The Scratchin' Post: Do cats really get “high” on catnip?

Contrary to popular belief, your kitty is not getting “high” on catnip. He’s getting turned on! That’s right, catnip stimulates a sexual response in felines. Well, most felines.

The reaction is genetic so catnip only affects those cats that have the gene. About 70 to 80 percent of cats carry the gene. Even large cats like tigers can be affected. But why the reaction?

Catnip, a member of the mint family, contains an oil called nepetalactone. When this chemical is inhaled it binds to protein receptors in your cat’s nasal tissue.

These proteins stimulate sensory neurons in the olfactory bulb which are attached to the amygdale and hypothalamus in the brain.

The amygdale controls emotional responses and the hypothalamus controls sexual responses. That is why cats enjoy rolling in catnip and rubbing their bodies in it. Essentially, catnip is an artificial cat pheromone. It is also why this herb has no affect on kittens; they haven’t reached sexual maturity yet.

The crazy thing about catnip is it only causes the reaction for a few moments and then Fluffy becomes “immune” to it. This immunity, however, is only temporary. Within 30 minutes to two hours, if your cat is exposed again to catnip, he or she will have the same reaction.

Don’t worry. Catnip is harmless to your furry friend and not addictive. Native to Europe, this herb was brought over by settlers and now grows wild all over North America. And no, it does not have the same affect on humans because our brains are biologically different from cats.

Speaking of cats, I will soon be bringing home my newest family member. She is a rescue kitty found trapped in the roof of a barn where she had been caught for days before being discovered. But she is a fighter and survived despite a badly injured leg.

She is about four months old and I just fell in love with her as soon as we met. It has been quite a while since I raised a kitten and I look forward to sharing the ups and downs with my readers!

Next week I will have pictures of the new baby and who better to name her than you, the readers? Don’t miss the kitty naming column. The winning name will be published in my column and the lucky reader who submitted it will get a treat! More details next week . . .