For Cats Only: Catnip Toys from Germany
My fellow blogger friend Marc-Andre of the Katzenworld blogs asked me if I would write an article about a line of very nicely made catnip toys. I readily agreed and within a couple of weeks, I received a package in the mail from the U.K. I live on the West Coast of the U.S.A. The package contained seven very attractive toys filled with 100% organic catnip. Marc had asked me to choose between catnip only and catnip plus valerian, and I chose the catnip only.
My husband Vic and I have three cats, Effie, Halvor, and Paladin. Vic discovered an article citing an interesting statistic: approximately 1 in 3 cats does not like catnip, won’t touch it. That’s our Paladin, validating the statistics. Paladin hates catnip. He won’t touch it. He actually runs away from it! Effie and Halvor love catnip. Go figure.
The 4cats company blends a special organic catnip. I asked Marc what the inspiration was behind the company. He gave me a fascinating answer:
“4CatsHistory: So how did it all start? Many years ago the mother of the current head of the company, Markus Friedrich, wanted to support their local cat rescue and started stitching little pillows with valerian filling for cats, these made it into three local pet shops and were sold as a “good cause” to raise money for charity.
As time went by Markus Friedrich realised that cat toys could be something better and more important than the usual little extra on a trip to the pet shop or as in the case of his mother a way of raising money for charity! And this was how he together with his partner Marion Hamacher came up with the idea to produce cat toys in ever increasing quantities. In Germany alone, some of the leading large pet retail chains now stock the 4Cats toys but it doesn’t just stop there. They even export to Japan, Taiwan, Turkey, and of course now also the UK!”
If you’d like to get any of these for your own cats they are available via the Katzenworld Shop and can be posted worldwide.
What lovely looking toys! My previous cat Purrince Siddhartha Henry DID NOT like catnip generally altho’ he did like the handmade catnip pouches our vet sells. He was more a Silvervine kind of fellow.
My new girl BellaDharma LOVES catnip….a lot…..
Sherri-Ellen 🙂
Not sure Daisy Mae would like catnip valerian toys or not. I do know when I won a giveaway and the prize was a catnip mat I opened that envelope and Daisy Mae loved it. I want to see pictures of BellaDharma playing with those toys.
sweet kittties
Not all cats like catnip. Miss Frankie Lulu Belle couldn’t care less about it, while BB goes batso for about 30 seconds and then never goes near whatever catnip filled toy just had made him a little cuckoo.
Some cats go mad for valerian or silvervine instead but still not guarantee that there will always be a herb for a cat that’s not reacted to catnip.
Our cats are snobs when it comes to catnip – it has to be a good quality, or they’ll just ignore it. We’ve found a few brands that suit they’re pickiness, and 4Cats is one that they love! ? They love their valerian toys too.
I wonder if cat nip toys would have trouble getting through customs? Mika does not seem to understand the catnip toys I’ve gotten her. But she responds well to the Calming spray. Thankfully! Works every time………Cheers,H