I found this blog useful when searching for information about catnip, or else, nepeta cataria.
There are a few interesting articles, like "How to Grow Catnip" or "Nepeta Cataria Effects on Humans", among the ones I liked more reading.
Catnip is well known to be of great interest to many domestic cats, although the compounds arousing cats presumably evolved as deterrents against insect herbivores (Eisner 1964) and interactions between catnip and cats are presumably not of ecological or evolutionary significance. Tucker and Tucker (1988) reviewed the effects of catnip on cats. They noted that cats respond to catnip with predictable behaviors, including (1) sniffing, (2) licking and chewing with head shaking, (3) chin and cheek rubbing, and (4) head-over rolling and body rubbing. They may also exhibit digging or pawing, scratching, salivating, washing or grooming. stretching, animated leaping, licking of the genital region, apparent hallucinations, sexual stimulation, euphoria, sleepiness, and/or eating. The complete response rarely exceeds 10 to 15 minutes and is followed by a refractory period of about an hour during which catnip does not elicit a behavioral response. Interestingly, no response to catnip is evident in kittens during the first 6 to 8 weeks after birth, and this response may not develop until 3 months of age. (Tucker and Tucker 1988 and references therein).
Not all domestic cats respond to catnip. Based on a study using a documented pedigree of Siamese cats and a random sample of 84 cats from the Boston area, Todd (1962) concluded that the catnip response is inherited as an autosomal dominant gene. Investigations of a variety of mammals have revealed no catnip response in non-felids tested, but within the Felidae (cat family) many (though apparently not all) wild cat species, both males and females, exhibit a catnip response (for details, see Tucker and Tucker 1988 and references therein).
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a perennial mint, native to Eurasia, but widely naturalized in North America, southeastern Australia, and possibly elsewhere. It is often found growing in disturbed areas. The foliage has a minty odor that is often considered mildly unpleasant by humans, but is very attractive to many cats. The flowers are whitish or pale lilac, dotted with pink or purple; the lower lip is slightly toothed.
The physiologically active component of catnip oil is a now well-characterized compound known as nepetalactone. Cats respond to catnip with predictable behaviors, including (1) sniffing, (2) licking and chewing with head shaking, (3) chin and cheek rubbing, and (4) head-over rolling and body rubbing. The complete response rarely exceeds 10 to 15 minutes and is followed by a refractory period of about an hour during which catnip does not elicit a behavioral response. Interestingly, no response to catnip is evident in kittens during the first 6 to 8 weeks after birth, and this response may not develop until 3 months of age. (Tucker and Tucker 1988 and references therein).
Not all domestic cats respond to catnip. Based on a study using a documented pedigree of Siamese cats and a random sample of 84 cats from the Boston area, Todd (1962) concluded that the catnip response is inherited as an autosomal dominant gene. Investigations of a variety of mammals have revealed no catnip response in non-felids tested, but within the Felidae (cat family) many (though apparently not all) wild cat species, both males and females, exhibit a catnip response (for details, see Tucker and Tucker 1988 and references therein).
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is native to Eurasia, but now established widely in North America (e.g., Hitchcock 1973; Gleason and Cronquist 1991; Hickman 1993), and naturalized in southeastern Australia (Australia's Virtual Herbarium, queried 21 July 2010) and possibly elsewhere.
Catnip is often found growing in disturbed areas (e.g., Hitchcock 1973; Newcomb 1977; Clapham et al. 1981; Gleason and Cronquist 1991; Hickman 1993).
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a perennial mint, 30 to 100 cm in height, and branched above. The leafy stems are gray-pubescent (downy). The 3 to 8 cm leaves are stalked, somewhat heart-shaped at the base, and coarsely toothed. The densely clustered flowers have a corolla (collective term for petals) 8 to 12 mm long, subtended by a calyx (collective term for sepals) 5 to 7 mm. Flowers are whitish or pale lilac, dotted with pink or purple; the lower lip is slightly toothed. (Newcomb 1977; Gleason and Cronquist 1991)
The physiologically active component of catnip oil is a now well-characterized compound known as nepetalactone (for details, see Tucker and Tucker 1988 and references therein). Tucker and Tucker (1988) discuss what is known about the chemistry of a range of other plants and insects that have reported to be attractive to cats.
Catnip is well known to be of great interest to many domestic cats, although the compounds arousing cats presumably evolved as deterrents against insect herbivores
The dried leaves of catnip are sometimes used to make a tea (Peterson 1977) and catnip is often used in toys designed for pet cats.
Nepeta cataria, commonly known as catnip, catswort, catwort, and catmint, is a species of the genus Nepeta in the family Lamiaceae, native to southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of China. It is widely naturalized in northern Europe, New Zealand, and North America.[1][2][3][4][5] The common name catmint can also refer to the genus as a whole.
The names catnip and catmint are derived from the intense attraction about two-thirds of cats have toward it (alternative plants exist).[6][7] In addition to its uses with cats, catnip is an ingredient in some herbal teas (or tisanes), and is valued for its sedative and relaxant properties.[8][9]
Nepeta cataria is a short-lived perennial, herbaceous plant that grows to be 50–100 cm (20–40 in) tall and wide, and that blooms from late spring to autumn. In appearance, N. cataria resembles a typical member of the mint family of plants, featuring brown-green foliage with the characteristic square stem of the plant family Lamiaceae.[10] The coarse-toothed leaves are triangular to elliptical in shape.[11] The small, bilabiate flowers of N. cataria are fragrant and are either pink in colour or white with fine spots of pale purple.[11]
Nepeta cataria was one of the many species described by Linnaeus in 1753 in his landmark work Species Plantarum.[12] He had previously described it in 1738 as Nepeta floribus interrupte spicatis pedunculatis (meaning "Nepeta with flowers in a stalked, interrupted spike"), before the commencement of Linnaean taxonomy.[13]
The plant terpenoid nepetalactone is the main chemical constituent of the essential oil of Nepeta cataria. Nepetalactone can be extracted from catnip by steam distillation.[14]
Nepeta cataria is cultivated as an ornamental plant for use in gardens. It is also grown for its attractant qualities to house cats and butterflies.[11]
The plant is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant. It can be a repellent for certain insects, including aphids and squash bugs.[11] Catnip is best grown in full sunlight and grows as a loosely branching, low perennial.[15]
Varieties include Nepeta cataria var. citriodora (or N. cataria subsp. citriodora), or "lemon catnip",[16] named after its lemon-scented leaves.[17]
The iridoid that is deposited on cats who have rubbed themselves against the plants and scratched the surfaces of catnip and silver vine (Actinidia polygama) leaves repels mosquitoes.[18] The compound iridodial, an iridoid extracted from catnip oil, has been found to attract lacewings that eat aphids and mites.[19]
Nepetalactone is a mosquito and fly repellent.[20][21] Oil isolated from catnip by steam distillation is a repellent against insects, in particular mosquitoes, cockroaches, and termites.[22][23] Research suggests that, while a more effective spatial repellant than DEET,[24] when compared with SS220 or DEET, it is not so effective as a repellent as it is when used on the skin of humans.[25]
Catnip has a history of use in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments such as stomach cramps, indigestion, fevers, hives, and nervous conditions.[26] The plant has been consumed as a tisane, juice, tincture, infusion, or poultice, and has also been smoked.[26] However, its medicinal use has fallen out of favor with the development of modern medicine.[26]
Catnip contains the feline attractant nepetalactone. N. cataria (and some other species within the genus Nepeta) are known for their behavioral effects on the cat family, not only on domestic cats, but also other species.[26] Several tests showed that leopards, cougars, servals, and lynxes often reacted strongly to catnip in a manner similar to domestic cats. Lions and tigers may react strongly as well, but they do not react consistently in the same fashion.[27][28][29][30]
With domestic cats, N. cataria is used as a recreational substance for the enjoyment of pet cats, and catnip and catnip-laced products designed for use with domesticated cats are available to consumers. Common behaviors cats display when they sense the bruised leaves or stems of catnip are rubbing on the plant, rolling on the ground, pawing at it, licking it, and chewing it. Consuming much of the plant is followed by drooling, sleepiness, anxiety, leaping about, and purring. Some growl, meow, scratch, or bite at the hand holding it.[31][32] The main response period after exposure is generally between 5 and 15 minutes, after which olfactory fatigue usually sets in;[33]: p.107 however, about one-third of cats are not affected by catnip.[6][7][26][34] The behavior is hereditary.[35]
Cats detect nepetalactone through their olfactory epithelium, not through their vomeronasal organ.[36] At the olfactory epithelium, the nepetalactone binds to one or more olfactory receptors.
A 1962 pedigree analysis of 26 cats in a Siamese breeding colony suggested that the catnip response was caused by a Mendelian-dominant gene. A 2011 pedigree analysis of 210 cats in two breeding colonies (taking into account measurement error by repeated testing) showed no evidence for Mendelian patterns of inheritance but demonstrated heritabilities of h2 = 0.51–0.89 for catnip response behavior, indicating a polygenic liability threshold model.[26][37][38]
A study published in January 2021 suggests that felines are specifically attracted to the iridoids nepetalactone and nepetalactol, present in catnip and silver vine, respectively.[39]
Other plants that have a catnip-like effect on cats include valerian (Valeriana officinalis) root and leaves; silver vine (Actinidia polygama), or matatabi, popular in Asia; and Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) wood. Many of the one-third of cats that do not respond to catnip do respond to one or more of these three alternatives.[6][7]
Nepeta cataria, commonly known as catnip, catswort, catwort, and catmint, is a species of the genus Nepeta in the family Lamiaceae, native to southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of China. It is widely naturalized in northern Europe, New Zealand, and North America. The common name catmint can also refer to the genus as a whole.
The names catnip and catmint are derived from the intense attraction about two-thirds of cats have toward it (). In addition to its uses with cats, catnip is an ingredient in some herbal teas (or tisanes), and is valued for its sedative and relaxant properties.
