Charitable Gift Giving

This Catnip Cat Toys listing from SunStones of the Southwest on Etsy is a sweet little gift for cat lovers — and an especially thoughtful choice for someone who cares about rescue animals.

These handmade cat toys are crocheted, filled with batting, and packed with catnip. According to the Etsy listing, each order includes four large cat toys wrapped together in a cellophane bag, making them easy to give as a small gift for a cat owner, new adopter, or animal-loving friend. The seller also says all proceeds are donated to rescue or rehabilitation groups they volunteer with or are affiliated with.

What are these catnip cat toys?

These are handmade crochet cat toys from the Etsy shop SunStones. The listing describes them as large cat toys made with premium soft yarn, batting, and catnip. The seller says the toys are filled with “two big scoops of catnip,” and asks buyers to allow them to choose the colors.

That makes this a fun, easy gift if you want something small but personal for someone’s cat. The handmade look also gives the toys more charm than a generic store-bought cat toy.

They would be especially nice for:

• a friend who recently adopted a cat
• someone who fosters cats
• a cat-loving family member
• a pet sitter
• a shelter volunteer
• a stocking stuffer for a cat owner
• a small “thinking of you” gift for someone whose cat is basically family

Questions about catnip:

If you’re not sure if catnip is right for your cat, here are some common questions and answers:

• Do all cats like catnip?
  • No. Sensitivity to catnip is inherited, and some while 50%-70% of cats react to it, 30%-50 may not.
    
• Why do cats go crazy for catnip?
  • Catnip contains a natural compound called nepetalactone, which can trigger a playful, excited reaction in many cats.
    
• Is catnip safe for cats?
  • Yes, catnip is generally considered safe for cats in small amounts. While some cats may seem like they’re intoxicated (drooling, zoomies, rubbing, rolling, and playful “craziness”), the effect is more like a smell-triggered mood reaction in the human world (e.g. the smell of lavender calming you down or the smell of coffee perking you up). It’s not addictive and not harmful—the worst might be a little tummy upset if they accidentally ingest too much of it (ingesting a little bit is okay).
    
• How long does the reaction last?
  • Most cats react for about 5 to 15 minutes, then may lose interest for a while.
    
• Do kittens like catnip?
  • Many kittens do not respond to catnip until they are a few months old.

How the gift gives back

What’s unique about this gift is that according to the seller, all proceeds are donated to rescue or rehabilitation groups the seller volunteers with or is affiliated with. The groups named in the listing are Catty Shack in Prescott, Arizona and The Wildcat Sanctuary in Minnesota.

That gives the gift a nice rescue-animal story. You are not just buying a toy for one lucky cat. According to the seller, the proceeds help support animal rescue and rehabilitation work.

What I like about buying this and other catnip toys from this seller is that when you buy catnip from a big brand, chances are the product has been sitting for years or was never powerful to begin with. With handmade catnip toys like this, you’re more likely to get a fresh batch from a seller who cares.