Overview
Catnip (Nepeta cataria), sometimes called catmint, is an herb of the mint family that contains nepetalactone, a terpene that repels insects, causes euphoria in many cats, and has sedative properties when used in herbal teas.
As the name suggests, the herb is strongly associated with its influence on feline species because of its mimicry of familiar pheromones that release endorphines. While many catnip-laced products are freely available on the market for domestic pets, leopards, cougars, lions, and tigers have all been observed reacting to it. About one-third of cats are immune to catnip; whether or not a cat can be influenced by catnip appears to be hereditary.