Catnip contains nepetalactone, an essential oil found in the catnip plant. Here's how it affects your cat and why it makes them feel so good.

Not all cats have a reaction to catnip — about 70% of cats carry a gene that's linked to the catnip response, says Mikel Delgado, PhD, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant at Feline Minds.

Thankfully, the manifestations of overexposure to catnip don't tend to last. "If you believe your cat has ingested too much, you should just give your cat some time. Effects of catnip are ...

Vets can help USA TODAY rank top animal hospitals And while there isn't really such a thing as "too much" exposure to catnip, cats do become desensitized to it, Anderson said.

Catnip can drive kitties of all sizes a little crazy, and its effects have led feline lovers to wonder what makes this little green plant so attractive to them.