Cats cannot and do not get addicted to catnip and will not need to seek it out like a human would with drugs.
If a cat stops eating catnip they will not usually have any withdrawal symptoms and will be fine.
Catnip tends to make some cats sleepy and relaxed although I have noticed some cats become hyper when eating catnip so it can depend on the cat.
The catnip in cats targets and activates the happy receptors in the cats brain and can make your cat happy and energetic.
However in some cats it has the opposite effect and makes some cats mellow out and calm down.
Most cats will react to catnip by rubbing, flipping, rolling and zoning out.
The cat that experiences catnip may also meow or growl at the same time.
Some people also describe the effect of catnip on cats as being a “high”, because many cats become very relaxed, calm and happy after interacting with the catnip.
However, scientific studies have also shown that the catnip doesn't affect the brain in the same way as drugs like marijuana or cocaine do.
The catnip is noted to bind to receptors inside a cat's nose, which then stimulate the sensory neurons leading to a cat's brain.
So, what exactly does catnip do to cats?
It's thought to mimic feline pheromones, which cause a euphoric reaction.
The chemical in catnip that is responsible for messing with cats' heads is called nepetalactone.
It produces its effect through smell alone: the molecule doesn't have to be ingested or reach the brain for it to send cats wild.
This frenzy of excitement usually lasts around 15 minutes.
Your cat cannot become addicted to catnip and will not experience an opioid withdrawal no matter how much catnip your pet is exposed to.
Frequent exposure to catnip, however, can cause your cat to develop a tolerance to the plant.
Nepeta cataria, commonly known as catnip, catswort, catwort, and catmint, is a species of the genus Nepeta in the family Lamiaceae, native to southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, parts of Mongolia, and parts of China.
It is widely naturalized in northern Europe, New Zealand, and North America.