Catnip Survey 2008

Latest results from the Sparkipuss Catnip Survey reveal that 89.3% of cats are partial to catnip!

This natural herb has felines rolling around in bliss and is an excellent way to help your cat exercise and have fun at the same time! You can even encourage your cat to drink more by brewing catnip tea and serving it cold to your feline  friend.

Click here to download the full Catnip Survey, with details and photos of some of the survey participants, aged from 8 weeks to 18 years old...

(Above) Milly, aged 8 weeks old, with her sparkipuss luxury organic catnip cushion
 

Everyone likes natural products and that goes for the toys that our feline friends are licking and kicking around the house.
 
There's a plethora of cheap imported catnip toys available on the market, but we're usually oblivious to the the origin, work practices and chemicals used by the producers of these toys. Here are a few reasons why you might like to  choose toys containing organically-grown natural catnip:
 
• Although catnip itself is a highly effective repellent of cockroaches and mosquitoes (even better than deet), the plants do succumb to insect infestations. Organic farmers use companion planting and other natural controls to preserve  their crop but of course conventionally-farmed catnip is regularly treated with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, which then also ends up in the soil and water system as well as on the plant.
 
  • Cats often like to eat catnip in small quantities, which is harmless if it's organic but could be a bit of a chemical cocktail if not.
 
  • Organically-grown catnip has been shown to contain much higher levels of the active ingredient Nepetelactone - the stuff that drives cats wild!
 
  • Check the cat toy packaging - most cat toys come from the Far East and in order to clear Customs they have often been fumigated before arrival (it's not just cat toys that undergo this process). These treatments are designed to prevent introduction of pest species and use highly toxic chemicals such as Phosphine (which can kill at low concentrations).  Of course the catnip grown in the Far East is usually grown with herbicides and pesticides too... what a lovely toxic treat to give your cat to lick and chew on!

(Above) Minky with her sparkipuss luxury organic catnip cushion

sparkipuss pure and potent catnip is grown especially for us on a Certified Organic medicinal  herb farm deep in rural France. As the majority of catnip is imported from the USA or the Far East, we’re pleased to be able to offer a super strong European catnip that hasn’t clocked up thousands of airmiles or involved unethical trade practices.

(Above) Catmint - or catnip - in its natural, fresh form (Nepeta cataria)