Catnip and the catnip response

Development and Testing of Attractants for Feral Cats, Felis Catus L.

“…Clapperton, unpublished data). This includes sniffing, licking, rubbing and head-over rolling (Tucker and Tucker 1988). Nine of the remaining 12 feral cats approached and sniffed at the catnip samples.…”

“…While their behavioural and physiological effects on cats have been well studied, there has not been an investigation of their potential as scent lures. These compounds induce licking, chewing and sniffing (Tucker and Tucker 1988), so they have potential as bait additives or baitstation attractants as well as trap lures.…”

“…Another group of odours with potential as cat lures are the plant-derived compounds that elicit distinct behavioural responses in the Felidae (Leyhausen 1973;Tucker and Tucker 1988).…”

Defensive anointing: extended chemical phenotype and unorthodox ecology

“…Nepetalactone, a cyclopentanoid monoterpene from the leaves of catnip (Nepeta cataria), is thought to repel mosquitoes (Peterson 2001), but it was first characterized as an elicitor of rubbing and rolling in felids (see Tucker & Tucker 1988). The increased incidence of anointing by animals confronted with heightened microbial or ectoparasitic infestations, as with North American birds during molting periods that coincide with heavy rainfall (Potter & Hauser 1974;Ehrlich et al 1986) and Central and South American capuchin monkeys (Cebus spp.)…”

“…A wide range of organisms, including hostspecific and generalist consumers, need to be tested with anointing chemicals to evaluate this possiblity. What is the significance of individual variation in the tendency to anoint, as, for example, is reported for birds responding to ants (Whitaker 1957) and felids reacting to catnip (see Tucker & Tucker 1988)? Finally, can anointing organisms point to compounds from nature of potential use to humans?…”