Cat with catnip (Pixabay)
(STUDY FINDS) – What is it with cats and catnip? Anyone who has ever seen a cat aggressively rub against, roll on, lick, and chew catnip knows that there is something distinctly intoxicating about the plant – and its Asian counterpart silvervine. Now, fascinating new research out of Japan suggests there may be another reason cats love catnip so much. Scientists at Iwate University have discovered that when a cat damages catnip, it releases strong insect repellents.
Putting intoxication aside for a moment, researchers believe felines may have evolved to like catnip as a way to protect themselves from pests. Lead study author Masao Miyazaki, an animal behavior researcher at Iwate University, says he wanted to unravel the mystery of cats’ unique relationship with catnip and silvervine.
“Even in the famous musical Cats there are scenes where you see a cat intoxicate another cat using catnip powder,” he says in a media release.
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