Source checked November 12, 2026. Editorial team. Not clinically reviewed.
Catnip and Nepeta cataria
ASPCA's plant record identifies catnip as Nepeta cataria in the mint family and lists catswort and catmint as additional common names. This glossary is not a plant-identification tool. A common name, a photograph or a similar leaf shape is not enough for this site to confirm an unknown plant.
Nepetalactone
The compound discussed by Cats Protection in relation to the catnip response and named by ASPCA in its plant record. This word does not tell you the concentration of a product or a suitable amount for an animal. The website supplies no dosing conversion between plants, dried material, toys or sprays.
Cats Protection: Cats and catnip · ASPCA: Catnip plant record
Observation and suspected exposure
Observation means what you actually saw in a setting. Suspected exposure means a possibility you have not necessarily confirmed. Our record labels do not establish cause or severity. If you suspect a potentially toxic ingestion, contact a veterinarian or appropriate poison service promptly; do not wait for the note to be complete.
Enrichment and unknown
Enrichment refers here to suitable opportunities for activity and engagement, including the play ideas discussed by Cats Protection. Unknown means information has not been established. Neither term is a safety classification. A completed product card cannot certify an object or clear an animal after a possible exposure.