CATNIP

Catnip, a member of the mint family, contains nepetalactone, a substance that causes euphoria in more than half of all cats over the age of 8 weeks. Other names for catnip are catmint, catrup, field balm, field wort, catswort, and nepeta cataria.

Catnip is not addictive and has no adverse health consequenses for cats, so you do not need to worry that your kitty will become an addict.

It makes them happy, and has the added benefit of diverting them from snacking on houseplants, some of which may have toxic effects.

Cats need to snack on greenery from time to time, and while keeping cats indoors is safer due to the dangers facing outdoor cats, the indoor lifestyle deprives them of natural fresh-growing grass.

Many cats just sniff or roll in catnip, but some like to eat it. Eating a lot of catnip may make a cat throw up, which can happen when cats eat any harmless plant, including grass. If your cat has a tendency to gobble fresh or dried catnip and then vomit, it might be a good idea to switch to catnip toys.