Nepeta cataria, or “catnip,” is an herb belonging to the same plant family as
mint. Although it originated in parts of Europe and Asia, the plant is now common across several continents, including North America.Because, like regular mint, catnip proliferates easily, many cat owners grow the plant in pots as a special treat for their feline friends. As part of the mint family, fresh catnip also smells minty, though this is not the case for the dried catnip sometimes present in commercial cat treats or toys, which may smell more like dried grass.
Why is catnip such a special treat? People who share their life with a cat will know that this plant often has a marked, and sometimes very funny, effect on these beloved animals — not unlike the effect that a mild recreational drug might have on humans.
Do all felines react to catnip? Why does this plant affect cats, exactly? Is it really akin to recreational drugs? Read on to find out.
4 of 5: What other stimulants affect cats?
Though catnip is by far the best known cat stimulant, researchers have noted that there are many other plants that can alter felines’ moods and behaviors.
Siegel, for instance, speaks of matatabi, or silver vine (Actinidia polygama). This is a plant native to areas of Japan and China. In an experiment at Osaka Zoo in Japan, large felines exposed to high quantities of the active substance in matatabi showed signs of intense pleasure — and addiction.
“This plant contains secondary compounds closely related in chemical structure and behavioral activity to nepetalactones,” Siegel explains.
“After an initial exposure, the [large] cats became so eager for more that they would ignore whatever else they were doing — eating, drinking, or even having sexual intercourse — whenever the chemicals were made available.”
One
2017 study confirmed that matatabi can be just as, if not more, effective than catnip when it comes to stimulating domestic cats.
The study’s authors also identified two more plants that had a similar effect: Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) and valerian (Valeriana officinalis).
Almost 80% of the domestic cats in this study reacted to matatabi, and around 50% of cats also responded to Tatarian honeysuckle and valerian root.
Matatabi, the study authors also note, actually elicited a response in 75% of the domestic cats that had no reaction to catnip.
“Olfactory enrichment using silver vine, Tatarian honeysuckle, or valerian root may, similar to catnip, be an effective means to improve the quality of life for cats,” the researchers conclude.
