Fox urine compound as good as catnip for some felines

It’s not only catnip, specifically its active ingredient nepetalactone, that can send felines into a state of blissful happiness, but also a structurally unrelated compound found in fox excretions.

Domestic cats, as well as leopards, cougars and lynxes, respond to catnip by rolling around on the floor, licking, dribbling and generally acting like they’re drugged. But despite being dubbed ‘kitty crack’, felines on nepetalactone don’t experience any withdrawal symptoms or other negative side effects. The catnip response is down to genetic factors – only about two-thirds of cats are sensitive to nepetalactone. For those that are impervious to catnip, there are alternatives in the form of silver vine, valerian or Tatarian honeysuckle.