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What exactly is in Catnip to make cats go insane for it?

When we first got our cat, she wasn't attracted to catnip at all. She was still a kitten. So I figured it didn't work. Well, my mom got her a little cat gift bag that had all kinds of toys and also a box of catnip. I decided to give the catnip a try again...What do you know, it worked. She's all wacked on the toy. Rubbing her head against it. Picking it up and just sniffing and biting the toy. I think it's cute. Anyways, what exactly is catnip and is it in anyway a danger to the cat with long term usage?

no danger..there are chemicals in it that mimic cat pheromones. Valerian also may have a similar effect. Catnip is a relative of mint. Humans use valerian as a gentle relaxant. The catnip loses potency over time anyway and she'll get bored with it.
You can buy catnip oil..just be sparing with it..a little goes a long way. About.com excerpt;
What is catnip, anyway? Is it a drug?
catnip is a perennial herb belonging to the mint family Labiatae. Catnip is known in scientific nomenclature as "Nepeta cataria". The plant is a weed-like mint that is now native in North America and Canada after being introduced from its native Mediterranean soil.

How does catnip work?
The active ingredient in catnip is called Nepetalactone. The response to this chemical is mediated through the olfactory system that cats have a special receptor for. This chemical is thought to minic the effects of a pheromone to cause a variety of behaviors.
When cats smell catnip they exhibit a range of behaviors that may include sniffing, licking and chewing the plant, head shaking, chin and cheek rubbing, head rolling, and body rubbing. This psychosexual reaction lasts for 5-15 minutes and cannot be evoked again for an hour or more after exposure.
I bought a catnip toy for my new kitten, she didn't seem to care. Is this normal?
Yes, particularly if your kitten is less than 3 months old. Very young and senior cats do not respond as much, or at all, to catnip. Also, 10-30% of the cat population does not respond to catnip at all, at any age. This is due to genetics -- reactions to catnip are hereditary. Some cats are genetically "programmed" to respond to catnip, some aren't.

My cat really goes crazy over catnip, is it dangerous?
Cats are unique in their response to catnip, and the response can be very dramatic in some cats - rolling, licking, rubbing, drooling, jumping, running, growling. Other cats appear to become very sedate after exposure. And, as mentioned above, up to 30% of the cat population does not respond at all to catnip. In any case, for all of the (sometimes entertaining) behaviors seen, catnip is completely nontoxic to cats. If a large quantity of fresh catnip is consumed, you may see some vomiting or diarrhea, but this is rare and self-limiting. If your cat experiences this, limit or withhold catnip.

Is catnip hard to grow?
In my experience no - it will take over your garden if not careful. It is a perennial, and if you are in Europe, the northern United States, or Canada it should be easy to find at your local nursery. I was advised to plant this in a buried 5 gallon bucket to prevent it from taking over the garden, but let I planted it as normal, and it is growing fine, returning each year.

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Picking Safe Cat Toys

If you have a cat as a pet, you might have observed that they usually have different play styles than their canine counterparts. Toys are very important for cats than they are for dogs. Cat toys help fight boredom and it also gives them an outlet for their instinctive prey chasing behaviors. Playing with your pet can also be a bonding experience for the two of you.

However, when you are planning to buy a toy for your pet, you should make sure that the toys you are buying are safe for them. The type of toy that you buy depends on the size of your pet, their activity level, and preferences. You should also consider the environment that your pets play in or spends their time in as well. Here are some tips that you should consider in buying a cat toys.

Remember that most cats are attractive to things that are dangerous to them. So the first thing you have to do is to cat proof your home. You should remove string, ribbon, yarn, rubber bands, plastic bands, plastic milk jug rings, paper clips, pins, needles, dental floss, and anything else that can be ingested. These things are dangerous to your pet.

In buying a toy, you should avoid those that have ribbons, feathers, strings, eyes, or other small parts that can be chewed and ingested. Alternatively, you just avoid those that have these things. You could buy stuffed animals that are labeled as safe for children less than three years of age and that do contain any dangerous fillings like nutshells and polystyrene beads.  It would be better if the toy can be machine-washed. The toy should be soft as rigid toys are not as attractive to cats.

There are different categories of cat toys. They can be active, comfortable or filled with catnip. Active types can be round plastic shower curtain rings, plastic balls, or you can put a ping-pong ball or plastic golf ball in a dry bathtub to keep your mind occupied. Paper bags are also good for pouncing, hiding and interactive play.

A toy for comfort can include soft stuffed animals, which serve several functions. The stuff animal should be small animal to be carried around. Alternatively, it should be the same size as the cat for it to wrestle it around with. You can also consider buying a toy with legs and a tail, as this is more appealing to cats. Cardboard boxes are also comfort toys for your cat.

You can also consider buying catnip filled soft toys. These are fun to kick, carry and rub. It is also perfectly safe as it is not addictive and cats can roll in, rub in or eat. Catnip can also be crushed and sprinkled on the carpet. Or, you can put it on a towel placed on the floor so it will be easy to clean as catnip oils can stay in the carpet. However, we might not see the oil, but your cat will be able to smell them.

You can also get the most of your toys by rotating your cat toys weekly or by making only a few available at a time. Keep different types easily accessible. Alternatively, you can leave a toy that your cat loves available at all times. Make sure that the toys are of different uses like a toy to carry, a toy to wrestle with, one to roll, and one to baby.

About the Author

Tom has had pets since he was a young child. He hopes to share many years of experience along with targeted research to help cat owners. This includes cat health as well. For more information, please visit his site today. http://www.mycatfacts.com
By T. Houser