According to new research, cats are hooked on catnip because the chemicals released by the plant shield them from mosquitoes.

Nepeta cataria is a common herb known as catnip.

It is a member of the mint family that is used in teas to provide a calming effect similar to chamomile.

It is, however, better known for its effect on cats. That is, it causes cats to act erratically as they roll in it, chew it, and lick it.

For years, animal experts have been baffled by this feline behavior.

Intoxicating Oils

According to a new study, tearing and crushing the plant releases large amounts of chemicals that repel mosquitoes and other pests.

Silver vine (Actinidia polygama), its Asian counterpart, has the same effect.

Masao Miyazaki, the lead author of the paper and a professor from Iwate University, Japan, made a reference to the famous musical "Cats," in which a cat uses catnip powder to intoxicate another cat.

The lemony and minty catnip, or Nepeta cataria, is native to Europe and Asia and has long been associated with cats.

Incidentally, "Cataria" is derived from Latin and means "of a cat."

Catnip is loved by both big and small cats. The allure of the herb lies in its volatile oils, particularly nepetalactol and nepetalactone. These iridoids protect plants from predators.

One or two sniffs of the stems, leaves, and seeds send the animals to feline bliss.

According to Miyazaki and her colleagues, when cats physically damage silver vine leaves, total iridoids are released at a rate 10-fold higher than when the leaves are intact.

Furthermore, their composition changed in ways that seemed to encourage the cats.

Furthermore, according to Miyazaki, in intact leaves, Nepetalactol accounts for over 90% of total iridoids, but this drops to about 45% in damaged leaves as other iridoids greatly increase.

She went on to say that the altered iridoid mixture associated with damaged leaves caused cats to have a much longer response.

Also Read: New Study Reveals Surprising Reason Why Cats Are So Addicted to Catnips 

Catnip vs Mosquitoes

The molecules had previously been shown to effectively combat the Aedes albopictus species, also known as Asian tiger mosquitoes, by the same team.

According to their new study, the repellent properties are even more effective when cats damage the plants by rolling, rubbing, licking, and chewing.

The diversification of iridoids in cracked and broken silver vine leaves makes it more powerful at low concentrations.

Cats were given meals with pure nepetalactone and nepetalactol to see if they were responding to these compounds specifically, Newsweek reported.

According to Miyazaki, cats react to iridoid cocktails and natural plants in the same manner, except for chewing. They roll over and rub against the plastic dish, licking the chemicals on it, Phys Org reports.

She explained that even though cats couldn't come into direct contact with the chemicals when iridoid cocktails were applied to the bottom of dishes that were then covered by a punctured plastic cover, they still licked and chewed.

This means licking and chewing is an intuitive behavior triggered by the olfactory stimulation of iridoids.

Related article: A Cat's Drug: What Makes Catnips Work