Onddoka's Catnip

Safe and secure catnip for cats

Catnip has a similar effect to silver vine, but is less irritating. With the desire to make cats happy with this kind of catnip, Ondokka has created the "Catnip sachet," a small bag of dried catnip .

We ask Nakamura-en, a company that produces high-quality teas and herbs in Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, to manufacture our catnip, with a focus on safe, domestic production. This manufacturer is able to consistently provide superior products by handling everything from the production of raw materials to processing.

The leaves are dried in a special machine with temperature and humidity settings that are tailored to the type and purpose of the leaves, resulting in a uniform finish. In addition, the leaves are dried using low-temperature warm air, which allows many of the active ingredients to remain, resulting in dried catnip that is fragrant and beautiful in color.

What kind of plant is catnip?

Catnip is a perennial herb native to Asia and Europe, characterized by its long, heart-shaped leaves. The name comes from the fact that cats love to chew (nip) it. It has a refreshing minty scent and contains a component*1 that gives cats a euphoric feeling. It is a highly safe plant that has been cultivated in Europe since ancient Roman times and is popular in herbal teas and potpourri.

The difference between catnip and silver vine

Silver vine is a deciduous climbing plant that grows wild in mountainous and hilly areas throughout Japan. The gall-like fruits that contain insect eggs are called "insect galls," and cats love the ingredients contained in these fruits .

When cats smell silver vinegar, it acts on the central nervous system of the brain, secreting the so-called happiness hormone *3 . This euphoric sensation relaxes cats, and if you put one in a toy, they will play and relieve stress. Also, many people sprinkle silver vinegar powder on their food or treats to feed them when they have no appetite.

On the other hand, catnip is used in the same way, but it has a gentler effect. It can be given to cats without worry, even though catnip can get quite excited about catnip.

How to use catnip and precautions

If you feed it out of the bag, give it to your pet in small amounts. Although it is gentle, giving your pet too much at once can make it sick.

If you want to let your cat enjoy the smell, rub the bag on the toy to give it a smell, or put it inside the toy. Ondokka also sells a toy called "Cat Kicker" that contains catnip. You can easily try catnip, so please check out the product page. (Some cats may not show a euphoric reaction even when given catnip.)

Please do not give it to cats that have epilepsy. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) has warned about this, as research has shown that it is likely to cause seizures in rats. Also, do not give it to pregnant cats, as it has a uterine stimulating effect that promotes menstruation.

Recommended for these cats

This is recommended for cats who get too excited about catnip, cats who get violent with other cats in a multi-pet household, sensitive cats who are easily stressed, and cats who are nervous because they just came into the home... You can see cats rolling around on the floor, purring and looking very happy.

*1 Nepetalactone, etc. *2 Nepetalactol , etc. *3 β-endorphin