How does catnip affect cats?
Researchers suspect that catnip targets feline "happy" receptors in the brain. When eaten, however, catnip tends to have the opposite effect and your cat mellows out. Most cats react to catnip by rolling, flipping, rubbing, and eventually zoning out. They may meow or growl at the same time.
Catnip affects most cats in a very similar way to how THC affects most humans. Cats typically become very relaxed after ingesting either fresh or dried catnip. Occasionally, however, a cat may have no reaction whatsoever to catnip. These cats may react with relaxation to silvervine instead.