Cats love catnip! Loose catnip can be sprinkled any place that you want your cat to play or used to recharge catnip toys or cat scratchers. Catnip sprinkled on your cat's food will help increase digestion.
THE NATURE OF CATNIP
Catnip is the common name of Nepeta cataria, a member of the mint family. Like all mints, it has aromatic oils on the surface of its leaves. The magic of catnip comes from nepetalacone, one of the chemical constituents of its aromatic oil. When the fragile membranes around the leaves are broken, the scent is released. A pleasure center in the cat’s brain is triggered and they go into cat happiness.
Cats are genetically programmed to enjoy catnip. The gene doesn’t turn on until about six months of age, however, so kittens are not at all affected by catnip. It’s definitely an adult experience. Not all cats indulge, however. Around thirty percent of cats don’t seem to have the gene, so catnip doesn’t affect them at all. But if they have the gene, felines of all sizes love catnip – from housecats to tigers and cheetahs and pumas. Worldwise made a giant cat scratcher about the size of a twin bed impregnated with catnip for the mountain lion at the Folsom Zoo in Folsom, California. An animal sanctuary in Florida is using our SmartyKat BubbleNip to help injured panthers heal.
QUALITY MAKES A DIFFERENCE
When choosing catnip, look for products that say “100% catnip” on the label. Some catnip products contain non-catnip fillers such as straw. Choose a product that has a high percentage of recognizable leaves. Dust and stems do not provide the essential oils that attract cats.
High quality, fresh catnip is dark green and has a minty fragrance that you can smell through the package. If you can’t smell the catnip don’t buy it, your cat won’t be able to smell it either.
CERTIFIED ORGANICALLY GROWN
Some companies claim that their catnip is “organically grown” but it is not certified. Organic certification indicates that the catnip has met rigorous standards for growing, handling, processing and packaging.
STORAGE
Store catnip in a cool dry place when not in use. The freezer is fine, but don’t store it in the refrigerator because it is too damp. Plastic zip-lock bags and glass jars with lids are good storage containers.
Properly stored catnip can last about one year from harvest. When you can no longer smell the catnip, it’s time to toss the leaves. Out in the garden would be a good place for disposal – let them return to the Earth.
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