Spoil a cat

Spoil a cat

Are you familiar with a plant called Nepeta cataria? Cats love this plant, commonly known as catnip.

It is a perennial from Eurasia that is very easy to grow and it belongs to the same plant family as mint. Cats like to smell, lick, and nibble on its tiny flowers. Doing so appears to provoke physical well-being in felines. Read on to find out how you can explore catnip and use it to spoil a cat you know.

Plant catnip yourself

Of course, the simplest solution is to visit your local plant nursery to purchase a complete catnip kit (seeds, soil, container) for under $6. Children will have a lot of fun growing their very own catnip and presenting their plant to their own cat or a family member's cat. Catnip makes a great gift for a cat lover. If you wish, have children stick a picture of their cat or a drawing on the container to make it extra special.

Another method would be to fill a large container with soil/sand with no added fertilizers and planting catnip seeds in it. If you choose this method, be sure to firmly pack the soil and plant the seeds close together. Cover the seeds with approximately ¼ inch of soil and water them regularly. The seeds will sprout in about 10 days. To activate growth, cover the container with plastic wrap, cutting three or four holes in it. You can use a rubber band to keep the plastic wrap tightly on the container. When the sprouts are 4 or 5 cm high, set the container in a well-lit area so they will turn green. The catnip will be ready in approximately 2 ½ weeks.

Did you know that...

Catnip can be sprinkled on cat food to encourage cats that have a poor appetite to eat.

Gardeners' secret

Planting catnip in spots far away from your flowerbeds will keep cats away. You will therefore have less "nighttime deposits" among your flowers.

Claudine Richard
Early childhood educator

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