Asking for my cat: What's the best, most potent catnip my human can buy?

February 27, 2020 8:40 PM

I, the aforementioned human, took my aging, multi-ailment cat to my awesome cat-only vet today. She's doing pretty well all things considered, but at the vet she discovered some left-over catnip from a previous visitor and went bonkers. I haven't seen her act that nutty and playful in years! And at the vet no less!! Obviously I've been a bad human all these years providing inferior catnip. I need to remedy this. Help me!

I bought up my vet's supply (little catnip pouches) but they're unlabelled and I forgot to write the brand down when the vet told me. I'll follow up there as well but cat-loving mefites, what catnip have your cats just lurrrrrved? I need the good stuff.

Bonus points if it's available for online ordering in Canada or at least at a Canadian pet store chain.

Askme cat tax paid in full. But really, you're also helping all three return to these former levels of goofy bliss.

posted by cgg to Pets & Animals (11 answers total)

We grow it in the yard (it’s a perennial and a mint so it’s pretty hardy - we keep it in a big planter because otherwise it would spread everywhere, so you could definitely grow in a pot too). We started it with a $3 plant from Walmart one spring. Should be available anywhere herb plants are sold. All four kitties we’ve had have highly approved of it so far!
posted by Tandem Affinity at 8:46 PM on February 27, 2020 [1 favorite]

Yeowww! Stinkies are the most potent catnip toys I’ve found. The other Yeowww! brand toys like the banana are strong, but not as strong as the fish-shaped Stinkies. My cat loves them.
posted by homodachi at 9:15 PM on February 27, 2020 [10 favorites]

The Chronic was a favorite in our household, when the homegrown wasn't available.

Like Tandem Affinity above, we have a container on the porch that started as a $3-5 pot from a nursery and has been growing for years. The fresh stuff seems more potent than anything packaged.
posted by toxic at 9:24 PM on February 27, 2020

Cats sometimes love Valerian root wich isn't as common but a little sprinkle goes a long way. I mention this because one of my cats is catnip eh and valarian crazy.
posted by AlexiaSky at 10:32 PM on February 27, 2020 [2 favorites]

Try smelling catnip yourself. Stronger/fresher smell = you know how this goes.
posted by amtho at 1:27 AM on February 28, 2020

My kitties who like catnip loooove silvervine. Check the labels to see if it's mixed in with the catnip because that's how it is often sold (as a mix.)
posted by mightshould at 3:28 AM on February 28, 2020

My cat, who doesn't love catnip unless it's REALLY good, likes silvervine. Here's the one I have gotten for her. Also, the Yeowww brand toys have some potent 'nip and are pretty universally beloved in my experience.
posted by Stewriffic at 3:52 AM on February 28, 2020

I was also coming in to say "catnip banana!" (the Yeowww brand as Stewriffic mentioned, but this one's on amazon.ca.) They are so potent, a human can smell them through the box, through the plastic bags they are stoutly wrapped in. They reek. And they're very well made. We replace them yearly just because (Christmas!), but there's still lots of life in the old ones if you just squish them around a bit. My cats absolutely love them.
posted by tomboko at 4:37 AM on February 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

I was also coming to recommend the Yeowww brand toys. My cats have historically loved them.

Also, this question really made me smile, and you are a good human.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:25 AM on February 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

I have never seen any catnip that affected my cats as much as olive tapenade.
posted by grateful at 11:19 AM on February 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Just coming in here to say that, on all your recommendations, I bought a Yeowww banana for my cat which arrived today. His reaction to it has been insane. He loves it. I've never seen him pounce on a toy and rub his face all over it as much as that. He's also tried to get into the bag it was sent in. I've put some of his old toys in that bag and sealed them up so they might absorb some of whatever magic is in the Yeowww catnip.
posted by essexjan at 5:59 AM on February 29, 2020 [6 favorites]