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Jack Loves His Joints

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Love your product! More importantly, Jack loves your product. I have 2 cats and they both love their Christmas gifts. Jack was just more photogenic. Jack is proud to be posted on your site. His sister Laci may get jealous of his fame but with a couple more of these joints, I think she’ll be able to cope! Have a great day! – Jeff

Yay! Another Stark Raving Cat Sighting, and two satisfied customers. Jack looks like he needs no encouragement, and Jeff: you are an enabler. We get such a kick out of seeing the kitties with their joints. Thank you, Jeff and Jack, for sharing this! – Kate and Tamale

 

Jack Loves His Catnip Joints from Stark Raving Cat
Jack Loves His Catnip Joints from Stark Raving Cat

Buy Catnip Joints.

Santa’s Catnip Joints and Holiday Gifts

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Santa’s Rocking Stocking Catnip Joints: Put the Ho-Ho-Ho in the Holidays
Stark Raving Cat’s New Gifts for Cat Lovers

Santa stocking with red and white catnip joints, matching Neko collars and earrings, and hip new gifts rock the holiday gift lists for cat ladies and cat dudes.

Santa’s Rocking Stocking Catnip Joints

Austin, TX – Catnip Joints look real enough to land you in jail. But these Stark Raving Cat toys are filled with cat weed – super-potent, premium catnip – legal in all 50 states (for recreational use). Cats and cat-lovers adore them, and this year Santa’s giving them an extra boost.

A festive new Santa stocking adds extra cheer to catnip joints, but don’t let Fluffy attack them just yet. “Cats instantly smell them. Some rip the joints right out of the mailers,” says Kate Heyhoe, founder of StarkRavingCat.com, home of the original Catnip Joint.

Santa’s Rocking Stocking Catnip Joints is a limited edition set for hanging on tree or mantle. A red-and-white pair of catnip joints (topped with tiny Santa caps) peeks out from a traditional red stocking. Plus, there’s a bonus gift: a silver cat-and-mouse charm hangs from the front, and doubles as a collar charm or pendant.

“You can personalize the stocking by tucking in your own cat treats – in case your cat gets the munchies,” notes Heyhoe. “Enjoy the stocking year after year – if your cat doesn’t destroy it first.” Santa’s Rocking Stocking Catnip Joint set sells for $15.00

What do cats think of catnip joints? “Cats don’t actually smoke the catnip joints, but they mouth, sniff, drool, and slobber all over them. Toss one in the air like prey, and watch kitty bat at it; then toss another, and another, and another. The more you toss, the crazier your cat becomes,” Heyhoe says. Social media posts on Instagram, GooglePlus, and YouTube show cats grasping a joint between the paws and holding it to the mouth. “Mega-cute and so real looking,” she adds.

Catnip Joints also come in 3-Pack and 5-Pack sets; a Nirvana Pack with Indian stash bag; and as Rainbow Joints in six happy colors. “Premium Catnip. No fillers, just leaves and buds” reads the Stark Raving Cat label. They’re made in the USA, using a hand-sewn cotton case. “That’s it, nothing more,” notes Heyhoe.

Neko “Lucky Cat” Collar and Earring Set (Chinese Red)

About StarkRavingCat.com

StarkRavingCat.com specializes in small batch, artisanal gifts for cats and cat-lovers. “The New York Times has said today’s modern cat ladies are hip, and cat lady chic is a definite look. This year we’re seeing cat men in the spotlight. Guys with cats, cat dads, and cat dudes are trending,” explains Heyhoe. “Men who love cats especially love catnip joints and related paraphernalia, like our Telescoping Clips. Cat ladies like to make fashion statements. So we designed matching earrings and cat collars, with little Neko bells, for hip cats and their cat ladies.” Neko is the Japanese Lucky Cat symbol, and a favorite icon of cat people.

If you want to give something truly unique, Stark Raving Cat has a list of gift solutions for cat dudes, cat ladies, cats and kittens, and every cat-lover on Santa’s list. “Our products are not mass produced, each is designed in-house, and made by hand with love and care,” notes Heyhoe, “so you can pretty much guarantee your gift will stand out, and put the ho-ho-ho in the holidays.”

Stark Raving Cat’s Gifts for Cats and Cat Lovers includes:

• Santa’s Rocking Stocking Catnip Joints, with red-and-white catnip joints, a silver cat-and-mouse charm, and red stocking for hanging on tree or mantle (Limited Availability)

• Matching Neko Bell Earrings and Cat Collars, with Lucky Cat bells for fashion conscious cat ladies and cats (Basic Set or Deluxe Set with Gift Packaging).

• ACME Cat Bombs and ACME TNT Sticks, to fire up cats in explosive play

• Catnip Joint Sets, 3-Pack or 5-Pack, for cat lovers of all types

• Nirvana Pack, catnip joints in a handmade Indian stash bag, with extra catnip

• Rainbow Joints, in six designer colors (including Pink Phloyd, Mendocino Gold, Orange Sunshine) with Indian stash bag made from sari scraps ($19.50)

• Telescoping Wand with Clip and Cord, extends 32 inches with six feet of stretchy cord for attaching to BATNIP, catnip joints, or other toys

• Paraphernalia Pack, Telescoping Wand with Catnip Joints gift set

Stark Raving Cat products are handmade in small batches and in limited supply. Find them online at StarkRavingCat.com or on Etsy at the StarkRavingCat store.

Ten Tips About Catnip: Legal High for Cats

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Tamale: caught in the catnip plant again!
Tamale: caught in the catnip plant again!

Follow these tips to give your stark raving cat the best catnip experience.

Try our special 5-Star Catnip

First, what is catnip? Call it cat weed, cat mint, or catnip, it’s the stuff that makes some cats wacky. And as with any herb, freshness matters.

What does catnip do to a cat? I’m asked this all the time, usually by spouses who tolerate a partner’s cat (or rather, the cat tolerates them). I even had a vet ask me this question. (Gaahhh! Don’t they cover catnip in vet-med schools?) Here’s what I tell them…

Mreachingforjoint

Ten Tips About Catnip 

Catnip is an herb related to mint. It’s safe and natural. Catnip works in both dried and fresh forms.

1. Catnip stimulates the pleasure-seeking pheromones in a cat’s brain. Result: Rolling, rubbing, purring, wild-eyes, racing, friskiness and frolicking – for about ten minutes, before the cat abandons the catnip. (Some cats get aggressive, so watch your fingers.) The crazy-session is followed by a crash: sedentary zoning or naptime ­– which can be handy if you want your cat to be tranquil for a spell.

2. Most cats, but not all, respond to catnip. Experts say 70-75 percent of cats inherit a “catnip gene” which makes them responsive to catnip. Kittens and cats younger than six months don’t respond to catnip. (Perhaps, like kids, they’re naturally high.)

Pookie and Catnip Joint
Video still of Pookie playing with Catnip Joint

3. Let your cat inhale! Cats get their kicks by inhaling the vapor from the catnip oil. Chewing, pawing and slobbering on a catnip toy helps release the oil’s vapor. (With our Catnip Joints, we recommend running the joint under the cat’s nose, like a fine cigar, to get them engaged, before tossing the joint in the air like prey.)

4. Stale catnip won’t work. Which is why cat toys that have been on the shelves for months lose their potency; mass-market brands often start off with cheap, inferior catnip. No wonder kitty won’t play! Don’t waste your money.

5. Smell the freshness. Catnip’s essential oil “nepetalactone” makes the magic happen, and it’s found mainly in the leaves and buds. When the oil dries out, no more magic. It’s just like the herbs in your kitchen cabinet. If your herbs or catnip don’t have aromas, throw them out. They’re duds.

6. Quality matters. Again, as with all herbs, there are weak strains of catnip and stronger ones. Soil, sun and growing conditions make a difference between “premium catnip” and inferior catnip. (At Stark Raving Cat, we use only premium catnip.)

7. Freeze dried catnip airtight to keep it fresh. This includes catnip toys. (If you buy a multi-pack of Catnip Joints, freeze a few for later use.)

Catnip Joints

8. If a catnip toy needs reviving, roll it in dried catnip (stuff that’s not stale). Don’t just sprinkle the catnip: crumble it on scratching posts or toys to release the potent oil.

9. Is catnip safe to eat? Yes, but best in small amounts. It acts like a sedative, making cats more sleepy than frisky. Large quantities may cause digestive issues. Don’t set out a platter of catnip (I’ve seen this happen on the Interweb; the cat was passed out for days.)

10. Desensitization happens. Problem: My cat stopped playing with her catnip toy. Solution: Remove catnip toys after playtime. Cats’ noses get desensitized when they’re always around catnip. Bring the toys out again in a day or so. To revive an old toy, rub loose catnip on the outside to refresh the aroma.

Catnip plants are as easy to grow as mint. But beware: your frenzied cat may crawl right into the pot! I’ve discovered Pookie nesting in the catnip plant on more than one occasion.

Or you can try our special 5-Star Catnip.

– Stark Raving Kate

tcatniprub

A Public Service Post by Tamale at StarkRavingCat.com

 

7 Tips: How to Get Old Cats to Play

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Geezer Wolfie at Play
Geezer Wolfie at Play

Wake Up, Geezer Cats: It’s Time to Play!

By Pookie and Wolfie, Senior Advisors

You’d probably not toss Frisbees to your great grandpa, or chase grandma around the block, so why would you do that to your old cat? (Okay, the Frisbee is a more of a dog thing, but you get the idea.)

Myth: Old Cats Won’t Play

WandGeezerGOld cats will play – if you remember that they’re old.

Don’t expect old cats to play like they used to. Arthritic joints, stiff muscles, poor eyesight and other signs of aging change how a cat is able to play.

Why play with an old cat at all? Geezer cats sleep a lot and need their rest. But just because that lump of fur hasn’t moved for hours doesn’t mean it shouldn’t play. Change how you play with your cat, and you may find regular play keeps your senior cat younger and fitter.

“Regularly engaging your cat in moderate play can promote muscle tone and suppleness, increase blood circulation, and help reduce weight in cats that are too heavy, ” according to Petfinder.com. Plus, play is a mood-booster that helps banish boredom.

Remember: old cats don’t usually initiate play. You need to be the spark that fires up their attention and interest.

Our Senior Advisors Pookie and Wolfie offer these tips for playing with older cats:

WandGeezerC41. Warm up before starting. Let the cat wake up, get the blood flowing, and stretch a little before starting to play. Best time to play: after a cat’s done grooming herself.

2. Use soft, gentle toys. Smaller toys are less intimidating and easier on the paws. Hard toys can be painful on aging teeth and gums. Good toys: soft toys that move in the air, like our Baby Batnips attached to a Telescoping Wand with Clip and Cord.

WandGeezerB23. Old cat? Old prey. Jerk the toy like prey, in short bursts, but closer to the cat’s paws. Younger cats will dart across the room, but geezers may not move off the couch. Make small movements with a toy under a blanket, towel or throw rug, as if the prey is peeping out; cats of all ages love this.

4. Let the cat win…sometimes. Cats like a challenge, but one they can occasionally conquer. Near wins are good too.

WandGeezerA35. Air-play is OK! It’s fine if just the paws play. Running and jumping is not required. Older cats may just swipe with a paw or two. Or roll on their back and play with their paws in the air. They’re still mentally and physically engaged.

6. Mood-boost before play. Scent up the toy. Catnip makes some cats frisky; and freeze-dried treats, crumbled and rubbed on the toy, can entice a cat’s sense of smell, just as prey would.

7. Know when to stop. Don’t let play turn sour. Your cat will let you know when it’s tired or annoyed, so take a time-out or try again the next day, maybe with a different toy. Keep play new and fun.

Finally, reward your cat after a “prey” capture or when a play period ends. Your affection, praise, and a treat can make your cat feel rewarded. Savor the victory together.

Our exclusive Telescoping Wand with Clip and Cord is ideal for senior cats, and fun for cats of all ages. Most of our cat toys have loops on them – tie one end of the cord to the loop and attach the other end to the wand and you’re all set for playtime!