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There's no doubt about it, virtually every cat loves catnip. Grow some in your garden, and your cat will enjoy eating its leaves right off the plant. Numerous commercial cat toys are made from dried catnip, and they drive cats crazy trying to chew open the toy to expose the catnip leaves.

So just what is it about catnip that makes cats so giddy?

Catnip contains a special chemical compound called nepetalactone. When cats detect nepetalactone in catnip through their nasal cavity, they become energetic, playful, and excitable. Thought cats will eat catnip, they don't have to ingest it to be affected by its play-inducing properties.

Watching a cat's reaction to catnip is quite amusing. If you spread some dried catnip leaves on the floor, the cat will roll around in the catnip, eat it, purr, and paw at it. If you give the cat a catnip toy, the feline will chase the toy around the floor and chew it, trying to get to the catnip inside. This is why so many cat toys are made with catnip inside; it is a highly effective cat attractant that stimulates play.

While you can purchase dried catnip at any pet store or big-box retail outlet, you can easily grow your own catnip plants in planter pots or in your garden. Grow from seed or purchase seedlings in pots from your garden center. If your outdoor cat has a problem eating other plants in your garden, diverting his or her attention toward some catnip plants might be worth a try.

While we humans aren't affected by the plant the same way cats are, catnip has a sort of minty taste to it, making it great for fruit salads and teas. But there's no doubt about it, catnip will continue to be a beloved must-have treat demanded by playful cats everywhere.

Learn more about this author, Daniel J. Gansle.
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