TOKYO: A study led by Japanese researchers has found that the main component of silver vine, which makes cats euphoric, is effective in repelling mosquitoes.

Felines, which hide in bushes to watch their prey, may have evolved to use silver vine, known in Japan as “matatabi,” to protect themselves from mosquitoes, said a team including Iwate University professor Masao Miyazaki and Nagoya University professor Toshio Nishikawa.

Its study was published in the US journal Science Advances on Thursday.

Silver vine belongs to the Actinidiaceae family, which includes kiwifruit. Catnip, a herb of the Lamiaceae family, is also known as a plant that cats love.

Previous studies had found that catnip’s main component is nepetalactone, a chemical substance with an insect-repelling effect.

Through high-precision analyses and experiments, the team found that the main component of silver vine is nepetalactol, a substance similar to nepetalactone, and that it can elicit a stronger reaction from cats.

When nepetalactol clings to cats after they rub their faces and heads against silver vine leaves, they experienced a rise in blood levels of beta-endorphin, a neurotransmitter with an analgesic effect that can bring a sense of euphoria.

The experiments also confirmed that cats anointed with nepetalactol are less likely to be bitten by Asian tiger mosquitoes.

JIJI Press