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ANSWERS: 2
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Many cats enjoy mint because of certain chemical compounds contained within the plants and may respond to other members of the mint family because of some heretofore unrecognized compounds. Catnip (Nepeta cataria), a member of the mint family, contains citral, geraniol, citronellol, nerol, limonene, and nepetalactone in its essential oil. The nepetalactone is what makes cats loopy -- they can respond to concentrations approaching 1 part per billion. Dittany of Crete and cat thyme, also in the mint family, have a similar effect on cats. There are a number of other plants in different families that cause these behaviors as well, including kiwi vine, alder root fungus, fly honeysuckle, Tartarian honeysuckle, buckbean, baby blue eyes, and garden valerian. Kiwi vine and valerian contain actinidine and dihydroactinidiolide rather than nepetalactone and buckbean contains mitsugashiwalactone, but these affect cats just the same.
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"* CATNIP, CATMINT & GRASS * Catnip is a variety of harmless mint often referred to as catmint, it can be bought dried or grown in your garden or on a windowsill. All cats react to it in their own way but the majority will enjoy rolling in it, eating it or playing with it"
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