Don't go lathering yourselves with catnip right away. While it is debatable whether it has any effect at all on big cats, nepetalactone has not shown to be an effective repellent when used on the skin.
Other "natural" insect repellents can be found all over the place, but natural should not be mistaken for either effective or safe. Just because it comes from a plant does not make it safe. After all, old ladies in novels have been offing people using oleander leaves and digitalis in salads for decades. If a compound is an effective pesticide (or deterrent) it often has some negative effects on other living things.
Catnip, however, is not harmful to cats and has no "overdose." It binds to olfactory receptors and simulates a cat pheromone. Primarily domestic cats are affected – and not all domestic cats react. It might be an inherited trait. It has also historically be used in soothing teas, poultices, and other herbal treatments for humans.
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