It’s pretty well known that catnip is the equivalent of kitty drugs. For many cats, one whiff of this natural herb gets them buzzed and makes them act absolutely ridiculous. Some cats mellow out while around go from zero to a hundred in 0.1 of a second. It’s not just our housecats that like catnip; many large cats such as bobcats, lions, and tigers have the same response!
There are a lot of catnip and catnip-related products on the markets lately, so we’ve reviewed and researched some of the top products with the most reviews to bring you our latest top ten list of best catnips for cats! We hope to offer you some direction to finding a fix for your feline.
A Quick Look at Our 2023 Favorites
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Yeowww! Organic Catnip
Free from chemicals such as pesticides
Finely chopped
High potency
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Best Value
Fat Cat Zoom Catnip
Grown in the USA
The small bag reduces spoilage after opening
Cheap
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Premium Choice
Meowijuana Whisker Catnip
Assists in alleviating anxiety
Hand-sifted to maintain a smooth texture
Free from chemicals
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Van Ness Fresh Nip
Made in the USA
Strong scent
Packaging maintains freshness
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From The Field Stalkless Catnip
Smooth texture free from stalks
100% natural
Made in the USA
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The 10 Best Catnips
Our overall best catnip for cats choice is this tub from Yeowww. This catnip is certified organic s contains only 100% pure leaves and flowers of the catnip plant, chopped finely. No chemical pesticides are used in the growth and processing of Yeowww’s Organic Catnip, and it’s processed to remove hard sticks and stems that offer no real benefit to cats and can be a choking hazard.
Packaging: 2-oz tub
Form: Dried leaf and flower
Organic: Yes
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We loved this product for its simple but potent product. There are no bells and whistles in this tub of catnip, but it has mountains of reviews backing up its high potency claims. It appears the high-quality plant and processing has proven to be superior in creating just good catnip! Most of the negative reviews are to do with the packaging, a simple plastic tub, which breaks easily and has broken in transit in a few instances.
Pros
Free from chemicals such as pesticides
Finely chopped
High potency
Cons
Poor quality packaging
Our best value choice is the Kitty Hoots Fat Cat Zoom Around The Room Organic Catnip. It offers all the goodness of quality locally grown catnip in a very affordable package. While the packaging is small, we see this as a positive thing! Your cat only needs small amounts of nip, and once catnip is exposed to air, it starts to lose its potency, so this small package means you will likely use all the catnip up before it goes off. The small package is cheap, and you can purchase it in bundles of 1, 2, 4, or 6. Definitely the best catnip for the money on the market.
Free from chemicals such as pesticides
Finely chopped
High potency
- Free from chemicals such as pesticides
- Finely chopped
- High potency
Poor quality packaging
- Poor quality packaging
Packaging: ½-oz plastic bag (can be purchased in bundles)
Form: Dried leaf and flower
Organic: Yes
However, while it is proudly marketed to be grown in the US, it’s then shipped offshore for processing and returned to the US for selling. But for this price, there’s only so much they can do! Some reviewing customers didn’t love how powdery the product was, as it tended to make more of a mess.
Pros
Grown in the USA
The small bag reduces spoilage after opening
Cheap
Cons
Processed offshore
Slightly powdery
The Meowijuana Whisker Tickler Catnip is one of many catnip blends from Meowijuana. This particular product is blended with chamomile and dandelion to create a fusion that helps to relax cats. Reviewers have positive things to say about that, citing their success in calming down high-strung cats. With great results like that, this can be a natural alternative to help to ease anxiety in cats.
Grown in the USA
The small bag reduces spoilage after opening
Cheap
- Grown in the USA
- The small bag reduces spoilage after opening
- Cheap
Processed offshore
Slightly powdery
- Processed offshore
- Slightly powdery
Packaging: 1-oz plastic tube
Form: Dried herbal blend
Organic: Yes
Most reviews stated they did not like the lid on the tube as it resembled one you would get with proper medication. Its push-and-turn childlock lid was super difficult for some to open. If you struggle with such things, then this may not suit you!
Pros
Assists in alleviating anxiety
Hand-sifted to maintain a smooth texture
Free from chemicals
Cons
Hard to open packaging
This dried catnip from Van Ness Fresh Nip for Cats is another excellent choice. It’s a simple, finely ground product, but reviews show it works well, boosting a strong scent and a high potency. It is also grown, processed, and packaged in the USA, a big drawcard for many.
Assists in alleviating anxiety
Hand-sifted to maintain a smooth texture
Free from chemicals
- Assists in alleviating anxiety
- Hand-sifted to maintain a smooth texture
- Free from chemicals
Hard to open packaging
- Hard to open packaging
Packaging: Resealable 1-oz foil bag
Form: Dried flowers and leaves
Organic: Yes
We really liked the resealable foil packaging that keeps catnip fresh between uses. However, while this catnip is advertised as smooth and delicate, many customers found sharp stems mixed in.
Pros
Made in the USA
Strong scent
Packaging maintains freshness
Cons
Contains some sharp stems
Another highly rated catnip is the From The Field Stalkless Catnip. This company prides itself on its 100% natural products free from any chemicals, additives, or preservatives. In addition, this product is grown and made in the US.
Made in the USA
Strong scent
Packaging maintains freshness
- Made in the USA
- Strong scent
- Packaging maintains freshness
Contains some sharp stems
- Contains some sharp stems
Packaging: 5-oz plastic tub
Form: Dried flowers and stems
Organic: Yes
What reviewers really liked about this product, in addition to its effectiveness, is its incredibly smooth texture. It’s ground down perfectly, and there are no reports of unwanted stalks and stems. But, just like our top choice, we do not rate this packaging very highly. The plastic tub does keep catnip fresh, but it tends to be flimsy and has split in transit.
Pros
Smooth texture free from stalks
100% natural
Made in the USA
Cons
Poor packaging
The From The Field Catnip Spray is also made by the From The Field company! They have featured twice for a good reason. As mentioned above, they are 100% organic and made in the USA. This product is made from distilled and extracted oil from the catnip plants at the peak of their potency. It offers a tidier alternative to the messy traditional dried catnip.
Smooth texture free from stalks
100% natural
Made in the USA
- Smooth texture free from stalks
- 100% natural
- Made in the USA
Poor packaging
- Poor packaging
Packaging: 1-oz spray bottle
Form: Essential oil
Organic: Yes
This high potency spray can give a similar effect to dried catnip but without cleanup. It is also popular for training purposes. However, because it is oil instead of a physical dried plant, it offers less fun than the physical form with which cats can directly interact. While it only comes in a small bottle, a little goes a long way with this 1-oz bottle offered 200 sprays.
Pros
Less messy than dried catnip
A little goes a long way
Cons
Provides less fun than dried catnip
Wait a second…three products from From The Field? Yeah, they make excellent catnip products! This product may be a bit different than the catnip you are used to. It is the catnip in its purest form, the bud. This bud produces the highest amount of buzz-inducing chemicals, so it offers the most potency.
Less messy than dried catnip
A little goes a long way
- Less messy than dried catnip
- A little goes a long way
Provides less fun than dried catnip
- Provides less fun than dried catnip
Packaging: Plastic tub
Form: Dried buds
Organic: Yes
Due to its size and shape, it is also a lot more interactive for your cat to touch and manipulate, allowing them to engage with it a lot more than a simple sprinkle of ground product. Unfortunately, it also has that average plastic tub packaging we aren’t a fan of due to its poor strength.
Pros
Physically interactive
A most potent form of catnip
Cons
Poor packaging
The Meowjiuana Purrple Passion is also presented in bud form. We absolutely loved the packaging for these buds. The air-tight glass jar is durable and stays secure during shipping and keeps buds fresh. These buds are hand-picked to ensure they are all at the highest potency and then hand-processed for quality. The result is a highly potent, strong-smelling catnip that makes cats go crazy. It must be mentioned that because the form is a bud, there will naturally be some stems, but some reviewers said these stems are sharp and harmful to cats. Be sure to remove the bud from the stem before giving it to your cat.
Physically interactive
A most potent form of catnip
- Physically interactive
- A most potent form of catnip
Packaging: Airtight glass jar
Form: Dried buds
Organic: Yes
Pros
Great packaging
Handpicked and processed
Super potent
Cons
Sharp stems
- Multipet Catnip Cups
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Packaging: Single-serve plastic cups
Form: Dried leaves and flowers
Organic: No
The packaging of the Multipet Catnip Cups is what drew us to it. When purchased, it comes with 12 single serves of catnip. This is a great way to manage “portion control” with your cat’s catnip and means that a once opened bag will not go stale and lose its potency. This ensures that every catnip treat offers the same fun as the one before.
Great packaging
Handpicked and processed
Super potent
- Great packaging
- Handpicked and processed
- Super potent
Sharp stems
- Sharp stems
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Packaging: Single-serve plastic cups
Form: Dried leaves and flowers
Organic: No
The single serves are great for traveling but less great for the environment. There was nowhere on the information that claimed it was organic, so we can’t be sure it has remanet chemicals from the growth and processing.
Pros
Good for traveling
Single serves preserve freshness
Cons
Not certified to be organic
In addition to catnip grown organically, the From The Field Catnip & Silver Vine Mix Tea Bags also includes silver vine, a fruit in the kiwi family that has similar effects to catnip. This offered this blend a double whammy of the active ingredients and may elicit more reactions from your cat, even if they usually don’t respond much too plain catnip.
Good for traveling
Single serves preserve freshness
- Good for traveling
- Single serves preserve freshness
Not certified to be organic
- Not certified to be organic
Packaging: Teabags
Form: Dried flower and leaves
Organic: Yes
But what’s cool about this product is how it is presented. Instead of loose catnip, it’s packaged in tea bags. This isn’t so you can steep it and serve it as a catnip beverage. Instead, it’s a mess-free way to pack catnip inside toys to refill them! If given as is, cats will quickly rip open the bag and make a mess.
Pros
Great for refilling catnip toys
Less mess than loose catnip
Cons
Cats will easily tear the bag open
Great for refilling catnip toys
Less mess than loose catnip
- Great for refilling catnip toys
- Less mess than loose catnip
Cats will easily tear the bag open
- Cats will easily tear the bag open
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting The Best Catnip for Cats
Do All Cats Love Catnip?
Catnip is famous for the insane responses it gets from cats. Usually, mellow or serious cats turn into hyperactive weirdos, and high-energy cats can settle into deep relaxation from this aptly named herb.
Some cat owners may be sitting here reading this, thinking, “huh, my cat has no response to catnip!”. While conducting our thorough catnip reviews, we sure found many people said their cats had no interest in a product. The truth is, catnip is not universally loved by all cats. In fact, 1 in 2 cats react to it, or 50%.
In addition, you won’t know if your cat is or isn’t reactive to catnip until they reach the ages of 3 to 6 months. Kittens younger than this may still have their sensitivities adjusted and either learn to love catnip or go on to ignore it after having a response as a kitten.
So, a lack of response often has less to do with a product and more to do with your cat’s genetics! With this said, let’s see what makes the best catnip for cats.
Why Do Cats Go Crazy for Catnip?
The allure of catnip comes from the oil produced, and more specifically, one chemical in that oil named nepetalactone. This chemical is found in the catnip plant’s leaves, stems, buds, and seeds. It’s highly aromatic, and cats, who rely heavily on their sense of smell, are immediately attracted to it.
Cats have well-developed smell organs, possess a specialized organ called a Jacobson organ that heightens their sense of smell. This organ promotes the Flehmen response, which you may not have heard of before, but have definitely seen your cat do!
You will see this when your cat sniffs something particularly smelly and opens its mouths in response. The result is a goofy looking look on your cat’s face, but they are actually activating their Jacobson organ, which is located on the roof of their mouth (don’t try to find this, you won’t be able to see, and you’ll likely really annoy the cat trying to find it!)
Anyway, the combined potency of the catnip scent with their extraordinary sense of smell makes for a total smell and flavor explosion for your cat. Catnip chemicals have the same effect on your cat’s cells as if they were smelling other cats’ sexual pheromones, so often, their responses are heavily driven by hormones.
If they are genetically reactive to catnip, they will likely immediately have a strong response. It may be displayed as a euphoric mellow calmness or aggressive playfulness. You may see you usually proud cats make an absolute fool of themselves (we’ve all been there).
The catnip plant did not set out to evolve to make cats irresistibly attracted to it. Rather, the chemical nepetalactone is actually a strong insect repellent. The catnip plant aims to keep harmful insects far away from it.
Different Forms of Catnip and How to Use Them
Fresh Catnip
You usually have to grow your own catnip plant to get fresh catnip. If you want to do this, be sure to keep your plant well out of reach of your cats to stop them from obliterating it!
The oils in freshly picked catnip will be at their best, but for some reason, they do not last as long as oils in preserved forms of catnip.
Usually when purchasing a catnip, it’s not in its fresh form due to the difficulties in packaging and shipping it. However, you may find fresh catnip at local produce markets if you are lucky!
Dried Catnip
When buying regular catnip, it’s probably going to be dried catnip. Dried catnip still possesses all the active qualities of fresh catnip but lasts a heck of a lot longer as drying is a preserving method. If fresh catnip is processed at the height of its potency, it will keep this potent form even when dried.
Dried catnip can come in fully formed buds on stems, stemless buds, coarsely ground, or finely chopped. The form you choose will largely depend on your personal preference, and dried catnip is also the form used to stuff catnip toys.
Dried catnip lasts the longest and is tends to pack the biggest punch. It seems the drying process isolates some of the potent oils to provide a longer-lasting effect. If you grow your own catnip, you could even experiment in drying your own catnip for preserving reasons.
Our Pick for Best Catnip Toy: Well-designed toys will keep your cat happy and engaged. For a sturdy, fun toy that will look nice in your living room, we recommend Hepper’s Catnip Stick Toy! These toys are designed to look like prey and double-bagged to stand up to your cat’s sharpest claws and teeth. Plus, they’re filled with organic catnip and handmade in the USA.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Well-designed toys will keep your cat happy and engaged. For a sturdy, fun toy that will look nice in your living room, we recommend Hepper’s Catnip Stick Toy! These toys are designed to look like prey and double-bagged to stand up to your cat’s sharpest claws and teeth. Plus, they’re filled with organic catnip and handmade in the USA.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Catnip Oil
Catnip oil comes from the distilling and isolating of catnip plant oils to create a refined product. Catnip oil has multiple uses in the home. It acts as an attractant for your cat, and it repels insects!
You can find catnip oil processed and packaged for human use as an essential oil. In addition, catnip oil is also used for catnip sprays for cats. These sprays are a good choice for cats that have sensitive stomachs. While ingesting small amounts of catnip is not harmful to your cat, some cats can get stomach upsets.
Catnip sprays don’t seem to encourage the same responses as dried catnip products, and they tend to be used more for training purposes than treats and playtime. Sprays can be applied to toys, bedding, and scratching posts to encourage their use. Catnip spray can reinvigorate a toy your cat has gotten bored of and encourage them to use their scratching posts instead of your furniture!
Conclusion
Ultimately, there are a lot of catnip products that will do the job! Our top pic for best catnip for cats goes to Yeowww! Organic Catnip. It’s a simple but effective product with amples of positive reviews. We recommend Fat Cat Zoom Around The Room Organic Catnip for the best catnip for cats for the money. These products are much loved by customers and are certified organic to ensure you give your cat only the best!
Featured Image Credit: Doug McLean, Shutterstock
