How does catnip affect cats brains

Yet, a different study suggested that all cats respond to catnip in some way. There's still plenty of research to be done; we just don't know yet how, and why, cats may go crazy for catnip.

Interestingly, research suggests that kittens and young cats may not respond to catnip until they reach maturity. This may be due to an underdeveloped vomeronasal organ , the scent analyzer, in cats. Some kittens may even find catnip unpleasant until they reach adulthood. Since kittens are already pretty active and find ways to easily entertain themselves, there's really no need to introduce catnip at that early of an age.

As far as we know, cats cannot overdose on catnip per se but they can get sick from too much of it. Whenever we give our pets something that may affect their bodies and minds we also need to be sure it's safe and healthy for them.

Although it appears lots of cats enjoy catnip, many cat owners have found catnip causes significant issues such as vomiting and diarrhea. In some cats, catnip causes such a surge in stimulation that a cat may become aggressive towards an owner or another cat in the household. There are lots of cat toys on the market that use catnip as a way to entice a cat to play.

For a cat that tends to be less active, catnip can encourage moments of rambunctious activity. But catnip alone doesn't make up for a lack of daily enrichment. It also serves as a mild sedative in some herbal teas. In alternative medicine circles, catnip is commonly recommended by herbalists to lessen migraine headaches and to relieve cramps, gas, indigestion, insomnia, nervousness and anorexia, or as an herbal paste to reduce swelling associated with arthritis and soft tissue injury.

Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Go Paperless with Digital. Get smart. Sign up for our email newsletter. Veterinarian Ramona Turner explained how catnip elicits these reactions a few years ago in Scientific American :.

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.

These cells, in turn, provoke a response in neurons in the olfactory bulb, which project to several brain regions including the amygdala two neuronal clusters in the midbrain that mediate emotional responses to stimuli and the hypothalamus, the brain's "master gland" that plays a role in regulating everything from hunger to emotions.

This reaction lasts for about 5 to 15 minutes and then a cat is immune for an hour or so. Kitties don't react to the stuff until they're about six months old, when they reach sexual maturity. And not all cats are affected—sensitivity to catnip is an inherited trait, and only about 70 to 80 percent of house cats will react. I couldn't find statistics for big cat species, but we can see in the video above, from Big Cat Rescue , that it works on at least some individuals.