What is Catnip?

Catnip is the dried aerial parts of Nepeta cataria, a herbaceous perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is best known for its effect on cats, which is driven by the compound nepetalactone.

About the plant

Catnip is native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North Africa and is now naturalized across North America. It produces nepetalactone, which most domestic cats, and many other felids, find intensely attractive. That plant-animal chemical relationship is one of the most documented in botany. For people, the leaves have a long history in Western herbalism as a traditional tea herb, and the dried plant is widely used to stuff cat toys and scratching posts.

Catnip: form & sizes

We carry Catnip as organic cut and sifted dried aerial parts, sold by weight in sizes from 1 oz to 1 lb. We make no health or therapeutic claims.

Storage

Store Catnip in an airtight container, away from heat, light, and humidity, to preserve its color and aroma.

Catnip at a glance

Botanical name

Nepeta cataria

Family

Lamiaceae

Native region

Europe, Asia, and North Africa

Plant part

aerial parts

Sourcing

Organic

Cat-attractant compound

Nepetalactone

Form

cut and sifted dried aerial parts

Sizes

1 oz to 1 lb