Is catnip addictive to cats?
Have you found that cats love the smell of catnip? Some data show that about 50% of cats are interested in the smell of catnip, and after smoking, it will cause cat behavior changes, such as sneezing, chewing, rubbing, rolling, meowing, and babbling. Some cats will chase fantasy mouse-cat toys after eating catnip. So does catnip make cats addicted? Let's take a look.
Catnip contains a chemical called nepetalactone, which acts like a pheromone and binds to receptors in a cat's nose when inhaled, stimulating sensory neurons connected to the brain and altering the brain Activities in multiple regions.
This natural and harmless chemical does not make cats addicted, because the vast majority of cats, cats will return to normal after 5-15 minutes after smelling this smell, and lose interest in plants, the longest The addictive time of the cat is usually no more than an hour, and many cat toys have this substance added to increase the appeal of the toy.
There is also evidence that he does not become addicted to cats, just that it does not work for all cats. Some cats don't feel the smell at all. Instead of taking catnip, it is better to have the fish in the fish tank at home. The bells on the cat sticks are more attractive to them.
However, although catnip is not a health problem for cats, there are still some precautions when using catnip. It is recommended that cats under six months are not suitable to use catnip, and you can use catnip after six months. And pregnant cats can't use it either. The ingredients in catnip will stimulate the female cat's endocrine and stimulate the cat's uterus. You can use some cat toys to accompany these pregnant female cats.