Thorny catnip

Cats get crazy around catnip. How does this benefit the catnip, given that the plants often gets fairly well beatup in the cat frenzy produced. I deduce that catnip benefits by attracting cats and keeping them nearby. The presence of cats likely deters small mammal herbivores. The cats might also eat large bugs which otherwise would feed on the catnip.

Initially I pondered genetic engineering possibilities for getting catnip essence into landscaping plants which otherwise would be devastated by mice. But even easier would be a catnip spray concentrate to hose onto your plants. Several benefits ensue: 1. Mice are disuaded from visiting your property. Those that do are eaten. 2. By spraying only on thorny plants, the cats will inevitably learn self control and discipline. Yogi cats will result. Yogi cats are suitable for many other purposes, to be dealt with in a seperate idea. 3. Spraying only on large, resistant plants (eg oaks) will not improve cat self control, but will reduce damage done to the landscape by addled cats. 4. The catnip spray will serve to distract cats from your sandbox, fence lizards, ferns or other cat-vulnearble landscaping you might have.