One of my girls had her first hairball today. It was quite distressing for her but she's perfectly fine. I had always heard that "cat grass" can help them pass hair more easily and it's a lot less mess than some of those oil-based treatments. So I was looking around for a cat grass planter and saw a kit for growing your own fresh catnip. I can see the appeal in this. Do you ever really know what's in that little packet or jar of catnip? I just wonder if the smell of the freshly sprouting plants will drive them to try and find the planter and I'll end up with soil everywhere and uprooted seedlings. What do you all think? Have you or would you try growing your own catnip?

A caveat, I seem to have a remarkable green thumb, and my co-workers bring me their sad plants to revive. I have orchids, African violets, and some other "difficult" plants that I keep in my office so the actual growing part will be simple. I also have a balcony where I could keep the plants outside and just bring in cuttings for the girls. Just an impulse and I wonder if any of you guys have tried? I know my girls really like the dried stuff but that seems to lose its potency after a few minutes.

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My baby girls
Ginger born March 1, 2017
Fred born March 3, 2017
Brown rosetted females born days apart at the same cattery. They will always be sisters in spirit and always my babies.

Catnip grows really well in my garden. Back when I had elderly cats that were allowed to go out into the backyard, they loved both the grass and catnip. Sure enough, one of them would always make a b-line for the grass, chew it, and urp, then with that business over she'd enjoy the sun (and catnip).

I've tried many times to grow the cat grass and catnip indoors over the years, and have always failed... until now I've actually got one of those little pots of catnip growing on my window sill, which I've had there for a couple of months. It has nice southern exposure, and I need to water it about every other day. But if I do that, it does fine. In fact it's probably doubled in size since I got it

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The little monsters 3

I've grown catnip from seed for Raiden and he doesn't care for it! Then again, my bengal doesn't care for much. Growing it should be fine. I've also picked up "cat" grass at the pet store -- no luck there either. I do not have a green thumb and admire those who do!

I grow catnip on our patio - and Diesel knows it's there. You can't go out on the patio without him telling you to bring some back

I have brought it in a few times when we've expected hail or a freeze and I can't keep the cats out of it so it has to go in the garage or in a room I can close off.

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Dallas, TX USA
Diesel - snow Bengal born 09/01/2013 adopted Feb 2014
Tuck, Chloe, Buddy, Lewis & Tia - rescue kitties
Clyde, Bleu & Coal - Great Danes

Ooh, I'd forgotten about growing my own catnip, might try again

About twenty years ago we planted a small patch in the garden, it must have been a strong variety because overnight (we brought our two in at night) there was a cat-drug induced party for all the local cats and all that was last left in the morning was a scar of bare soil!

We live somewhere different now, much more rural.

If I grow catnip on a window cill indoors, will my two let it grow or chew the lot and get high straight away?