Not all cats are affected by catnip. According to Cat Behavior Associates, the “catnip response” is hereditary, and one-third of all cats lack the gene that enables them to feel the high.

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

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

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.