Catnip is a plant—known scientifically as Nepeta cataria—that is a member of the mint family. The active ingredient is called nepetalactone, which many domestic cats respond to in a variety of ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images/Svetlana Popova When you’re watching your cat play with some catnip you ...

Cats enjoy simple pleasures like bird murder and sitting in squares, but nothing beats getting laced with catnip. The latter is the focus of a study published Monday in Nature Chemical Biology, which ...

Though we may call catnip "kitty crack," the herb is non-addictive and isn't even a drug (so it's perfectly safe to give to your kitty, big or small). But how does it work? And why doesn't it have any ...

If you have ever given catnip to your furry feline friend then you know the bizarre response it usually evokes. Cat fact: only 25% of felines don’t have a reaction to catnip. The other 75 percent of ...

Cats go mad for catnip because chemicals released from the plant protect them against mosquitoes, according to new research. The common herb, also known by its taxonomic name Nepeta cataria, is a ...

There are many valid theories to explain the global appeal of cats, including our obsession with watching videos of them online. In terms of cats’ pure entertainment value, however, our fascinations ...

If you've ever questioned, “What is silver vine?”, then you're not alone. Although most people have heard of catnip, it actually only affects two in three cats. This means some kitties don’t seem to ...

Researchers have shed light on how catnip -- also known as catmint -- produces the chemical that sends cats into a state of wanton abandon. Researchers at John Innes Centre have shed light on how ...

My cats were big fans of catnip from the moment they got their first whiff of it. They love to roll around in it, rub their whiskers through it and get very testy when you take it away from them. So ...

When you’re watching your cat play with some catnip you sprinkled on the floor, it’s pretty common to wonder, "does catnip get cats high?”. After all, the way cats roll around and act silly looks just ...