Cats are very finicky animals with a whole lot of attitude. If they happen to come across something they hate, whether it’s their food, litter, a person, or another animal, they’ll let their feelings and disdain be known. However, there is one thing you can always count on that all cats seem to absolutely love; catnip!
It’s not just domestic house cats who go crazy for the stuff, even big cats like lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs, and bobcats go cockoo for catnip. In fact, that’s one of the main questions that staff at the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida get asked all the time- whether or not the big cats in their care react to catnip. So if you’ve ever wondered what a tiger or panther hyped up on catnip looks like, check out this video the rescue group posted on their YouTube channel.
To safely give the cats their herbal treat, a handful of dried catnip is placed in a paper bag and crumpled up before it’s tossed out to them. Each big kitty is naturally drawn to the sudden appearance of a crinkly wad of paper in their midst and they get right to work on it. They sniff them out before aggressively tearing into the bags in search for more of the happy-inducing experiences they’re under.
Each cat reacts in their own uniquely quirky way. Some roll around, others rub their faces on the ground, twist about, claw at the bag, and act all hyper, while a few are pretty tame in response to it all. It’s amazing to see these big, strong, beautiful animals flopping around in ecstasy like little kitties! It makes me want to give my cat a little sprinkle of the magic catnip dust.
And in case you’re wondering, here’s why catnip makes cats go nuts. First and foremost, it’s perfectly safe for cats to consume and it effects them when they either smell or eat some of the stuff. That’s because it comes from an herbal plant called nepeta cataria which is part of the mint family and it has psychoactive effects on felines thanks to a compound it contains called nepetalactone.
When a cat gets a whiff of catnip that compound ends up binding to the olfactory receptors in their nose. In turn, it triggers a neurological response and kitty goes crazy, and we all know what that looks like.
A cat high on catnip is both adorable and hilarious all at once. Many are quite comical to watch, so if you want to smile, laugh, and feel good inside, check out this video!
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