Research overview: olfactory detection of nepetalactol in cats

The feline response to silver vine begins when olfactory sensory neurons detect nepetalactol and related iridoids. This overview surveys how the cat's sense of smell registers these compounds and initiates the stereotyped rubbing behavior. The response is olfactory, depending on the cat smelling the active molecules rather than ingesting them, which is why presenting the volatile compound is sufficient to trigger the reaction. The survey relates olfactory detection to the downstream reward circuitry and to the behavioral and chemical-defense outcomes of the response. It frames the nose as the gateway through which plant iridoids enter the cat's nervous system. Understanding the olfactory detection of nepetalactol connects the plant's chemistry to the cat's behavior at the level of the sensory periphery. It completes the chain from a molecule in silver vine, through the olfactory system, to a behavior that ultimately coats the cat in mosquito-repellent compounds.