Cats rolling in catnip may be applying bug spray
What looks like a cat getting ‘high’ may double as a natural mosquito repellent routine.
Takeaway
When cats rub and roll on silver vine, the chemical nepetalactol coats their fur and helps repel mosquitoes.
What the study did
- Japanese and UK researchers identified nepetalactol as the main silver-vine compound that triggers rubbing and rolling.
- It raised cats’ blood β-endorphin, and blocking opioid receptors reduced the rubbing.
- Of 25 lab cats, 18 (72%) responded strongly to silver-vine extract.
- Aedes albopictus mosquitoes landed on nepetalactol-treated heads about half as often as on untreated heads.
The numbers
Show data table
| Group | Value (cats) |
|---|---|
| Positive responders | 18 |
| Negative responders | 7 |
Data source: Uenoyama et al. 2021, Sci Adv 7:eabd9135, Results text ('25 laboratory cats that consisted of 18 positive and 7 negative responders', table S1) and Materials and Methods ('18 positive (72%) and 7 negative responders (28%)').
Limitations
Mostly lab cats and one mosquito species; real-world health benefits weren’t measured.
Citation
Uenoyama R, Miyazaki T, Hurst JL, Beynon RJ, Adachi M, Murooka T et al. (2021). The characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids allows them to gain chemical defense against mosquitoes. Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd9135
For general information only; it does not replace advice from your vet.
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