Research overview: catnip, silver vine and olfactory attractants in domestic and wild felids

The catnip response, a heritable reaction to nepetalactone causing sniffing, rubbing, rolling and a euphoric-seeming state, occurs in many domestic cats and some non-domestic felids. This overview surveys research on catnip, silver vine, valerian and Tatarian honeysuckle as enrichment attractants, including studies of how many cats respond, the chemistry of the active iridoids, the proposed insect-repellent function of the rubbing behaviour, and applications for shelter and zoo enrichment. It discusses which big-cat species respond, individual and genetic variation in responsiveness, and the welfare value of providing safe, self-limiting sensory stimulation. The synthesis frames these plant attractants as low-cost enrichment tools whose effects and limitations are increasingly well characterised.