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Cats do not detest catnip. Some cats are effected by it, whereas others are not.

The chemical Nepetalactone is responsible for a cat's hyperactive behaviour when it encounters catnip. This chemical is released from the plant when a cat rubs, rolls on, chews or otherwise "bruises" the leaves. Given to the right cat, catnip can cause a strong, and often amusing, reaction. The cat will rub it, roll over it, kick at it, and generally go hyper for several minutes. Some cats may show aggressive behaviour (usually towards the catnip itself), but this is just a reaction and usually wears off after a few minutes.

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13y ago

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