Catnip

[furrykidsmother]

We have a number of catnip toys that we give our "furkids" to play with. I never thought of actually giving them "raw" catnip, but I see so many of them enjoying it on PT. Is it a special grade that they can have raw or is it any plain catnip that you can buy at Target, Walmart Etc., I am an over protective Meowmie and don't want to over do it, but want my kids to have fun. Let me know what you give them. Thanks in advance for the response.

[jazzcat]

I give mine dried catnip that you can buy at petstores, Walmart or Target. They love it!

Just a tip though, give it to them on an easy to clean surface or maybe put down paper or plastic because they will make a mess.

[catnapper]

Funny, I got a free sample of the dried stuff you buy in petstores... I was so sure my little nipheads would love it. I poured it into a laundry basket (Pouncer loves them anyway, so why not combine his two loves?) He ignored it! I tried again later, same reslut. I was sooo disappointed! So I stick to the toys.

[catmandu]

ITS ABOUT 50/50.WITH THE FOUND CATS.RAGNAR,MOOSE ,MICHAEL,AND THE TUXEDOS,AND PRINCESS,LOVE IT.BUT THE MEEEZERS,COULD CARE LESS! SO ITS A BIT MORE,FOR THE PORCH CATS,WHO LOVE,IT TOO.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Catnip is a weird thing. Tubby liked the dried stuff and showed a little interest in the toys, but he absolutely went bonkers over fresh catnip. Peanut loves it all and CJ gobbles the dried stuff down like it's food or something, adores the toys, but totally ignores the pot of fresh catnip in their little outdoor cage thingy. So it's really different for every cat I guess.

[LauraT7]

The catnip itself can be different, too -

I bought a baggie of "natural grown" dried catnip at the petstore (not one of the big commercial pet brands)- Pixel LOVES the stuff, and I keep his little mouse toys in the bag so that they get lots of catnip worked into them -

If he can, he will get into the cabinet and steal the whole plastic bag! Once he got it and chewed a corner of it open, and I found it behind the refridgerator! I had to put what was left in a sandwich baggie, so now I don't have the package for the "brand' name.

I also signed up for that freebie packet of goodies from Hartz -
(online at their website, in case you missed it) and that goodie bag also came with a small package of dried catnip. however, it must not be as 'good' or as strong smelling, as Pixel totally ignored that bag of catnip! I did notice that it seemed 'drier' and more finely ground - maybe it was old stock? but he definately doesn't pay as much attention to 'nip from that bag!

I got some seeds at the store and am trying to grow my own in a pot - we'll see how that turns out! right now they are only tiny seedlings, and he ignores them. I have them in a hanging pot, just to keep him OUT of them until they get pretty well 'established'.


laura

[Glacier]

I buy the Cosmic Brand catnip. Almost all the kitties go nuts for it. I also grow nip plants for them. Psycho kitties for that stuff!

If you have a cat who ignores nip, you might want to try honeysuckle. Twicket doesn't care for nip, but he acts like a kitten when he gets a honeysuckle toy.

[AbbyMom]

I think that catnip is like any other herb--when it's old it loses its potency. I also buy the Cosmic brand and my kitties love it! (MY little RB tiger didn't care about catnip at all.)

Last weekend I bought catnip at the nursery and planted it in my herb garden. Only one kitty (out of two) seems to care for it.

Go figure!

[orangemm]

Mine go bonkers over Cosmic Catnip. I buy the big tubs and freeze it in batches. They KNOW when I get the container out of the drawer and start begging & crying.

We're growing fresh this year, so we'll see if the boys like it. All my other cats used to go crazy for the fresh.

Each one plays with it in his/her own unique way.

Buzzy used to roll in it and eat it; Dali sniffed it, Daisy sat her butt on it, Mikey ate it and now my boys roll around like fools over it.

Wish I had something comparable!

[catcrazylady]

My cats don't care for some of the dry catnip. I've noticed that when it's old they don't seem to care for it. The fresher, greener stuff drives them nuts!!!

[moosmom]

Catnapper,

The catnip was probably stale. Whenever my friend Kathy gives me some of her fresh stuff out of her garden, I hang it to dry and then put it in a ziplock baggie and stick it in the freezer.

I've tried growing catnip from seeds and it didn't work. Kathy said she'd give me a grown plant to stick in the ground. I'll let you know how it does.

[QueenScoopalot]

I've got a housefull of Cosmic Catnip addicts as well. I grow it fresh in the garden, and being a member of the mint family, once it takes it comes back more and more every year! You can often find pots of fresh nip at the grocery store in the prduce section for a few $$ and planted outside early and allowed to go to seed, you'll have a supply for years to come. I harvest the seeds which look like tiny poppy seeds and freeze them to throw in the garden the next year.