Section: Medical News From Around The World DAVIS, CALIFORNIA:
Cat-lovers have often witnessed the erratic behavior of their pets when under the influence of having eaten catnip, a substance that seems to affect them in the manner that marijuana changes human behavior.
An animal behavior expert at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine explains: The active substance of catnip is a chemical called nepetalactone, which sets off in the cat's brain various stimuli leading to pleasure.