Why do cats like catnip? Because it makes them feel good. A volatile oil compound called Nepetalactone triggers a response in a cat's olfactory nerve, making them playful, happy, and relaxed.
Who are we? We're the Catnip Cats! A brand-new feline dance troupe that's about to blow the lid off the truth of cat nip once and for all! Ever since our lead dancer Darren got a free hit of the stuff from some wanna-be undercover cop, it's all he can talk about. Darren used to have trouble sleeping, but now that he's been taking Cat Crack, his insomnia is a thing of the past!
"Guys, we should totally put on a performative dance show about cat nip! We'll call it Cats on Catnip: A Furry Tail of Love, Loss, and 'Nip," Darren explained. He was so excited about the whole thing. The entire troupe was practically buzzing as the words tumbled out of his mouth like Noreen when she does one of her tumble routines.
"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea! We can show the cats of Whisker City what catnip is all about through dance! They'll have to try it for sure after that!"
It was almost like Darren gave us all a free hit of catnip when he shared the news. The idea of creating a brand-new show from scratch was enough to get us all high. I mean, he did actually give us a free hit, too, so we could see what it was like, but that was really like icing on the cake.
What Does Catnip Do to Cats?
Catnip is a natural herb that's part of the mint family. When cats smell a small amount of this plant, they usually start purring and rolling around. The response can be similar to arousal or playfulness. The effects typically wear off after about 30 minutes, although it can last longer. If ingested, catnip has the opposite effect, helping cats relax and feel tired.
For this show, Darren wanted us to go all out. His original vision was massive. He was talking about rotating sets, tons of costume changes, and a three-hour production with a show-stopping all-dancer chorus line at the end.
However, when he realized we only had about $50 in our bank account, his dreams were practically crushed. Crushed like Felix's leg during our first performance of Cat-beret when a sandbag fell off the catwalk. Felix never did dance quite the same after that.
We tried to compromise on Darren's vision, but no funds meant we couldn't even afford the costumes he wanted. His vision called for some of us to be dressed up as Catnip, complete with odor lines coming off of our leaves to illustrate the effects to the audience.
That's when he got a crazy idea. A one-in-a-million idea. An idea that would help us put this show on the map.
Tweaking Toys Catnip Puzzles for Cats
Catnip puzzle toys are an effective way to keep your cat entertained. Because cats love catnip, your feline will want to play with and decipher these toys to get the cat nip inside. The toys are challenging enough to stimulate a cat's brain but not so hard that they'll give up immediately.
"What if we sold catnip under the table to finance this show?" Billy, our main choreographer, suggested.
Darren's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. It was so intense that part of me wanted to leap into his face to bat at the twinkling lights.
"Of course! A dance show about catnip financed by catnip! It's perfect! The answer was staring at me in the face all along. Thanks, Billy!" Darren ran up and hugged Billy as hard as he could.
"But where will we find catnip to sell? And who will we sell it to?" I asked.
"Good questions. Why don't you find that out for us?" Darren asked. "I'll start revising our costumes and set designs to reflect our new funding source. I'm sure we can earn six figures in a couple of weeks. Billy, can we start working on routines?" Darren took Billy to the next room.
So, it was my job to figure out how we could sell catnip to fund Darren's dream. A job I'm sure everyone envied, but Darren passed it off to me. Much like he passed the baton to me during our experimental dance version of "Chariots of Fire."
If I was going to find some catnip from an unscrupulous source, that meant reaching out to my friend Lenny. He always had his ear to the soft underbelly of Whisker City. If anyone could sniff out some unlicensed catnip, it would be him.
Is Catnip for Cats Dangerous or Addictive?
No, catnip is not addictive, and it's impossible for cats to overdose on it. Because the oil interacts with a cat's sense of smell, it wears off over time. Then, catnip won't trigger any responses for a while. So, giving a cat too much catnip just means it won't interact with it once the sense of euphoria disappears. Cats can get a stomachache from ingesting too much catnip, though.
"Hey Lenny, I got a favor to ask you. Meet me under the Caterwaul Bridge in about an hour," I said to Lenny over the phone.
"I'm not free in an hour. What about two hours?" He replied.
"That doesn't work for me. We have rehearsal in three hours, so I need time to get back to that. Plus, I haven't eaten in a while, so I'll want to get lunch on the way back," I said.
"Why don't you have lunch now? Then you can save time later?" He asked.
"But I'm not hungry now. I'll be hungry in a couple of hours," I replied.
"Okay, so when is your rehearsal done?" He asked.
"We usually finish around 8:30. Can you meet up around 9 pm then?"
"No, my favorite show starts at 9 pm. What about tomorrow?"
This continued on for some time. Eventually, we managed to set up a meeting. Two weeks from now, under the Caterwaul Bridge, at 10 am. That was a bit earlier than I'm used to, but it was either that or the following week. Something told me Darren wouldn't want to wait that long.
The idea of meeting about catnip in two weeks was exciting. It was like I was a secret spy, organizing a spy mission. Maybe I should use that for my dance number in the show.
Catnip Cats are going to Broadway!
The Lowdown on Catnip
Catnip, like Cat Crack, is a natural way for your cat to relax and feel good. In addition to helping with insomnia, catnip can help alleviate depression, anxiety, and stress in your cat. Just a pinch at a time is enough to trigger these effects, and both fresh and dried catnip work wonders.
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