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

Europeans in the 1400s regularly drank teas made from catnip, with the herb earning a medicinal application for treatment of colic and flatulence.

Researchers from Iwate University in Japan have found that when cats damage catnip, much higher amounts of strong insect repellents are released.

Our favorite are Yeowww My Cats Balls, which are made from durable canvas, stuffed with potent catnip, and just the right size for pawing, nudging, and chasing.

Catnip tea is made from the leaves and flowers of the common catnip plant, (nepeta cataria) a member of the mint family also known as catmint, catswort, and field balm.

The popular herb can give felines a marijuana-like high for up to 15 minutes.