What makes your cat go wild? Did you say catnip? Well, chances are, you are not alone! In fact, the three cats that live in my house are crazy for catnip! Have you ever wondered what catnip really is though? For a long time I didn’t know the answer to this. However, catnip is actually a plant, Nepeta Cataria to be exact. It is a member of the mint family that blooms small pink or white flowers, with spots of purple.

How does catnip really work though? Nepetalactone, which is found in the leaves and stems of this plant, trigger a euphoric response in a cat's brain when ingested and or inhaled. Crazy part of it, this only happens with cats! This response makes the cat very happy, and almost a bit crazy at times. I have to be honest, watching my furry friends react to catnip can be very entertaining. Our old lady hogs the toys and rubs her face all over them. Our baby of the bunch gets extra affectionate with the catnip as well. However, our middle child (he was our 1st cat) gets wild! He meows like crazy and runs around the whole house. Could it be because he is a male? I truly don’t know. I just know that I give him catnip on his own, in isolation from the others.

Unfortunately cats can get aggressive with catnip. So it is important to look for signs of this aggression like hissing. If this happens, just back away and let the catnip wear off. My recommendation would be to not give all your cats catnip at the same time. That could be either very entertaining or a recipe for disaster.

There are a variety of ways to give your cat catnip: dried (comes in jars usually), in toys, compressed, fresh, or even through a spray. Toys have always been our go-to, however the effects and attraction to these seem to only last for 2-3 days. A spray can be the fix for this because you can use it on the toys and still get the same effect!

Whatever you choose, use catnip with care! Your cat will thank you in the long run!