Ever seen a cat dip into some recreational catnip?
It usually makes the cat act a little strange.
It rubs up against the catnip, rolls in it, and paws it.
It's clearly enjoying itself.
And all because of a compound that's a little too similar to its natural biological signals.
Catnip, AKA Nepeta Cataria, is a plant that's a member of the mint family.
When cats react to catnip, they're really reacting to an organic molecule released by the plant known as nepetalactone.
Nepetalactone is made up of two connected rings of mostly carbons.
And the plant uses it to repel insects like mosquitoes, ticks, and mites.
But most cats are attracted to the stuff.
