One whiff of this herb and your cat will be purring. Catnip is one plant that has a special ability to send some cats into a euphoric frenzy. But what exactly is catnip, and why does it have such a dramatic effect on our cats? The allure of nepetalactoneThe secret behind catnip’s effect lies in a chemical compound called nepetalactone. This oil resides in the leaves and stems of the catnip plant, and when a cat sniffs or ingests it, nepetalactone activates receptors in their nose and mouth. This triggers a chain reaction in the feline brain, leading to a surge of feel-good chemicals like endor…