What is catnip anyway? What does it do to make your kitty so silly? Why does your cat select the cat toy to play with that has the scent of catnip before any other toy?
Catnip is a flowering plant (Nepeta) that is dried and packaged, often sold as a cat toy but more often it is used inside of cat toys. Cat toy manufacturers frequently use it to enhance their toys. Homemade cat toys are usually stuffed or filled with a poly fiberfill and yup you guessed it, catnip. It's sometimes even referred to as "cat pot"!
You can grow your own catnip or mint right in your herb garden. It is very easy to grow and is a perennial plant so once you have an established plant it will not only bloom every year but will actually multiply. Your home grown plants leaves can be dried in the microwave or a dehydrator for your fur baby's delight. Once the leaves have been dried they can be stored in air tight bags or containers for future enjoyment by your kitty. You will find the seeds in the vegetable section of your local garden shop but beware that every cat in the neighborhood will frequent your garden. When you look out the window at your garden, don't be surprised to see a cat or two rolling around on the plants and grinning from ear to ear!
Catmint or catnip has an effect on cats that makes them happy, elated, excited and playful. While it usually does not have any effect on kittens, adult cats go nuts for it! Most cats are crazy about it! Each cat has a different reaction to fresh catnip, some cats have been said to actually eat a hole in the carpet where it was sprinkled for them. It can actually be sprinkled sparingly in their food occasionally. Be sure that it is thoroughly dry before storing in air tight containers to prevent mold from forming. If moisture is evident in any of the stored bags, discard and begin again drying out the leaves.
If you choose not to grow your own, be sure to look for quality catnip grown in the USA for your cat. Store it in a zip lock bag or a container that can be sealed to keep the freshness and give kitty a little at a time. You may even need to hide the container so kitty will not attempt to "break in" to it!
Using catnip to cheer up your cat is a great way to entertain yourself as well. Just watching your cats' silly reaction to fresh catnip will keep you laughing and kitty will love you for it.
Cat Toys For Less offers you an ever-growing selection of fun cat toys that will keep your special friend busy (and active) for hours. Keeping your indoor cat active helps prevent health risks such as obesity.
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