Not all cats respond to catnip, but most cats do. The sensitivity to catnip is an inherited trait, and while most cats carry the gene that makes them sensitive to catnip, not all cats exhibit a response to it.

Studies have shown that around 50-70% of cats are sensitive to catnip, with the remaining cats either showing no response or exhibiting a mild response. The sensitivity to catnip is not dependent on a cat’s breed, although some breeds may be more likely to exhibit a response than others.

Among the breeds that are known to be more likely to respond to catnip are Siamese, Abyssinian, and Maine Coon cats. However, this is not a hard and fast rule, and individual cats within these breeds may still not exhibit a response to catnip.

The sensitivity to catnip is thought to be inherited as a dominant trait, which means that if a cat inherits the gene for sensitivity to catnip from one parent, it will exhibit a response to catnip, even if the other parent does not carry the gene.

It is worth noting that the sensitivity to catnip can also be affected by a cat’s age and sex. Young kittens and older cats are less likely to respond to catnip than adult cats, and male cats are more likely to exhibit a response to catnip than female cats.

In summary, while most cats carry the gene that makes them sensitive to catnip, not all cats exhibit a response to it. The sensitivity to catnip is not dependent on a cat’s breed, although some breeds may be more likely to respond than others. The sensitivity to catnip is thought to be inherited as a dominant trait, and individual cats within the same breed may still exhibit a different response to catnip.

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