“Active and Passive Responses to Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) Are Affected by Age, Sex and Early Gonadectomy in Male and Female Cats”, 2017-09-01 (; backlinks; similar):
Only 2⁄3 of adult cats are believed to respond to catnip (Nepeta cataria).
Responsiveness is mainly based on “active” behaviors, such as rolling over.
Herein we assessed active and passive responses in cats of different age, sex, and gonadal status.
Few cats responded actively, but almost 100% did it passively (sphinx-like posture).
We discuss brain maturation as the cause to catnip response.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a popular plant among cat owners because in about 60% of felids elicits active behaviors such as rolling over, grooming, motor activity and vocalizations. Herein, we assessed the display of active but also passive responses, such as time in sphinx-like position, and consequently hypothesized that 100% of cats respond to catnip.
Accordingly, 60 domestic cats of different age (infant, juvenile, adults), sex (males, females) and gonadal status (early gonadectomized, gonadally intact) were placed in a cylindrical chamber (1.20 × 1.40 m) during 5 min and then exposed to 500 mg of dehydrated catnip for another 5 min. Behaviors were video-recorded and scored.
Results indicated that about 20% of the cats (adults and juvenile only) displayed active behaviors (ie. rolling over), whereas 80% displayed passive responses at any age (sphinx-like position, decreased frequency in vocalizations, and decreased motor activity). These results suggest that all cats respond to catnip but they express it actively, passively or with a combination of both types of responses, which mainly depends on age and sex, and early gonadectomy to a much less extent.
We discuss the possible implications of brain maturation on this dichotomy and speculate on the role of opioidergic system on the catnip responses.
[Keywords: Nepeta cataria, catnip, domestic cat, gonadectomy, age, opioids]