What technically IS the effect of catnip on cats?

What technically IS the effect of catnip on cats?
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answer:Taken from this paper “The response to catnip is characterized by sniffing, then licking and chewing with head shaking, followed by chin and cheek rubbing and then a headover roll and body rubbing (14). Spontaneous vocalization occurs occasionally and has been interpreted as a response to hallucinations (1).” It has some other stuff as well, and a lot of references if you wish to take a much further study into it. I took that from the references in the Wikipedia article of catnip (or nepeta). This HowStuffWorks article, also taken from Wikipedia citations, has a short, simplified description of the reactions and what it is, and it does state that “very young kittens and older cats seem less likely to have a reaction to catnip” but it has no reference on where a ‘study’ on this can be found.
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Related questions

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What the hell is in catnip that makes cats go nuts?

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Last Answer : answer:From How Stuff Works: Although no one knows exactly what happens in the cat's brain, it is known that the chemical nepetalactone in catnip is the thing that triggers the response. Apparently, it ... and why one has to be careful about using harsh chemical cleaners where a cat may walk, etc.

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