Catnip is the Nepeta genus of plants, a member of the mint family

There are over 250 varieties of plants in the Nepeta genus

A cat’s reaction to catnip is hereditary

About 70% of cats respond to catnip

Kittens do not respond (save the card until the kitten is 10 or 12 weeks)

Some older cats lose interest in catnip

A reaction to catnip usually lasts 5-10 minutes and can include rubbing, licking, purring, drooling, growling, and playfulness

After playing with catnip, cats take as little as one hour or as long as two days to show interest again

Catnip does not harm cats