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[–]jet199 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Why don't cats take over the world on catnip then?

[–]Gaydolf_Titler 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Catnip is not psilocybin.

[–]jet199 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Not to you it isn't.

[–]Gaydolf_Titler 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Not to them either. Catnip is an iridoid (Nepetalactone), which is esentially a fragrance that has been traced evolutionarily in cats as being not much more than an insect repellent that they rolled in to keep from getting bitten by bugs while carefully stalking prey. It is activated in the olfactory (smell) system, and the reason they act silly is the olfactory system produces an endorphin that activates opiod receptors. This performs a completely different function than psilocybin, an indole alkaloid or tryptamine that activates the 5-HT receptors, or serotenergic system that is responisble for neurotransmission (conscious thought).