Cats are mysterious animals. Their behavior is often difficult to pin down, both by their masters and by animal behaviorists. Affectionate but independent, domesticated but untrained, the world’s most popular pets remain enigmatic. One of her secrets has long been her unbridled love for catnip, better known as catnip.
From domestic cats to big cats like tigers or lions, this perennial plant, as well as several other species including silvervine (Actinidia polygama), drives cats crazy, who love to chew, rub and roll in it. For years, the exact reason for this attraction was little known, but a Japanese study may have just solved the mystery.
Researchers at Iwate University in Japan have observed that when catnip is damaged, the plant increases its iridoid production by 2,000% compared to normal. This molecule has the property of repelling insects. So this indicates that the cats rolled in the catnip leaves to cover themselves with iridoids to repel mosquitoes.
Plants, specialists in chemical warfare
This finding comes as no surprise to Marco Gallio, a neurobiologist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He told the New York Times, “Plants are masters of the art of chemical warfare.” When damaged, they produce irritants to ward off attackers and warn surrounding plants of the danger.
This technique is effective for insects, less so for cats, who have somehow figured that by damaging good plants they can cause them to produce their own mosquito repellent.
Despite these results, the puzzle is not fully solved. In fact, a number of cats aren’t really receptive to catnip, and scientists are still baffled by the euphoric state the plant induces in those they love.