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Men Who Love Cats Love Stark Raving Cat

May 31, 2016 by Stark Raving Cat Leave a Comment

Men who love cats are trending. Now they can get stylish cat toys with special guy-appeal: Catnip Joints, BATNIP and ACME Cat Bombs. StarkRavingCat.com handcrafts them with a heaping dose of humor – purrfect gifts for cat daddies, or any cat-lover. [Press Release]

AUSTIN, Texas – September 2015 — Move over cat ladies: cat dudes are hot – and they’re looking for cat toys to match their man cave, cat cave, and even their bat cave. Good news: StarkRavingCat.com has heard their need and handcrafts unique toys with cat dudes in mind.

“Cat-love no longer bears social stigma – for either sex,” notes Kate Heyhoe, founder of StarkRavingCat.com.

“A few years ago, The New York Times wrote that modern cat ladies are hip, saying ‘Having a cat is like wearing a badge of independence.’ Now, posts like #guyswithcats on Instagram and MenwithCats.com feature photos of proud men with their cats. I’ve seen burly bikers nuzzling Fluffy, and ‘Guys with Kittens’ calendars. Headlines like ‘10 Reasons to Date Guys with Cats’ prove that manly cat-love has finally come out of the closet,” adds Heyhoe, noting that TV’s Cat Daddy Jackson Galaxy has also made a huge impact. (Even tech billionaire Larry Ellison loves cats: he recently bought a Hawaiian island, one with a sanctuary for 400 feral cats.)

Heyhoe adores men who are cat-crazy. “At StarkRavingCat.com we didn’t set out to target men, but we soon realized that guys were buying our Catnip Joints in droves. And women were buying them as gifts for their cat-loving men friends. Our newest toys, BATNIP and ACME Cat Bombs, are great gifts for any cat-lover, man or woman, but they also fill a special niche for guys who don’t want pink or frou-frou cat toys.”

Catnip Joints have become trendy props for cat photos and videos on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Stark Raving Cat’s Catnip Joints look amazingly like the real thing, but these joints are filled with premium catnip – all leaves, no stems – and potent enough to fire up even the most lethargic cat. They come with a gift card explaining they’re “legal in all 50 states…for recreational use.” Buy them in sets of three or five ($10 and $15 respectively), or as a Paraphernalia Pack, with a telescoping “roach clip” that extends 32 inches ($16). The Nirvana Pack ($14) features a handmade Indian stash bag, a dimebag of catweed, and three Catnip Joints.

Besides Catnip Joints, the newly released ACME Cat Bombs and BATNIP top this year’s gifts-for-men list at http://www.StarkRavingCat.com

For men who like explosions: Blow up the cat – with ACME Cat Bombs ($14) and ACME TNT Sticks ($16). “Cats don’t really explode,” explains Heyhoe, “but they do go ‘kaboom!’ in fits of crazy playtime.” The black bombs and red TNT sticks, emblazoned with ACME on the side, have fuses that release ultra-powerful “gunpowder grind” catnip when pulled. They come in a gift bag with ACME on it, “and, of course, an official ACME Instruction Manual,” adds Heyhoe. “Beep beep.”

Cat daddies will be superheroes when they bring home BATNIP. This stylish Goth bat is like a small catnip kicker with a big 9-inch wingspan. Cats capture BATNIP in the air, swat the wings, bite the head, and kick it with their feet. An optional Telescoping Clip and stretchy 6-foot cord make BATNIP crawl, bounce, and fly.

“Cats and bats go together,” Heyhoe explains, “not just on Halloween, but all year long.” On Instagram, there are over 50,000 posts using the hashtag #batcat, while the tag #Baturday puts the ‘bat’ in #Caturday. “We’ve added our own hashtag for #BATNIP, and photos of cats and BATNIP are already starting to pop up.”

“My fellow cat ladies get special love at StarkRavingCat.com, too,” notes Heyhoe. They can dress like their cat, with Matching Neko Bell Earrings and Cat Collars ($16). Neko is the traditional Japanese Lucky Cat, and the painted copper bell has a charming jingle to it. “It’s the purrfect gift for the cat lady in every guy’s life,” she adds, “because it says I love both you and your cat.”

About StarkRavingCat.com

StarkRavingCat.com makes hip, handmade toys, cards and gifts for cats and cat-lovers, created by Kate Heyhoe in 2014. The small batch, artisanal products range from catnip joints to greeting cards to cat-themed jewelry, and are made near Austin, TX, USA. Besides the web-store at http://www.StarkRavingCat.com, there is also a Stark Raving Cat shop on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/StarkRavingCat, and the company welcomes wholesale inquiries. Kate Heyhoe is an award-winning cookbook author turned Professional Cat Lady; she runs the Coffee and Cats Community on Google Plus and can be found catting around on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, with CEO Tamale the Cat. Hi-res product images and samples are available. To showcase these goods in new product and holiday gift guides, contact StarkRavingCat.com.

Luck, Money, or Love: Which Will Neko Bring?

January 7, 2016 by Kate Heyhoe Leave a Comment

How lucky is your Neko cat? Are you 10 million yen lucky? Or is your luck measured in romance or long life?

All Neko cats are lucky, but not in the same way. This traditional Japanese talisman (also known as Maneki Neko, meaning Beckoning Cat) dates back to Japan’s Edo Period (1600s).

While the basic symbol is the same – an upright cat with paw raised – the cat’s paws, color, and gift indicate the type of luck bestowed. For instance:

Paws:
• Right paw raised brings money and good fortune
• Left paw raised draws in people and customers
• Both paws raised protects home or business
• The higher the paw, the more luck conveyed

Color:
• Calico for the best of all luck
• White for purity, creativity, and a positive future
• Black for warding off disease and evil
• Gold for money and wealth
• Other colors: red (marriage), green (learning, education), pink (romantic luck)

Gift Being Held:
• Gold coin: A koban, worth a huge sum of money
• Fish: A carp, a symbol strength, courage and determination
• Daruma: Japan’s name for the Bodhidarma, founder of Zen Buddhism
• Ema: Prayer tablet; people write wishes on it to leave at temples
• Other gifts: gold ingot (wealth), hollow gourd (longevity, wisdom), daikon radish (bounty, abundance)

Neckware:
• Neckerchief or bib – Cats in the Edo period wore these as decoration
• Red Collar with bell – also decorative, and to hear the cat’s whereabouts
• Some Neko cats have all three: collar, bib, and bell

Shopkeepers display Neko cats to bring in good business. If you have an online business, you may want to display Neko on your main page, or keep one by your computer.

Better yet, put a Neko on your cat’s collar – because as we all know, cats love to come between you and your computer.

Shopper’s Note: Our Lucky Cat Bell on Breakaway Collar is the purrfect gift for cats and cat-lovers, and the ideal way to ring in Lunar New Year. Only at StarkRavingCat.com.

– Kate Heyhoe
StarkRavingCat.com

Our Favorite Reviews

January 7, 2016 by Stark Raving Cat Leave a Comment

Catnip Joints

“Your product speaks for itself. No offense, but I really wasn’t expecting much when I placed my order. Team Mookeet is so very picky about their catnip, I’ve pretty much stopped buying other brands. Just about everything I’ve tried has ended up in the trashcan. They are seriously that picky. When your package arrived, they barely even let me open it. They were tearing into the package and just about had it open on their own. Their previous brand of choice has always been safe in the ottoman. They never try to get to it. Not the case with your nip. They tore the lid off the ottoman repeatedly. It’s now in the cabinet above the refrigerator because that’s the only place they can’t get to it. Paws down the best catnip I’ve ever purchased. And that’s saying something as I’ve bought just about every brand you can think of. So long story short, thank you for making the best nip toys in the entire world. We are looking forward to your spring line of goodies.”

— Jacqueline Bond & Team Mookeet (10 cats) on Instagram)

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Catnip Joints

“Hands down you guys have the best catnip! Of all the catnip toys we have it is the joints that continue to provide entertainment – to them and to us. We usually put all of the toys in the cat house in the AM and again in the evening before we go to bed. Throughout the day we usually see one of the cats sitting in the party house, a little latter we may hear a sneeze and then shortly thereafter they explode out of the house running or they go to find/stalk the other cat. It is so fun to watch. After Christmas I ordered a kicker from one of the other vendors and they seemed to really like being able to hold on and kick it, but it only lasted a short while, they still lay on it in the cat house, but the joints are still providing delight – we find them all around the house.

Thanks again for all of the kitty goodies…it is a gift that provides delight every day.”

— De Ann Doonan, via direct email

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Batnip in Black

“Barely got the box open when my cat pounced on this thing. She’s super-finicky about what she’ll play with, so I have to admit I was hesitant to pay this much for a cat toy. Order came lightning fast and my cat is obsessed! Very well-made and works even better with the Telescoping Wand with Clip & Cord. Definitely worth every penny – it’ll surely last a long time and keeps Stella’s interest for a long time! She’s a bit tubby, so keeping her active is critical. Can’t say enough good stuff about this product or this company. Won’t ever buy cat toys or catnip anywhere else again!”

— Lisa (verified owner) review on product page

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Lots of Etsy Reviews

Paraphernalia Pack

February 14, 2015 by Stark Raving Cat Leave a Comment

Telescoping Clip & Catnip Joints

Reach out to your cat!

* Save on Band-Aids: the telescoping wand prevents scratched hands.
* Jiggle the clip under a throw rug or towel, like prey.
* Tie a ribbon around a toy; dangle it from the clip.
* Clip together loose feathers that fall off other toys. Voila! A new cat toy.
* Jingle the bell: it’s time for Catnip Joints.
* Clip on a treat like freeze-dried chicken; drive kitty nuts.
* Make boring toys fun by tossing them around with the clip.
* Wiggle your wand: Exercise your cat!

Wolfie & Telescoping Wand — Wolfie biting Catnip Joint on Telescoping Wand

Play with your cat by moving the wand over, under, or inside a…

* Paper bag (with cat in it)
* Box (with cat in it)
* A cracked-open door (with cat on the other side)
* A throw-rug, blanket or towel

Our Paraphernalia Pack with telescoping wand and Catnip Joints makes a great gift – it’s always the “hit” of the party!

Click here to order

Note: Bells are selected randomly (from magenta, teal, purple, and chartreuse. What kitty gets will be a surprise! (If you have a burning desire for a specific color, leave a comment in your order; no guarantees, but if we can make it happen, we will. We want happy cats!)

Ten Tips About Catnip: Legal High for Cats

August 26, 2014 by Kate Heyhoe Leave a Comment

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…

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.)

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

A Public Service Post by Tamale at StarkRavingCat.com