There is a chemical in catnip called nepetalactone that causes cats to go bonkers. They roll around in the herb and are totally infatuated with the smell and substance. Humans on the other hand can’t smell what the cats can, so we are not effected by it’s “aura”.
Catnip is a European native that has successfully made the transition as is sometimes referred to as a weed here in the States. It’s perennial and a member of the mint family.
catnip.jpg”>In the 15th century cooks would use catnip to season meats as well as adding a touch to salads to liven them up.
Catnip has been used for several ailments. Colds, toothache, headache, colic and spasms are just a few of the human conditions that catnip has been used to cure.
One interesting fact about catnip is that it has been proven to be more effective at repelling cockroaches that the widely used DEET. DEET is the number 1 ingredient in almost all bug sprays.
Catnip when used orally is great for anxiety, insomnia and nervousness. It is used as an herbal sedative it is also great for migraine headaches and stomach complaints. It can also be used to reduce the swelling caused by arthritis, soft tissue injuries and hemorrhoids.
Catnip is available three ways, in capsule form, dried or liquid. The dried form is what is used for tea. Folklore has it that catnip is a hallucinogenic, giving the same results as marijuana when smoked. The person who started that rumor must have been smoking marijuana themselves because it’s completely false. If anything catnip provides just the opposite effect because when a cat eats any of it they almost immediately fall asleep.
Catnip is one of those easy to grow herbs that can be grown in a container by the kitchen door, ready to preform it’s magic at a moments notice. If nothing else plant some catnip for your cat and watch him enjoy this unique herb.
