I Heard Catnip Was Related to Cannabis.

Naturally, I Investigated.

By Mike the Cat

My human was sitting at her computer again, asking questions.

I was busy conducting important research.

By “research,” I mean rolling around on the living room rug after attacking a catnip mouse for twenty-seven straight minutes.

Suddenly she looks over and asks, “Mike, are catnip and cannabis related?”

Now that’s a good question.

The short answer?

No.

Catnip comes from the mint family. Cannabis comes from an entirely different plant family. They’re about as closely related as a house cat and a hamster.

But here’s where things get interesting.

Catnip contains a compound called nepetalactone.

Cannabis contains compounds called cannabinoids, along with aromatic compounds called terpenes and terpenoids.

Translation?

Different plants. Different chemistry. Similar ability to make someone act a little silly.

Scientists say catnip works through a cat’s sense of smell. All I know is one sniff, and suddenly that dust bunny behind the couch looks like a worthy opponent.

Cannabis works differently in people. Catnip works differently in cats.

Still, there may be a distant family connection. The active ingredient in catnip is a terpenoid, which makes it a chemical cousin to some of the aromatic compounds cannabis enthusiasts love to discuss.

So are catnip and cannabis the same thing?

No.

Are they distant cousins in the giant family tree of interesting plants?

Maybe.

Do I plan to continue my research?

Absolutely.

In fact, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a catnip mouse under the sofa that isn’t going to wrestle itself.

Science never sleeps.

Neither do I. Well, I sleep some. Okay, I sleep 22 hours a day. Happy?

Mike
Senior Feline Research Associate and BestCopyNow’s resident pain-in-the-ass.
Department of Applied Catnip Studies

Now in his fourteenth year of feline fieldwork, Mike specializes in napping, supervisory judgment, and advanced catnip analytics.