Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) is a member of the Mint family of aromatic herbs.

Catnip is a common aromatic herb of the high deserts of North America. Catnip was naturalized in Canada from it's indigenous roots of Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. Catnip has been used for centuries by herbalists as a treatment for colic, headache, toothache, a mild sedative (an excellent sleep inducing agent), and an antispasmodic in adults and children.

The domestic cat along with the great cats of the wild, respond bio-chemically to a compound called nepetalactone. This chemical is the primary constituent in the essential oil of catnip. Nepetalactone induces a harmless physiological reaction in some cats. This reaction has been studied extensively, and has been found to induce a phycho-sexual response in both male and female cats. One might say that catnip has an aphrodisiac effect.

As the name (cat-nip) suggests, cats love to nip at it, although watching them it might better be called (cat-roll) for they seem to roll, rub, and totally crush the plant into the ground. They discover that the more they crush it the more oil it releases.

Catnip is best provided to kitty in a small pinch. Crush the dried herb between your fingers and then sprinkle it into a box or on your cats scratching post. NEVER put catnip into your cats food! This may upset their diet and eating habits. It is fine for kitty to eat catnip, but always be cautious of hard stalk chunks, which may be in the catnip.

The fresher the product, the more the reaction. Many toys are sold as "with catnip", which supposedly encourages the cat to play. This rarely works as the toys have been on the shelf for some time. Toys made with fresh catnip, such as the catnip I use, is more enjoyable to the kitties. For the catnip-loving cat, sniffing this herb is harmless and non-addictive.

CLAIRE'S CATNIP TOYS

I am a cooperative member of the company that has been in business for 25 years and is responsible for growing this exceptional CATNIP. This product is certified organic and has met with all the USDA requirements in compliance with the National Organic Program which went into effect October 21, 2002.

All of my toys are stuffed with pure CATNIP. I use no fillers.

The comments that I have received from people purchasing one of my toys has proven, beyond doubt, that this is a CATNIP well worth introducing to our kitties.

(All sizes are approximate and not always cat-related materials are used but all are stuffed with my CATNIP. No fill is used.)

Cats’ claws continue to grow throughout their lives. Periodically, the base of each nail is encased in a scaly sheath. This scaly sheath causes them discomfort when they retract their claws. Scratching is the cat’s natural method of removing the scaly sheath. In nature the cat will scratch trees or logs, but in the house, people want kitty to be selective and not scratch the furniture. Therefore, to save your furniture, I have added these safe and effective cat scratchers. To attract your cat, a generous amount of Catnip has been either been applied to the scratcher or included with it.