What Does Catnip Do To Kittens

When cats get a whiff of catnip they behave similarly to female cats in heat erratic movements strange howls and all.

What does catnip do to kittens. August 03 2020. But why does this happen. It is always good to keep a cat away from catnip scented litter boxes. What does catnip do to cats.

Usually when a cat finds catnip tends to smell it it rubs with the plant and finally eats it. Catnip s allure is in its volatile oil specifically one chemical in that oil nepetalactone. If you give it to them however they will want to look for it. The herb s influence is genetic so not all cats respond to it according to the humane society of the united states.

Catnip plants nepeta cataria and other nepeta species are members of the mint. It is this naturally occurring chemical that kittens and cats react to by becoming more active purring and rolling or even licking and drooling some may eat the catnip as well. This out of fur experience is due to the active ingredient in the oil. Most cats will eat the catnip as soon as they smell it.

Well according to science buffs cats react to catnip after a volatile oil in it called nepetalactone interacts with the nasal tissue. When the cat smells catnip the scent molecules travel to a receptor above the palate in the roof of the mouth known as the vomeronasal organ aka jacob s organ. Generally all its effect resides in the nepetalactone an oil that contains the plant and that in the cats generates great happiness and pleasure. Cats like the smell of catnip because it gives them a sense of security and balance.

What happens when my cat has catnip. Madison last modified date. Catnip is a perennial herb which means it grows through more than one growing season and it contains an ingredient called nepetalactone. If a kitten is going to be a catnip lover you usually can tell that when he is 3 to 6 months old.

So when they bite and swallow it it is to consume this natural oil. Around half to two thirds of cats will respond to this oil. Ingesting catnip has no effect on a cat it s the nepetalactone vapour that the catnip gives off that your cat reacts to. It is the nepetalcataria variety that most cats enjoy.

The active ingredient nepetalactone is an essential oil which alters the behaviour of domestic and other cat species. Found in catnip s leaves stems and seeds it only takes one or two sniffs of that wondrous oil. In addition catnip does not affect kittens until they are about six months old and begin to reach sexual maturity.