How much catnip do you need?

I was going to write an article about how to grow catnip or even organic catnip. But after searching the web for articles about the subject I discovered that there is a lot of blogs, articles, ehows on planting, growing, harvesting catnip. There is even a website exclusive to catnip. So why should I write another article about it? Scanning some of them I found that there is great info already out there. The question that comes up now is how much catnip do you need? Are you producing it for sale? Are you making cat toys for your friends?  You can get a lot of catnip leaves, seeds and more plants off one plant what are you going to do with all the rest?

We have own and lived with cats for over 30 years. We at one time had 9 cats. Some were wild, some domesticated, but all had the choice of being indoors or outdoors. Over the years we have always had a catnip toy available.  We love the Hot Cat Catnip toy because of its durability, freshness and longevity in aroma. A couple pieces of tissue paper would always be on the floor in a designated spot with the catnip toy on top. The right to use the catnip was always discussed amongst the cats. When it was time, a new catnip toy was put down. We don’t put catnip in every toy or on every scratching post. How much catnip is too much? I know most cats love the stuff but I don’t think they need to inhale it 24/7!!

Catnip plants? We finally have success with a catnip plant outside in the garden. Planting it in the ground has not been successful. They would destroy it even before I would put a mesh screen around it. We discovered if we planted the catnip in a pot, we could move it around the yard where the cats would not look for it. You have to keep up on the moving, because if it sits in one place too long, they find it and wear it down to nothing. We had one cat, Charlie that would sit on the dead catnip plant in the pot. Even dead it still released an aroma.

Currently in the Kats’n Us family we have only 2 cats. Buddy is 4 years old. He is a rambunctious orange and white tabby. Lucky is 9 years old and is a gray tabby. They have the ability to be indoor or outdoor. We have two catnip plants in about 12 inch plastic pots placed in two different spots in the garden. Every day they go out, check one or the other plant out and then proceed to romp around the yard. They don’t spend all day with the plants and they haven’t destroyed them. They just know that if they need to enjoy its’ aroma, they know where to go. Sometimes for fun I will take a couple of fresh leaves and let them roll in it while bathing in the sun. We keep the plant from flowering so it doesn’t spread and so it stays small for the size pot it is in.

Catnip and cats go together. I have found that the catnip plant has a tendency to reseed itself in the garden and then it is everywhere. If you want to control it, then minimize its blooming. If you want fresh catnip for your cats maybe have one plant amongst your cat lover friends so you all can share in one plants bounty. If you want a great organic catnip toy already made check out the Hot Cat Catnip Toy on our website. We also have available loose dried organic catnip in bags.

Growing plants is fun. Watching cats enjoy a catnip toy or fresh catnip is very enjoyable. We feel it should be part of their daily lives but I don’t think their whole day should be consumed with catnip. The love and play time with us humans, exercise and a healthy diet should also be a part of their daily lives as well. Besides happiness is being owned by cats, we have to remind them of their duties to be in charge.