Catnip oil
Oils, catnip
Botanical repellent from catnip (Nepeta cataria). Its main active is nepetalactone, a spatial repellent that keeps mosquitoes at a distance rather than killing them. Controlled and field studies report protection that can rival low-concentration DEET for a few hours.
How it works
Nepetalactone activates the insect TRPA1 irritant receptor and works largely as a spatial (vapour-phase) repellent, deterring mosquitoes before they land rather than acting only on contact.
Safety around dogs & cats
Catnip oil (nepetalactone) is not toxic to cats; it produces the familiar harmless euphoric response, and it is low concern for dogs. It is one of the few plant repellents that is genuinely pet-benign, though a large ingested dose of the concentrated oil can still cause temporary drooling or stomach upset.
Moderate confidence. Ratings from ASPCA Animal Poison Control, the Pet Poison Helpline, and published veterinary toxicology. This is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is exposed, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
The evidence
A 2024 Y-tube olfactometer study found catnip oil at concentrations as low as 2% repelled over 70% of Aedes aegypti, with a 2% lotion staying effective up to 4 hours. A 2026 human landing catch field trial in Uganda found 6% catnip oil matched 15% DEET (about 89-95% fewer landings) over a 4-hour evening window, with 2% somewhat lower. Protection is real but shorter-lived than high-concentration DEET or picaridin.
- Evaluating repellence properties of a catnip essential oil-based mosquito repellent using the human landing catch method in Eastern Uganda2026Field TrialWell-supported evidence
A field test of whether a lotion made from locally grown catnip could repel mosquitoes as well as commercial DEET in rural Eastern Uganda. Catnip oil (over 92% nepetalactone, distilled from plants grown in the Budaka district) was formulated at 2% and 6% and compared against a 15% DEET product and a catnip-free control, with an eye toward an affordable, locally produced alternative in a malaria-endemic area.
- Evaluating repellence properties of catnip essential oil against the mosquito species Aedes aegypti using a Y-tube olfactometer2024LabWell-supported evidence
A lab test of catnip oil, rich in nepetalactone, as an Aedes aegypti repellent using a Y-tube choice test between a treated and untreated hand. Even a 2% dilution repelled most mosquitoes, and a 2% lotion held up for around four hours.
Products using it
Regulatory notes
EPA-registered active ingredient: refined oil of Nepeta cataria is registered as a skin-applied repellent (for example the DuPont registrations at 7% and 15%), though few consumer products currently carry it. It is not on the FIFRA 25(b) minimum risk list. Nepetalactone has a well-established research record as a spatial repellent.