> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://my-feline.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Catnip: Why Some Cats Go Crazy For It - URL: https://my-feline.com/catnip-why-some-cats-go-crazy-for-it/ - Published: 2025-04-21T08:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-26T14:31:23.000Z - Description: Why catnip affects cats differently and what this tells us about their sensory experiences. - Author: James Cudd - Tags: Behaviour & Psychology, library Have you ever wondered why some cats go mad for catnip whilst others turn their noses up? People have watched this reaction for centuries, and research has revealed the chemistry behind it. What happens in your cat's brain when they meet catnip, why some cats respond and others don't, and what it tells us about how cats sense the world all turn out to be connected. ### The Chemistry of Catnip: What Makes Cats Go Wild? ![Cat with catnip](https://ismqigxmrhobxfjfipgo.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/library-behaviour-and-psychology/BEH-006/BEH-006%20Section%201.jpg) Catnip (Nepeta cataria) contains a compound called nepetalactone. This triggers the rolling, rubbing and blissful response you see in cats. Nepetalactone belongs to a group of chemicals called iridoids, natural plant compounds that evolved as a defence against insects. When cats sniff catnip, the nepetalactone enters their nasal tissue and binds to receptors that switch on sensory nerves. That signal travels to the olfactory bulb, the brain's smell centre, which connects to areas tied to emotion, behaviour and reward. Research shows that when cats meet nepetalactone, their bodies release natural feel-good chemicals called β-endorphins, which are linked with pleasure. This is why cats seem to drift into bliss around catnip. The catnip response isn't limited to house cats. Lions, tigers and lynxes respond to catnip and similar plants too, which suggests the response evolved long before cats were domesticated. So why do some cats not respond at all... **Download and sign up to the My Feline app to read the full article...** --- Research rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 of 5). Last updated 25 August 2026. ### Sources - Uenoyama R, Miyazaki T, Hurst JL, Beynon RJ, Adachi M, et al. The characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids allows them to gain chemical defense against mosquitoes. - Lichman BR, Godden GT, Hamilton JP, Palmer L, Kamileen MO, et al. The evolutionary origins of the cat attractant nepetalactone in catnip. - Bol S, Caspers J, Buckingham L, Anderson-Shelton GD, Ridgway C, et al. Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine, Tatarian honeysuckle, valerian and catnip.