Catnip doesn`t just trigger feelings of euphoria in cats - it also helps them repel ...
(World News Science)

As well as sending cats crazy, catnip helps our feline friends repel mosquitoes, according to a new study by Japanese experts. Both catnip, a common herb, and the even more potent silver vine are known to elicit euphoric responses in cats. Cat owners use the dry leaves of these plants to give joy to their pet cats, often manifested as rolling around, pawing and appearing `zoned out`. Chemical compounds in both catnip and silver vine (nepetalactone and nepetalactol, respectively) strongly induce the characteristic behaviour. But experts think cats rub against both catnip and silver vine to transfer these compounds to their fur as protection against mosquitoes and parasitic insects....