Nepeta cataria (more commonly known as “cat nip”) belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which encompasses a variety of common herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme, and basil. This plant is native to southwest Asia, however, can be found throughout Europe and North America today due to colonization and development of trade. Interestingly, N. cataria has several properties that have made it useful to humans for centuries (aside from making our feline friends happy). The herb can be used in cooking or tea in order to ease anxiety, insomnia, or stomach pains, not unlike the effects of chamomile. N. cataria plants also secrete a compound that acts as an insect repellent against mites, mosquitoes, and cockroaches, purportedly 10x more effective than DEET (a common ingredient in most commercial bug sprays). The effect of N. cataria on cats that sniff the leaves is much more well-known, producing a brief state of intoxication. The reaction to cat nip is variable: un-neutered males react most strongly due to the similarity of nepetalactone, the responsible chemical, to a female pheromone. Older cats and individuals younger than six months also do not react as strongly if at all. Surprisingly, not all cats will respond to N. cataria; approximately one-third of all felines do not possess the autosomal-dominant gene that is needed for a reaction to cat nip to occur.

--Evan Brown

Image source:  http://top-10-list.org/2009/08/22/drugs-chemicals-weird-effects/catnip/