CATNIP FACTS

• Catnip is a plant that cats are attracted to whether dried or fresh, it is the oil nepetalactone that they inhale that triggers behaviour from your cat.
• Not all cats are interested in catnip. It affects about 70-80% of cats including lions and tigers and is hereditary.
• Behaviours include rolling their body around on the floor,  becoming vocal, highly aroused and sometimes aggressive. 
• This behaviour normally only lasts about 10 minutes.
• Kittens are not bothered by catnip until they reach sexual maturity.
• Catnip is a member of the mint family.
• It is non-addictive and harmless.
• When a cat eats catnip it can calm them down, but when they sniff catnip it tends to hype them up.
• Recent research suggests cats roll in catnip not just for pleasure but to protect themselves from mosquito bites, this is extremely useful in the wild when hunting and not wishing to move when stalking due to insect bites.