224

TIL I learned about the "catnip gene" (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 months ago by ickplant@lemmy.world to c/cat@lemmy.world

35 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 21 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

There is another similar cat-drug called "silverline" or something that cats without catnip genes can still get high on. My sister's cat likes it but not a ton (he doesn't get high on catnip)

[-] Thorned_Rose@sh.itjust.works 13 points 2 months ago

Silver vine 😊

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinidia_polygama

[-] SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net 10 points 2 months ago

Some cats also respond to valerian root, carrots (fresh or dried) and chlorine (like when you bring home wet pool clothes). I had one who reacted the same way to all three of those and catnip, but not silvervine.

[-] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

that's super interesting, wonder if stray cats annoy carrot farmers lol

[-] TwiddleTwaddle@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 months ago

Thanks! Our cat doesnt react to catnip at all and I had never heard of silvervine.

[-] CreateProblems@corndog.social 2 points 2 months ago

Our cat doesn't respond to catnip but she does respond to silvervine!

I don't think it's the classic catnip response (which I assume is because of her genes) but she gets more playful and her pupils enlarge... for a few minutes and then she just wants to take a nap 😂