Catnip

Nepeta cataria, commonly known as catnip, catswort, catwort, and catmint, is a species of the genus Nepeta in the family Lamiaceae, native to southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of China. It is widely naturalized in northern Europe, New Zealand, and North America. The common name catmint can also refer to the genus as a whole. The names catnip and catmint are derived from the intense attraction about two-thirds of cats have toward them. In addition to its uses with cats, catnip is an ingredient in some herbal teas, and is valued for its sedative and relaxant properties.

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Cats chewing on catnip boosts the plant’s insect-repelling powers

New research suggests that when cats play with (and damage) either catnip or silver vine, the plants’ leaves actually emit higher levels of chemical compounds that do have a benefit: repelling mosquitoes.