Catnip (Nepta cataria)
is classified as an herb and is a member of the mint family. The aroma of fresh or dried catnip can send cats into what we call “kitty frenzy” or others will just become calm and relax. The experts are not really sure how or why it affects cats but they definitely have an attraction for it. Whether they roll in it, lick or chew it, the “kitty frenzy” doesn’t last long but is sure fun to watch!
So how do you pick a good catnip toy?
Catnip has a stronger smell when it is a live plant then when it is dried. But don’t discount the dried. If grown right, the dried catnip properties can last for awhile. All catnip toys use dried catnip. Most catnip toys have “toy grade” (sticks & stems) or cotton fillers, or plastic.
Unfortunately there are too many products on the market that have very little catnip in them and therefore doesn’t last a long time. You might think your cat isn’t affected by catnip. Only 20% of cats do not react to catnip. So if my cat wasn’t reacting, I would wonder about the product and not the cat. You also do not know how long the product has been on the shelf.
Kats’n Us discovered the Hot Cat Catnip that we use in our Tubes of Cat Toys many years back, even before we became a company. We were so impressed with how our cats reacted to it and how long the product lasted, we were sold.
This product and its company have been around since the 1980’s. They are certified Organic growers right here in Oregon. Their hot catnip cigars are carefully sewn of sturdy denim twill in a bright assortment of colorful prints. These cigars are stuffed 100% with pure catnip…. No fillers!
We can have one of their catnip cigars laying on a piece of tissue in the living room and that cigar has been licked, chewed, flattened… everything and the Kats’n Us cats still play with it!
After all of this field testing by our cats, we decided that this product should be the main cat toy in our tubes. If you don’t think you cat likes catnip, you should try these Catnip Toys! These cigars are shipped to us direct from the company fresh your door.
People often tell us that their cat never liked catnip before, but goes crazy over their Hot Cat toy. We think the secret is the potency of catnip – and the quantity. These catnip cigars only have the best, most aromatic leaves and flowering tops.
Special note: Also, kittens up to the age of about 9 months often ignore or show fear of catnip. If your kitten acts this way, put the toy away until kitty get older.
Summary of the benefits of Hot Cat Catnip:
*Stuffed with pure catnip-no fillers
*Eye catching design-Hot Cats come in an assortment of eye catching colors, patterns, and prints, including bright stripes and florals.
*Tough-will withstand mauling
Fresh and potent-Hot Cat Catnip is stuffed with only certified organically grown#1 quality catnip leaf and flower- Even though the cellophane packages seal in the aroma, most cats will smell the difference right through the bag.
Growing Catnip in the yard:
Catnip is a perennial herb that is easily grown in a full sun location with well drained soil. It can be very adventurous so to keep it under control, keep it from flowering. Prune the buds before the blooms set seed. Otherwise you will see catnip plants all over the yard!
If you can get the plant to grow in your landscape with out it being destroyed by your cats, you are better at it than we are! The thing that is amazing is if only stocks or even dead stocks of the plant are visible, cats will still enjoy it.
One solution that our of our customers found was to use Chicken Wire:
Put a crown of chicken wire over the plant, close to the ground. As the catnip grows through the wire and gets eaten, the roots will remain intact, growing new catnip. Make sure the edges of the wire are tucked in securely. Catnip is a hardy plant, even in frigid temperatures, so if the roots remain, you will see it year after year.