About us
Kat’s Nip is a premium loose-leaf catnip grown in Te Hiku (Far North), Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kat’s Nip catnip is grown naturally without herbicides or pesticides, and is harvested by hand at exactly the right time to ensure the highest-quality high for your feline companion.
Catnip is named due to the effect it has on felines – even lions and tigers have been recorded partaking in the occasional wake and bake. Cats will eat and roll around on catnip to achieve a ‘high’ that will last between 2 and 20 minutes.
While blazed, your cat may become hyper, or they may chill out and relax. The exact effects seem to differ from cat to cat.
Once the buzz wears off, cats will then have a natural period where they will not react to catnip.
Our Story
It started with a tweet…
In 2019, Kat’s friend Cate came to visit, and asked about a bundle of catnip she saw hanging from the ceiling.
Kat just does things like that: dries herbs in bunches from her ceiling when there are lots of herbs to dry.
Kat hadn’t really done it for any reason, and sent Cate home with a bag.
Later that evening, Cate tweeted about it. People began requesting it. Another Twitter user suggested the name, and Kat’s Nip was born.
Kat hired artist Pepper Raccoon to come up with a mascot and packaging design, and Kat’s Nip has been growing ever since.
Each summer, a very limited supply of the very best catnip is harvested, and dried naturally in bunches. It is processed off the stems and packaged by hand.
This is the closest your cat will get to craft-beer. It’s artisanal catnip. The very best.
I take a lot of care and pride to ensure your pussy gets only the very best catnip available in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kat Jenkins – Purrveyor of Feline Euphorics
I take a lot of care and pride to ensure your pussy gets only the very best catnip available in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kat Jenkins – Purrveyor of Feline Euphorics
Fluffy Ball Catnip Toys
Since Kat’s Nip’s inception, Kat has always wanted to bring a range of toys to the market.
But it’s not quite as simple as it sounds!
In 2024, Kat managed to come up with something that ticked all the boxes: Fluffy Balls.
These balls are handmade from New Zealand Corriedale wool and 0.5g of premium Kat’s Nip. They are home-compostable at the end of their life.
How do I use Kat's Nip?
Crush a leaf between your fingers and offer it to your cat. They may lick or smooch the leaf. If they show interest, crush a bit more and drop on the ground.
Your cat might eat or roll on the catnip. You may need to vacuum the floor after they’re done.
How much is postage?
All orders are tracked and you will receive your tracking number when your parcel is ready to be sent.
Orders are processed on Mondays and Thursdays.
Orders are sent via New Zealand Post Economy shipping and charge a flat $5.00 rate for urban addresses.
Rural customers with an RD address will need to pay an additional $6.00 surcharge.
If you have a Rural Delivery (RD) address, please choose the correct shipping rates. Underpaid shipping fees will result in your order being held. Please check our shipping and delivery policy page for more details.
If for some reason you have overpaid your postage, I will refund you the difference.
How is Kat's Nip made?
Catnip is a herb related to mint. I grow dozens of plants on my property near the Bay of Islands.
It is harvested as the plants begin to flower. This is when the active ingredients are at their strongest. The harvested stems are hung to dry naturally in bunches.
Drying can take up to 2 weeks. A slower drying time helps preserve the active ingredients.
Once dry, the leaves and flower buds are removed from the stems. It is the leaves and buds that are packed into a bag of Kat’s Nip, and inside a Fluffy Ball. The stems are returned to our soils via wormfarming and composting.
What affect will Kat's Nip have?
It’s honestly hard to know until you try. Some cats get very hyper and playful. Others get chilled and relaxed.
Usually the same cat will experience the same effect from dose-to-dose, but the effect can differ from cat-to-cat.
Some of my regular customers use catnip to calm anxiety, but this effect cannot be guaranteed.
Will Kat's Nip work for my cat?
I don’t know. Up to one in three cats may be immune to the effects of catnip.
I will say that if your cat is reactive to catnip, they will absolutely be reactive to this catnip.
My techniques and methods are designed to provide the absolute highest quality product that I can. Cats thought to be previously unreactive have reacted to Kat’s Nip.
Sometimes, timing can be everything. If your cat is not initially interested, try again at another time on another day. They really can take or leave it sometimes, and at others, they literally attack it!
I do not give refunds for non-reactive cats, but I do offer smaller ‘Samplurr’ baggies when stocks allow.
How are payments handled?
I use Shopify as the engine that powers my online sales. All data related to your transaction is kept safe on Shopify.
You can pay via Shopify checkout, Paypal, or bank deposit.
Do you supply wholesale?
Yes, in a limited capacity to independent retail stores. My annual harvest is growing, but it’s still small in the grand scheme of things, so we do not supply online retailers at this stage.
If you would like to talk about stocking Kat’s Nip in your store, please get in touch using the Contact Us page.
Do you make cat toys?
Yes! Fluffy Balls contain 0.5g of dried catnip enclosed in 2.5g of New Zealand Corriedale wool.
They are 100% biodegradable. They are suitable for home composting – or just bury in the garden when your cat is done with them. They will break down naturally.
Can I use Kat's Nip myself?
Kat’s Nip is not certified to human grade, though I stand behind my processing techniques.
Catnip can have unpredictable effects on humans when ingested. Like cats, it can either stimulate or relax. It has been known to increase anxiety in humans.
I do not generally recommend you ingest Kat’s Nip yourself.
100% Natural
No pesticides, herbicides, or inorganic fertilisers. Dried with nature.
Handmade
Grown, harvested, processed, and packaged by a human.
Women-owned
Kat’s Nip is named after the owner and operator, Kat!
Kiwi-made
Grown, harvested, processed, and packaged in Aotearoa.