why it affects some cats and not others
Not every cat responds to catnip. Roughly half to two thirds of adult cats react, and the rest show no particular interest. Sensitivity is inherited, meaning it depends on the genes the cat got from its parents, and it has nothing to do with sex, breed or whether the cat is neutered. Young kittens also don't usually respond until they're about three to six months old, so if your kitten ignores it, it may simply need to grow up. If your adult cat doesn't react to catnip, there's nothing wrong with it: it's just one of the cats without that sensitivity.
Is it safe? Is it addictive?
Catnip is safe for cats and isn't addictive and doesn't create dependence. It isn't a drug in the sense we use the word for people, and a cat has no withdrawal symptoms when it goes without. It isn't toxic either. The only thing that can happen is that, if a cat eats a lot of fresh or dried catnip, it may have a bout of vomiting or soft stools that soon passes. Some cats get so excited under its influence that they can turn a bit rough or aggressive for a few minutes, especially if there are other cats around, so in multi-cat homes it's best to offer it separately or keep an eye on them. Apart from that, it's a safe, cheap way to enrich your cat's life.
Why they rub on it: a fascinating theory
For a long time nobody knew why cats react to these plants the way they do. A Japanese study from 2021 offered a very curious explanation: the compounds in catnip and silver vine repel mosquitoes, and by rubbing and rolling on the plant the cat coats its head and neck with them and is better protected against bites. The researchers found that cats that had rubbed themselves with these compounds attracted fewer mosquitoes. According to this hypothesis, the pleasurable feeling would be evolution's way of encouraging the cat to rub. The explanation is still being studied, but it fits very well with what you see.
Alternatives: silver vine and valerian
If catnip does nothing for your cat, another plant might. Silver vine, also known as matatabi, is an Asian climbing plant whose dried stems and fruit are sold as chew sticks or as a powder, and in a 2017 study it produced a reaction in about 80 per cent of cats, including many that didn't respond to catnip. Valerian root and Tatarian honeysuckle wood also attract some cats. It's worth trying several: in that same study, almost every cat responded to at least one of them. Silver vine sticks are also good for chewing and help cats that like to gnaw on things.
How to give it and how often
Catnip is sold dried, loose or in sachets, as a spray, inside fabric toys or as seeds to grow your own. To try it, a pinch of dried catnip on the floor, or rubbed on a toy or the scratching post, is enough. After the effect wears off, the cat becomes insensitive to it for a while, from half an hour to a couple of hours, so there's no point giving more straight away. Ideally use it as an occasional treat, a few times a week, so it doesn't lose its novelty. Keep it in a sealed container, because nepetalactone evaporates over time and old catnip loses its potency. And keep it out of your cat's reach, or it will open the jar by itself.
Practical uses
As well as being fun, catnip is useful in several situations. Rubbed on a new scratching post, it helps the cat take an interest in it rather than the sofa. Inside a cardboard box or a new bed, it can encourage the cat to explore it. Inside the carrier, it helps some cats see it as a pleasant place, although in others excitement isn't what you want before a journey. For inactive or overweight indoor cats, a catnip toy can get them moving. And in stressed cats it sometimes helps them relax once the effect has passed. It isn't a treatment, but it is a good enrichment tool.
How much it costs and how to grow it
In Spain, dried catnip costs between €3 and €8 a bag, and it lasts a good while because you use it in small amounts. Sprays cost around €5 to €10, catnip toys €3 to €12, and silver vine sticks between €5 and €10 a pack. Seeds cost a couple of euros, and the plant is easy to grow in a pot on a balcony or a sunny windowsill; some garden centres also sell established plants. If you grow it, bear in mind that your cat may roll on the pot and wreck it, so it's best to protect it and cut a few leaves to give to the cat. Always check that what you're buying is Nepeta cataria and not another plant.
Watch out for other plants
Catnip being safe doesn't mean every plant is. Many house and garden plants are toxic to cats, some seriously so, and lilies in particular can cause fatal kidney failure in very small amounts, including the pollen or the water in the vase. Before bringing a new plant home, check whether it's safe for your cat. And if your cat likes to nibble plants, give it its own pot of cat grass, the cereal kind, which can satisfy that urge without any risk. If you notice your cat eating plants compulsively or often vomiting afterwards, mention it to your vet.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is safe and not addictive: it causes five to fifteen minutes of euphoria or relaxation, after which the cat is insensitive to it for a while. Only half to two thirds of cats respond, and young kittens don't. If yours shows no reaction, try silver vine or valerian. Use it as an occasional treat.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.