Nepetalactone, one of catnip's volatile oils, enters the cat's nasal tissue, where it is believed to bind to protein receptors that stimulate sensory neurons.

Cats on catnip are clearly having a wonderful time – but does it get them high? Our vet explains more… ...

Here's why cats love catnip so much and other things you may not have known about the herb and its effects.

Catnip is an herb that has an animated effect on most cats. For cats that are sensitive to the plant, just a sniff will put them in a state of euphoria for around 10 minutes. Fresh or dried catnip ...

The dose of catnip and how your cat consumes it will result in different responses: The more your cat eats or inhales it, the stronger the effect.

Indeed, it’s no secret that the chemical has some kind of neurological effect on cats, but catnip, a plant from the mint family, and silver vine, a kind of kiwifruit, contain a plethora of other ...

Its effect is similar to sex pheromones, which explains the writhing, rolling around and general silliness that cats exhibit under its influence. Sadly, not every cat enjoys catnip.

Catnip isn’t just intensely pleasurable for cats. It’s also practical – chewing and licking the leaves of the plant releases compounds that repel pesky insects like mosquitoes.