Sphynx cat eating catnip is a shocker. Photo: Andrew Marttila

It makes you look carefully; a stange combination of a hairless cat and a tongue covered in catnip. In my experience domestic cats don’t really eat catnip when it is loose as we see in the photo. They lick it up and spit it out. This behavior is part of a package of odd behaviors caused by catnip. Cats may at first play with a catnip toy as if it is prey. Then they might rub against it ecstatically and behave like a female cat in heat. Many cats drool and lick the catnip. Bleach can have a similar reaction sometimes (see article below).

I have written a lot about catnip so I won’t repeat myself here. I have written too much I am sure. Here are some pages if you are interested:

Why do some cats not react to catnip?

We don't know why some cats don't react to catnip! That's the complete and unhelpful answer. The experts think that ...
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Mice produce lactones which act like catnip on cats

Professor Benjamin Hart from the University of California's School of Veterinary Medicine claims that mice produce lactones which act like ...
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How catnip works as an ancient and natural mosquito repellent

I had no idea but that well-known domestic cat 'psychedelic drug' called catnip is also an insect and mosquito repellent ...
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Domestic cats use catnip and silver vine to protect against mosquitoes?

There is a proposition online in the news media that the similar chemicals in catnip and silver vine, nepetalactol and ...
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Is catnip okay for kittens?

Yes, catnip is okay for kittens but Dr Desmond Morris writes in his book Cat World that, "Young kittens do ...
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Do cats like the smell of mint?

Do cats like the smell of mint is the question and the answer appears to be yes but there is ...
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FYI – the volatile metabolites in catnip that affects cats are insect repellents

It is universally known that catnip induces playful actions such as rolling on their backs and rubbing. Catnip affects both ...
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Why does my cat like bleach?

Bleach or sodium hypochlorite is also good for killing feline viruses! Some cats like the smell of bleach even though ...
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