What is catnip?

Catnip, alias: camphor herb, cool mint, barberry, small mint, peppermint, aniseed, earth thorn, small thorn, Elsholtzia, catnip, perennial erect herb of the family Labiatae, genus Thornybush. Effects on animals Approximately 50% of cats are intrigued by the smell of the herb and enjoy scratching and biting, but this does not mean that cats must consume catnip to maintain their health. In fact, catnip is a hallucinogenic plant and its consumption by cats can cause some temporary (5-15 minutes) behavioural changes such as sneezing, chewing, rubbing, rolling over, meowing and delirium. Some cats will chase imaginary mice after eating catnip, while others will sit and stare blankly. In short, catnip is not substantially helpful or harmful to a cat’s health. There are examples of catnip working equally well on tigers, jaguars, cheetahs and lynxes. However, it seems to have a limited effect on lions.