• Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
HOT
Buzzy Flow
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Animals
    PETA statement re passing of Dame Vivienne Westwood

    Video: Participants Get Inked in the Ear to Honor Dogs Killed for Experiments

    Time, Space, Choices, and an Online Chat about Purr

    Time, Space, Choices, and an Online Chat about Purr

    Western conservationists blast ‘extinction bills’ for wolves, grizzlies

    Western conservationists blast ‘extinction bills’ for wolves, grizzlies

    Shift the Farm Bill – Farm Sanctuary

    Shift the Farm Bill – Farm Sanctuary

    Gratitude for elephant skin – Oh My Dog!

    Gratitude for elephant skin – Oh My Dog!

    Feline asthma isn’t keeping Leo from loving life

    Feline asthma isn’t keeping Leo from loving life

    Andean Bear Cub Brothers Now on View Outdoors at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

    Andean Bear Cub Brothers Now on View Outdoors at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

    Tardigrade Proteins Can Keep Medicine Stable Without Refrigeration [Study]

    Tardigrade Proteins Can Keep Medicine Stable Without Refrigeration [Study]

    PETA statement re passing of Dame Vivienne Westwood

    Statement: Following Horse Death on Set, PETA Wants ‘The Rings of Power’ Producers to Stop Lording Over Animals

  • Buzz
    The Onion Is Going Nuclear Against J.K. Rowling And Anti-Trans Rhetoric

    The Onion Is Going Nuclear Against J.K. Rowling And Anti-Trans Rhetoric

    Ukraine’s Nuclear Reactors Are Now War Zones

    Ukraine’s Nuclear Reactors Are Now War Zones

    AI Chose My Makeup For A Week And The Results Were Actually Pretty Great

    AI Chose My Makeup For A Week And The Results Were Actually Pretty Great

    Long Walks May Help You Live Longer, Even If You Only Do Them Once Or Twice A Week

    Long Walks May Help You Live Longer, Even If You Only Do Them Once Or Twice A Week

    Twice’s Chaeyoung Apologized For QAnon And Swastika T-Shirts

    Twice’s Chaeyoung Apologized For QAnon And Swastika T-Shirts

    Ukraine Families Say Goodbye As Men Stay To Fight: Photos

    Ukraine Families Say Goodbye As Men Stay To Fight: Photos

    Drew Barrymore Opens Up About Perimenopause

    Drew Barrymore Opens Up About Perimenopause

    16 Recipes That Are Better As Leftovers

    16 Recipes That Are Better As Leftovers

    NY AG Calls For Weather Alerts In More Languages

    NY AG Calls For Weather Alerts In More Languages

  • Celebs
    Ali Fedotowsky Says Jake Gyllenhaal Made Her Cry

    Ali Fedotowsky Says Jake Gyllenhaal Made Her Cry

    TikTok Star Brooklyn Queen Has Stalker Claiming To Be Her Mom

    TikTok Star Brooklyn Queen Has Stalker Claiming To Be Her Mom

    Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: 50% Off Clinique, Urban Decay, and More

    Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: 50% Off Clinique, Urban Decay, and More

    Has Reese Witherspoon Been Quietly Untangling Finances From Jim Toth For YEARS?!

    Has Reese Witherspoon Been Quietly Untangling Finances From Jim Toth For YEARS?!

    Elon Musk Is Doubling Down on Getting Everyone to Pay for Twitter

    Elon Musk Is Doubling Down on Getting Everyone to Pay for Twitter

    Harry Styles’ dating history: Everything we know about his past and new relationships | Explainer

    Jonathan Majors, Marvel and ‘Creed III’ actor, arrested on assault charge in New York – National

    Jonathan Majors, Marvel and ‘Creed III’ actor, arrested on assault charge in New York – National

    2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners

    2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners

    Former National Enquirer Publisher Testifies In Trump Grand Jury – Deadline

    Former National Enquirer Publisher Testifies In Trump Grand Jury – Deadline

  • Life
    Ali Fedotowsky Says Jake Gyllenhaal Made Her Cry

    Ali Fedotowsky Says Jake Gyllenhaal Made Her Cry

    TikTok Star Brooklyn Queen Has Stalker Claiming To Be Her Mom

    TikTok Star Brooklyn Queen Has Stalker Claiming To Be Her Mom

    Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: 50% Off Clinique, Urban Decay, and More

    Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: 50% Off Clinique, Urban Decay, and More

    Has Reese Witherspoon Been Quietly Untangling Finances From Jim Toth For YEARS?!

    Has Reese Witherspoon Been Quietly Untangling Finances From Jim Toth For YEARS?!

    Elon Musk Is Doubling Down on Getting Everyone to Pay for Twitter

    Elon Musk Is Doubling Down on Getting Everyone to Pay for Twitter

    Harry Styles’ dating history: Everything we know about his past and new relationships | Explainer

    Jonathan Majors, Marvel and ‘Creed III’ actor, arrested on assault charge in New York – National

    Jonathan Majors, Marvel and ‘Creed III’ actor, arrested on assault charge in New York – National

    2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners

    2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners

    Former National Enquirer Publisher Testifies In Trump Grand Jury – Deadline

    Former National Enquirer Publisher Testifies In Trump Grand Jury – Deadline

  • Tech
    NYC Mayor’s New Scheme in Ongoing Rat War: A Composting Mandate

    NYC Mayor’s New Scheme in Ongoing Rat War: A Composting Mandate

    Apple iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 (2023): How to Download, New Features, Supported Devices

    Apple iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 (2023): How to Download, New Features, Supported Devices

    ‘Quordle’ today: See each ‘Quordle’ answer and hints for March 29

    ‘Quordle’ today: See each ‘Quordle’ answer and hints for March 29

    Spotify’s Niche Mixes are weirdly specific personalized playlists

    Spotify’s Niche Mixes are weirdly specific personalized playlists

    How I Met Your Father finale tries to redeem Barney Stinson

    How I Met Your Father finale tries to redeem Barney Stinson

    The Best Documentaries on Netflix in 2023

    The Best Documentaries on Netflix in 2023

    The Inner Beauty of Basic Electronics

    Rerouting Intention And Sensation In Paralyzed Patients

    Can a Machine Know That We Know What It Knows?

    Can a Machine Know That We Know What It Knows?

    No company ever cost-cut its way to greatness

    No company ever cost-cut its way to greatness

  • Video
    • All
    • Cooking
    • Fitness
    • Gaming
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Travel
    • Vlogs
    #shorts|#youtubeshorts|#ytshorts| # کسی کے عیب کا پردہ رکھنا|💖🕋❤️|@forever happy life.

    #shorts|#youtubeshorts|#ytshorts| # کسی کے عیب کا پردہ رکھنا|💖🕋❤️|@forever happy life.

    &TEAM(アンドチーム) ~ BUZZ LOVE (バズ恋) ~ Line Distribution

    &TEAM(アンドチーム) ~ BUZZ LOVE (バズ恋) ~ Line Distribution

    Sugar cane growing technology(China)

    Sugar cane growing technology(China)

    Sweet Happy Life (Samba De Orfeu)

    Sweet Happy Life (Samba De Orfeu)

    If someone Ignore you, Do this.. | #quotes #lifequotes

    If someone Ignore you, Do this.. | #quotes #lifequotes

    Cute Animals Video Cow, Yak, Rhino, Cat || Learn Animals Name || Animals Video || #cow cow video ||

    Cute Animals Video Cow, Yak, Rhino, Cat || Learn Animals Name || Animals Video || #cow cow video ||

    Happy Animals on Modelo Farm #farmlife #homestead #ranch

    Happy Animals on Modelo Farm #farmlife #homestead #ranch

    Volkswagen ID Buzz tiene precios oficiales!

    Volkswagen ID Buzz tiene precios oficiales!

    The Secret To A Happy Life

    The Secret To A Happy Life

Buzzy Flow
No Result
View All Result
Advertisement Banner
Home Animals

How Cats Respond to Catnip and Other Cat-Attracting Plants is Very Individual, Study Shows

buzzyflow by buzzyflow
November 11, 2022
in Animals
0 0
0
How Cats Respond to Catnip and Other Cat-Attracting Plants is Very Individual, Study Shows
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


New research shows that cats have an individual response to catnip and other cat-attracting plants like silvervine and that, unlike big cats, they don’t care for perfumes like Obsession for Men.

A grey and white cat chews on a silvervine stick
A cat chews on a silvervine stick. Photo: Abigail Crawford.

By Zazie Todd PhD

This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Get Companion Animal Psychology in your inbox.

If your cat likes catnip, you’ll have seen them sniff it, lick it, roll around on it or near it, and otherwise seem ecstatic in response to a toy containing fresh catnip. Then, after a while, the effect wears off.

Research has shown that cats can respond in a similar way to several other substances: valerian, Tatarian honeysuckle, and silver vine (known as matatabi in Japan).  

Now, a new study by Dr. Sebastiaan Bol et al. published in BMC Biology takes this research a step further by investigating exactly how cats behave in response to catnip and similar plants. The results show that each cat has their own individual response—and that it’s the same for each of the substances they respond to in this way.

Cats’ responses to plants

As well as testing catnip, valerian, Tatarian honeysuckle, and silver vine, the researchers added another plant that cats might respond to, Indian nettle (Acalypha indica). 

Six cats were tested in their own home environment at Cowboy Cat Ranch. The plant materials were presented in a sock, with green tea used as a control. Each cat was presented with the plant for more than 100 hours in total over a period of time.

Five of the six cats responded to all five of the cat-attracting plants, while the remaining cat, Z, responded to all except for valerian.

Interestingly, these cats had taken part in the previous research and at that time five of them had shown no response to catnip. Because of this, the scientists tested 2 different brands of catnip, in case the brand or freshness made a difference, but all cats responded to both brands. 

It’s already known that kittens don’t respond to catnip; in those cats who are sensitive to it, it’s thought to develop as a response at around 5-6 months of age. The results from this study suggest that some cats may develop the response at a later age. More research is needed to investigate this.

This is the first time it’s been shown scientifically that cats respond to Indian nettle, although it is known in the parts of the world where this plant grows naturally, hence it’s inclusion in the study. (Indeed, in the Malay language it is apparently called “excited cat tree”).  

The catnip response

The scientists looked in detail at how each cat responded to each of the plants. They found that cats have different responses, with one who mainly sat and rubbed their head on the sock, for example, while another laid on their side, rubbed their head, and also held, bit, and raked the sock containing catnip. The length of time each cat responded for was also different.

However a particular cat responded to catnip, they behaved the same with the other plants that they responded to. 

The study also showed that, as was already known for catnip, cats get used to the plants and stop responding after a while. So it’s a good idea to put the toys away for a bit and bring them out a day or two later. 

Another interesting finding is that once cats have responded to Tatarian honeysuckle or silver vine, this seems to block the response to catnip (just like after they have responded to catnip).

Cats’ responses to compounds and chemicals

So what are the compounds that cause these responses? As well as nepetalactone (found in catnip) and other similar lactones, some cats also responded to actinidine (a pyridine).

Dr. Bol told me,

“Actinidine is a fascinating molecule. It is one of the many single compounds we found to be able to elicit the “catnip response”, but it seems to affect only few cats. Those cats who respond to actinidine really seem to love it though.”

Another compound that cats responded to is dihydroactinidiolide which, interestingly, is found in urine and excretions from red foxes. It’s not known why cats would respond to a chemical made by another mammal.

The compound(s) in Tatarian honeysuckle that cats respond to have not, so far, been identified. 

Dr. Bol told me,

“Finding answers always results in more questions. There’s something quite special about Tatarian honeysuckle, but we can’t explain why.”

Pet cats and fragrances

The cats were also tested with a set of fragrances that big cats have been found to respond to with head rubbing etc. Watch big cats respond to Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men in this video from National Geographic.  

But the pet cats did not respond to Obsession for Men, Drakkar Noir, L’Air du Temps, or Paco Rabanne for Homme—with the exception of one cat who responded to Drakkar Noir, but only after the perfume-sprayed cloth had been left in the room for some hours. 

We don’t know the ingredients of particular fragrances, but it’s possible that big cats respond to the perfumes because of a compound called civetone which is found in secretions from the anal glands of the civet cat. It’s commonly used in perfumes because of its musky smell.

So each of the pet cats was tested with a set of substances that contained either civetone or artificial civet (the scientists did not get actual civet for ethical reasons). 

None of the pet cats responded to civetone or similar chemicals.

So whatever the one cat liked about Drakkar Noir, it wasn’t that. 

In fact, cats tend not to like strong scents; read more about what your cat’s nose knows. 

How to try the plants with your own cat

It can be fun to try these plants with your cat to see if they respond or not. If your cat doesn’t like catnip, they may still like some of these other plants.

Silver vine (as a stick or powder) and valerian are increasingly available in cat toys. Tatarian honeysuckle is available from the Cat House in Calgary. I don’t know of any commercial source of Indian nettle for cats.

Space Kitty Express sells a complete cat-drug sampler toy that lets you try honeysuckle, a valerian root/lemongrass mix, silver vine, and of course catnip with your own cat.

The scientists who did this research point out that these substances are not like drugs for your cat, despite the common parlance of e.g. “meowjuana.” Indeed, they say such language may be detrimental if it puts some people off trying these plants with their cat. Cats don’t become addicted or suffer withdrawal symptoms from these plants, and you can stop the response any time simply by taking the plant away. 

Summary

The scientists write that, 

“Much about the ‘catnip response’ still seems riddled in mystery. We are clueless as to what the reason for, or biological response is and why it is only seen in felines.”

Although only six cats took part in this study, the results are very detailed. The paper shows that cats respond to a number of different molecules and it also shows the individuality of the feline response to cat-attracting plants. 

The full paper is open access and can be read via the link below. You can watch the first author, Dr. Sebastiaan Bol, talking about this research on cat-attracting plants in this Youtube video.  

Useful links:

Reference

Bol, S., Scaffidi, A., Bunnik, E.M. et al. Behavioral differences among domestic cats in the response to cat-attracting plants and their volatile compounds reveal a potential distinct mechanism of action for actinidine. BMC Biol 20, 192 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01369-1 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As an Etsy affiliate and Marks and Spencer affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.



Source_link

Advertisement Banner
buzzyflow

buzzyflow

Trending Posts

Baby Monkey Hiccups – ZooBorns
Animals

Baby Monkey Hiccups – ZooBorns

by buzzyflow
March 21, 2023
0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6lZt2ha2S8 Is there anything cuter than a baby Spider Monkey with the hiccups? We think not. Wellington Zoo’s (New Zealand)...

Read more
Youth Artists Invited to Collaborate for Wildlife and Plants!

Youth Artists Invited to Collaborate for Wildlife and Plants!

March 11, 2023
The Great McDonald’s And Dairy Queen Sign War

The Great McDonald’s And Dairy Queen Sign War

September 23, 2022
11 Best Apps to Help You Overcome Procrastination in 2023

11 Best Apps to Help You Overcome Procrastination in 2023

February 19, 2023
Cupcake Day is the purr-fect activity for the whole family

Cupcake Day is the purr-fect activity for the whole family

February 10, 2023
7 Things You Don’t Want to Learn Too Late in Life

7 Things You Don’t Want to Learn Too Late in Life

September 28, 2022

Buzzy Flow

Welcome to Buzzy Flow The goal of Buzzy Flow is to give you the absolute best news sources for any topic! Our topics are carefully curated and constantly updated as we know the web moves fast so we try to as well.

Follow Us

Categories

  • Animals
  • Buzz
  • Celebs
  • Cooking
  • Fitness
  • Gaming
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Tech
  • Travel
  • Video
  • Vlogs

Recent Post

  • Ali Fedotowsky Says Jake Gyllenhaal Made Her Cry
  • #shorts|#youtubeshorts|#ytshorts| # کسی کے عیب کا پردہ رکھنا|💖🕋❤️|@forever happy life.
  • Video: Participants Get Inked in the Ear to Honor Dogs Killed for Experiments
  • The Onion Is Going Nuclear Against J.K. Rowling And Anti-Trans Rhetoric
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 Buzzyflow.com | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Animals
  • Buzz
  • Celebs
  • Life
  • Tech
  • Video

Copyright © 2022 Buzzyflow.com | All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
What Are Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT