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The mystery of the catnip effect can enthrall cat lovers. With a single sniff, our feline companions become lunatics of love. This startling reaction leaves a feline aficionado with the question, "Why?"

The answer is nepetalactone, a chemical that can act as both a stimulant and a sedative that is found in the leaves and stem of the catnip plant. A catnip product labeled seedless is not a gimmick. A seed-free product will give you more bang per ounce. Shredded fresh catnip is most effective with organic dried catnip a close second. Non-organic dried catnip is cheap but has lost much of the oil that carries nepetalactone. Most toys containing catnip will not cause the "catnip craze". Catnip spray can be used to focus a cat's attention on a new toy or scratching post. As a cat's reaction starts in the vomeronasal organ above the mouth, catnip is only effective if it is inhaled. If your cat is writhing on the floor in ecstasy, he did, in fact, inhale.

Once you have purchased or grown the perfect catnip, the fun begins. A cat in the thrall of catnip is likely to turn into a different animal, a prisoner to the pleasure. He may rub against anything he can reach, lick the catnip, run around and throw himself to the ground to roll in the catnip cloud it creates. You may even notice your cat chewing on the catnip. This is not harmful. Chewing crushes the leaves and may release more of the drug. Even wild cats can be susceptible to the pull of catnip. A cougar confronted with a catnip plant may fly into the same feline frenzy as your orange tabby.

The gene responsible for "catnip craze" may skip 20 percent or more of domesticated felines, and most kittens under three months don't react to catnip. If you find that your cat ignores the premium catnip you just purchased, do not fret. Catnip has other uses. Herbalists have long used catnip to treat human ailments, and studies have shown that the nepetalactone in catnip may be 100 times more effective at repelling cockroaches than the commonly-used chemical DEET.

The effect of catnip is not long-term. Most cats will only react for about 10 minutes before they build up a tolerance. After a few hours the tolerance wears off, and the fun begins again.

Learn more about this author, Kimberly Devine.
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