Context: This is a science-fantasy world with intelligent animals. I like to call it "communist non-anthro Zootopia." Their governments are mostly divided by taxon, so you have the Feline Government, Rodent Government, Vulpine Government, Avian Government, etc. Even though specific taxa control different territories, like Feline Territory, Rodent Territory, etc, all taxa that have signed the peace treaty between predator and prey (an ideology called Unitism) can freely live in each other's territories, where they're still represented by their taxonomic government.
*Catnip is a really common recreational drug among Felines, and it is legal and regulated. A bottle of catnip oil (the most common form of the drug) would have a label like this:
WARNING: PRODUCT CONTAINS NEPETALACTONE (Catnip). HIGH CONCENTRATION: 60% nepetalactone by mass, sourced from cultivated herbs. Causes dissociation, euphoria, transient cognitive impairment in Felines. Do not use if underage, pregnant, nursing kittens, or with other psychoactive substances. It is illegal for Felines to operate hovercraft or other heavy machinery within three hours of consuming any catnip product. Consult a physician immediately if psychoactive effects last longer than one hour after discontinuation of usage, or if other side effects are experienced such as nausea and vomiting, convulsions, seizure, psychosis, or loss of consciousness. Regulated and licensed by the Feline Ministry of Health. Product license number: 100827615. For more information, visit health.feline.gov/catnip
If you go to the link listed on the label, you'll get the following article:
Everything you need to know about Catnip, Silvervine, and Nepetalactone
Nepetalactone, the active chemical in the herbs Catnip and Silvervine, is the most common psychoactive drug among Felines, with a history that predates our evolution of sapience and long before recorded Feline history. The scent of Nepetalactone causes pleasurable dissociative effects in all Feline species, and is routinely used recreationally.
In colloquial language, the term "catnip" is broadly used to refer to any Nepetalactone product, including silvervine and synthetic Nepetalactone, but this article will refer to these substances separately.
Where does Nepetalactone come from?
There are three major sources of Nepetalactone: Wild herbs, cultivated herbs, and synthetic, all of which are regulated by the Feline Ministry of Health.
The pastime of sniffing out wild catnip and silvervine growing in the forest is theorized to be as old as the Feline taxon itself, and continues to this day. Occasionally, a cat who finds and rolls around in a wild catnip or silvervine patch will get seeds stuck to their pelt, and plays a role in propagating the species when the seeds fall off far away from the plant as the cat travels. Wild herbs are the mildest source of Nepetalactone, producing only a short high of moderate intensity. However, they are also the safest source, with the lowest risk of side effects, long term health complications, or overdose. Wild Nepetalactone herbs can be found throughout Feline Territory and the rest of the the world. In Feline Territory specifically, the propagation of catnip and silvervine was done mostly inadvertently by Felines consuming them recreationally, and genetic lineage analysis of these herbs have been used to track the migration of Feline populations and crosscheck our earliest written history.
As technology advanced, Felines began to cultivate catnip and silvervine, intentionally planting them where they live and selectively breeding them for Nepetalactone production and psychoactive effects. The boundary between wild and cultivated herbs are not well defined, as gene transfer regularly occurs between them, but in general, cultivated herbs produce a much higher concentration of Nepetalactone, as well as other chemicals that enhance or modify the psychoactive feeling they give. Catnip and silvervine seeds of many different lineages are sold commercially, each with slightly different psychoactive effects, and cultivation efforts range from a few plants in a garden or as potted plants in a den, to large scale vertical farms that grow herbs for industrial Nepetalactone oil production.
In the last decade, after the Feline Revolution and subsequent legalization of Nepetalactone, direct synthesis of the chemical from basic elements have been rising in popularity. As is the development of synthetic Neperalactoids, which are modifications to the natural chemical structure to produce artificial psychoactive compounds not found in nature. These sources of Nepetalactone and its artificial analogues have the highest risk compared to herbal sources (though the overall risk is still fairly low). They are typically the most concentrated products on the market, with many being nearly pure Nepetalactone, and not diluted by any of the side products typically found in herbal oils that can serve to balance or moderate the psychoactive effects. Additionally, artificial Nepetalactoids can interact with the body in unexpected ways and may cause serious health effects, especially if used long term. Or they might not have very significant health effects at all. These newly developed chemicals, by definition, have limited or nonexistant animal testing data, so a cat that consumes these products is implicitly participating in their long term health and safety testing. This is a risk that an adult cat has the right to choose to take, but the risks of damage to one's health must be carefully considered and kept in mind.
Mechanism of Action
Nepetalactone targets a Feline's pheromone receptors, organs typically used for scent communication between animals. The vast majority of animals produce pheromones, which are a combination of volatile organic chemicals unique to the individual animal. In terrestrial ecosystems, these chemicals evaporate from the animal's body and are left behind when the animal makes contact with a surface, and are used to identify the animal. Pheramones give important information about who is nearby and who has been here in the past. Nepetalactone binds much more strongly to these pheromone receptors than natural pheromones, temporarily disabling regulatory mechanisms and feedback loops, which causes a massive overproduction of neurotransmitters that overstimulate the brain, which causes the characteristic "high" that it is known for. These effects last for as long as the Nepetalactone exposure persists, though the pheromone receptors will eventually run out of precursor chemicals for synthesizing neurotransmitters, at which point the psychoactive effects will subside while the receptors recover.
Even after discontinuing exposure to Nepetalactone, the psychoactive effects may last for up to an hour, as it takes some time for the existing Nepetalactone molecules to unbind from the receptors, and for the brain to clear the flood of neurotransmitters.
History of Nepetalactone legality in Feline Territory
For the vast majority of Feline history, Nepetalactone was completely unregulated by the law. It was an important cultural element, used during social gatherings, cultural ceremonies, and even some religious rituals.
It was only during the age of the Feline Empire that Nepetalactone was outlawed. During this time, cultivation, distribution, and use of the substance in any form, even naturally growing plants in the wild, was criminalized with mandatory prison time. Even so, Nepetalactone use continued to be very common in Feline Territory. This was also the time when the empire enforced hunting and predation as a way of life despite the vast majority of Felines having become heavily anti-predation, and all plant based alternative foods were banned. As such, Nepetalactone was frequently sold by the same underground networks that sold plant based foods, leading to Nepetalactone becoming one of the symbols of the Feline Revolution and the Unitist (anti-predation) movement in Feline Territory.
After the Feline Revolution, Nepetalactone was legalized by the newly formed Feline Democratic Republic, and has been regulated by the Feline Ministry of Health as a Class 1 (the lowest risk category) recreational drug ever since. Currently, the only legislation restricting Nepetalactone is a prohibition on sale of the substance to kittens, and a prohibition on operating heavy machinery or performing any safety critical task while under the influence of the substance.
There is no recorded evidence that other taxonomic territories and taxonomic governments have ever prohibited Nepetalactone, as it only causes psychoactive effects in Felines. Nepetalactone is regularly produced and sold in other territories, and we work closely with other Unitist ministries of health to ensure the safety of these products.
Can Nepetalactone cause loss of instinct control?
There is a myth that Nepetalactone can cause Felines to "revert" to our natural instincts and pose a danger to nearby small animals. This is not true, or at least, extremely unlikely to the point where we have never encountered a confirmed case of this occurring. Numerous studies have been done on the Feline brain under the influence of Nepetalactone, including live brain scans of Felines while using the substance, and there has never been evidence that the cat's mind if at any risk of losing its conscious faculties.
Any Feline who has used Nepetalactone can also subjectively attest to this: While it can reduce your reaction time or make you forgetful, you are still in full control of your faculties. Additionally, Nepetalactone makes Felines less likely to want to engage in physical exertion, as while it is a stimulant at the neuron level, it overloads the brain and makes it less able to respond to external stimulus. A Feline under the influence of Nepetalactone is much more likely to idly stare at a mouse than try to chase them.
Finally, many Felines live in Rodent and Avian Territories, and Nepetalactone is sold there, regulated by their ministries of health. We consult with their ministries regularly and freely share medical data, and there has never been a concern raised about Felines under the influence of Nepetalactone being a hazard.
Nepetalactone-induced psychosis
At extremely high doses, particularly when consuming synthetic Nepetalactone, hallucinations of various forms may manifest, ranging from a blooming haze at the edges of one's vision, to flashes of colour or bright dots racing across one's field of view, to lifelike visual and auditory artifacts that are difficult to distinguish from reality. This is called Nepetalactone-induced psychosis, or NIP.
This is generally considered a negative side effect, and lifelike hallucinations are one of the symptoms of Nepetalactone overdose. However, some Felines, namely heavy Nepetalactone users, actively seek the psychedelic effects that Nepetalactone can cause, inducing what is often described as a lucid dream state, where one can mentally control the artifacts they see and hear. In most such cases, the Feline is in a state of partial sedation, and is generally not able to move or interact with the real world, though vital bodily functions like breathing and heartbeat are not affected. NIP typically resolves by itself once the pheromone receptors become saturated and stop responding to the Nepetalactone.
If NIP is encountered and is not desired, discontinuing exposure to Nepetalactone will quickly dissipate any visual and auditory artifacts. Physically moving oneself away from the source of Nepetalactone to a place with fresh air is recommended to help the effects subside more rapidly.
If you encounter a Feline under the influence of Nepetalactone and is non-responsive, remove the source of Nepetalactone and/or move them to fresh air. If they do not regain consciousness within a few minutes of the end of exposure, call emergency services.
Health and safety
The long term physical health effects of herbal Nepetalactone is generally low, even for heavy or frequent use. However, synthetic Nepetalactone, particularly Nepetalactoids not found in nature, have limited long term health data, and caution is strongly advised when using these products.
While Nepetalactone is generally considered low risk, the following conditions have been known to occur:
-
Nepetalactone-induced psychosis: see the previous section.
-
Scent blindness: Because Nepetalactone activates pheromone receptors much more strongly than natural pheromones, long term use can reduce the sensitivity of these receptors, making it difficult to detect pheromones and generally resulting in a reduced sense of smell.
-
Nepetalactone withdrawal syndrome: If a Feline who chronically uses high doses of Nepetalactone suddenly discontinues usage, there can be mild withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, boredom, loss of interest in daily activities, and a strong urge to continue using Nepetalactone. These effects usually subside after a few days of abstaining from Nepetalactone.
However, by far the biggest health and safety risk associated with Nepetalactone is when Felines operate heavy machinery like hovercrafts, or engage in other safety critical tasks that require their full attention, while under its influence. Nepetalactone reduces reaction time and short term memory, and makes one more easily distracted. This can endanger or kill other animals as well as the user themselves, and is explicitly illegal. Always wait a minimum of three hours after using Nepetalactone before doing anything safety critical.
Should I use (or keep using) Nepetalactone?
A Feline's relationship with Nepetalactone is critical, and it is generally unhealthy to use it as a coping mechanism. If you find yourself using Nepetalactone habitually, try to discern why. Boredom is the most commonly stated reason for Nepetalactone use, but a more healthy way to deal with that is to find productive activities that are personally fulfulling to you, not try to eliminate the feeling of boredom with psychoactive substances. Additionally, it is not recommended to self-medicate with Nepetalactone to treat conditions like depression or anxiety. A doctor may prescribe Nepetalactone for some mental health conditions, but such substances can also make the condition worse, and the decision to use it to treat mental health issues must be in consultation with a professional for the best chance of success.
This is a complex issue and heavily depends on the individual. If you require advice on your relationship with Nepetalactone, or you need help breaking a Nepetalactone habit, the Feline Ministry of Health offers counselling and treatment as part of its universal healthcare plan.
