Friday 3 April 2020

C is for Catnip


Does your cat love catnip in toys or catmint in the garden? Some go mad for it - running around, licking the catnip, rolling onto their back or going limp and purring.

Catnip belongs to the mint family  and includes nepetalactone, which is the compound that attracts your cat.  They love the smell of it.

Other compounds in catnip affect neurotransmitters, "resulting in inhibition of central nervous system activity," said Dr. Bruce Kornreich, an associate director for education and outreach with the Feline Health Center at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

It may appear your cat is getting high - as if he is on drugs - but there's no evidence that catnip is operating in the same way as, for example, cannabis or cocaine.

And it seems that many members of the cat family love catnip.

Hunters have used catnip to trap cougars and mountain lions, hanging dried plants to lure the big cats with their tempting aroma. Studies have also shown that lions, leopards and jaguars respond to the compounds found in catnip, though tigers appear to be unaffected,

So if you want to spoil your own little lion, get him some catnip!




My sassy, grumpy cat Toffee is also taking part in the A to Z Challenge. Take a look here: www.notsosweettoffee.com

*     *     *     *     *     *    *
If you are a cat lover - especially a lover of the grumpier members of the species, this is the book for you. Written by Toffee who, despite her name, is the least sweet cat you can imagine. The world according to Toffee exists to serve her and woe betide anyone who forgets it. Paperback on left, Kindle version on right.


            




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8 comments:

  1. Our cats love catnip and are just as nuts with it as the ones in this video.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's Purrfect6 April 2020 at 15:46

      It's weird how mad they are with it!

      Delete
  2. I did not know big cats were attracted to catnip too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's Purrfect6 April 2020 at 15:47

      Yes, it seems most of the big cats are, which is astonishing!

      Delete
  3. Most of my cats love catnip except Trouble, she acts like I squeezed a lenon in her face.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's Purrfect6 April 2020 at 15:48

      Poor Trouble! We all have fussy people in our families!

      Delete
  4. Luna, in particular, loved her catnip (rest her soul). All three girls lost interest as they aged, our now dearly departed Tilly as well as Jezebel (our youngest geriatric cat still hanging on). Be well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's Purrfect6 April 2020 at 15:50

      Hope Jezebel is still getting her catnip! xx

      Delete

Thank you for your commenting, Purrfect.