Anderson Joshua@anderson_joshua

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Cat goes wild for catnip

Whether a cat loses its mind over catnip comes down to genetics more than anything else. Sensitivity to the stuff is largely inherited, which explains why some cats go wild while others barely blink. For the ones who do feel it, nepetalactone, the natural compound inside catnip, sets off a range of reactions. Playfulness and excitement are common, and so is a calmer, more relaxed mood. The silly stuff tends to follow: rolling about, pressing their faces into it, general clown behavior. So if yours ignores it completely, that is not a personality flaw, just biology. Does your cat react to catnip at all?

1h

Anderson Joshua@anderson_joshua

Follow

Cat goes wild for catnip

Whether a cat loses its mind over catnip comes down to genetics more than anything else. Sensitivity to the stuff is largely inherited, which explains why some cats go wild while others barely blink. For the ones who do feel it, nepetalactone, the natural compound inside catnip, sets off a range of reactions. Playfulness and excitement are common, and so is a calmer, more relaxed mood. The silly stuff tends to follow: rolling about, pressing their faces into it, general clown behavior. So if yours ignores it completely, that is not a personality flaw, just biology. Does your cat react to catnip at all?

1h