It’s happy hour somewhere.
Do you know where your cat is?
Today’s Moment of Science… Catnip.
Terpenes are an endlessly diverse class of organic compounds that includes beta-carotene, squalene, familiar scents like pinene and limonene, and some magical blend that produces- scientific term- the giggly weed. While the data aren’t clear on how or to what degree terpenes alter your high in combination with THC, your little house lion almost assuredly has their favorite terpene to get wasted on.
Nepetalactone is the terpene in catnip that makes your cat temporarily super fucking weird even for a cat. Two thirds of adult cats get visibly silly on it, while it’s believed that the other third are just better at holding their terpenes. Faced with the minty fresh cat herb, nepetalactone molecules make their way into Babykins’ olfactory receptors. This causes a release of endorphins, triggering the Rube Goldberg machine in your cat’s brain to go off, saying “IT’S DOOFUS TIME.”
Same in cats as in humans, endorphins act as natural opiates and connect to the same receptors as morphine would. However, the endorphin rush from catnip hasn’t been shown to cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms in cats. This is in large part because the feline brain is not an entirely irresponsible drug dealer, cutting them off after 5-15 minutes of exposure. After this they develop a temporary tolerance to the compound that typically lasts a few hours.
Really though, ten minutes of rolling in this most delightful of grasses, throwing one’s fluffy bottom on the floor, meowling loudly, jumping at shadows only visible in the cat dimension, and acting like a goddamn idiot is probably enough.
(I’m looking at you, SciCats. Especially BonBon).
This isn’t the only plant that can get Whiskers feeling happy with just a whiff. Studies have shown that an even higher percentage of cats respond euphorically to silver vine than catnip, while about half of cats will respond to Tatarian honeysuckle and valerian root. So if you’re bored on a Friday night and feel like attempting some completely safe replication studies, get Mittens high. For science.
If you’re hesitant out of concerns for how safe or ethical catnip is, science says relax. Years upon years of use have shown the plant and active compounds to be perfectly safe. Nepetalactones are also insect repellants. In a time long before flea collars, it’s likely that this odd quirk of getting high by rolling in hippie bug spray was an evolutionary advantage.
So unless a day comes when our understanding of this one changes, feel free to let Tigger take occasional romps in the glorious minty kitty stupidifier.
This has been your Moment of Science, probably getting high with my cats.
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