My cat goes wild for catnip! What exactly does it do and is it safe?

Question

what does catnip do to cats. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 10 months and 6 days old | 10 lbs

Julie Settlage, DVM, DACVS-LA, CVA · Accepted Answer

Catnip is an herb that is related to mint. It has a chemical in it (nepetalactone) that causes cats to become 'high' when they sniff it. The cat's experience has been described as similar to either marijuana when eaten or LSD when inhaled. The effects last about 10 minutes. Interestingly, only about 50% of cats seem to be affected by catnip! Catnip does not have the same effect on people - instead it has properties similar to chamomile and can be calming. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

My cat goes wild for catnip! What exactly does it do and is it safe?

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