Not ALL cats react to Catnip, or to Purr, and as yet there is no firm evidence to say why this is, but on the whole they go crazy for it, roll about on it, rub against it and generally make a big deal over it. (Purr has a 100% money back guarantee - Catnip does not!!) The reaction to Catnip usually lasts about 5 minutes or less, with a 'cool off' period of about 2 hours, before they return and have the same reaction again. We have found that the reaction to Purr tends to last significantly longer in many cats, sometimes as long as half an hour, with a cool off period of about the same length of time as catnip. No-one is exactly sure why it works, but one popular theory is that the chemical nepetalactone is responsible, being found in both Catnip and female cat pheromones - although still no explanation is given as to why female cats seem to enjoy Catnip just as much as male cats. Even big cats such as lions and tigers have been know to have a reaction to catnip. We're still waiting for an opportunity to see if any big cats react to Purr, but as soon as we have we'll put the pictures in the Gallery. The closest we've been able to get so far is with Zen. (Zen is descended from an ocelot and an Asian leopard cat cross).
