The Truth about Catnip
By: Tina Seay
We have all heard the stories about cats gone wild, strung out on
catnip, while my cat could care less about the stuff. Why is it then
that some cats take one whiff of catnip and seem to defy gravity and
other cats seem unaffected by its magic? Well, its time to separate
fact from fiction when it comes to catnip and cats.
Depending on whom you ask some might say that catnip is like kitty
cocaine, but the truth is catnip is an herb from the mint family.
Catnip's botanical name is Nepeta cataria. Within Catnip there is a
compound called monoterpene nepetalactone that has a strong effect on
some cats. Monoterpene nepetalactone is present throughout the plant
but is especially strong in the plant's leaves. Monoterpene
nepetalactone reduces cats' inhibitions and may cause cats to have
mild hallucinations. Some people compare cats' reactions to catnip to
that of humans on LSD or marijuana and catnip does have some similar
chemical characteristics.
Researchers have shown that cat each react differently to catnip. Some
seem to go into a catnip high, while others become more aggressive and
others become more sexually aroused.
So why does my cat not react to catnip? New studies have proven that
one in three cat don't respond to catnip because of an inherited gene
that not all cats have. Another factors that helped to determine a
cat's reaction to catnip included age. Kittens don't seem to be
affected by catnip until they are around 9 to 10 months old.
Although cats respond to catnip like a drug it has been shown that
catnip has no addictive properties. There have been no known reports
of cats no being able to make it through the day without a catnip fix.
Capnip has a low toxicity level and the capnip high only lasts about
10 minutes so as long as it doesn't make your cat more aggressive
there is no harm is allowing your kitty to enjoy a little catnip now
and then.
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Tina Seay is the author and webmaster of http://www.ForTheCatLover.com
(http://www.ForTheCatLover.com) a website for cats and the people who
love them. There are lots of cute cat pictures, cat health articles
and a nice selection of gifts for cat lovers of all ages. Her other
websites include http://www.LearnSomethingToday.com
(http://www.LearnSomethingToday.com) a website that promotes a healthy
lifestyle with exercise, nutrition, recipes and so much more and
http://www.YourWeddingStory.net
(http://www.YourWeddingStory.net) a
site that helps the whole bridal party get ready for a dream wedding.
Her goal in life is to help others achieve their goals.
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