If your finances are anything like mine than it’s all about maintaining that budget and sticking as close to it as possible. For those of us with pets this becomes just a little more difficult and tricky to pull off. One thing you may want to consider is to grow your own catnip. Not only is catnip an all-natural healthy treat, a cat doesn’t exist that doesn’t go bonkers at the first whiff of the plant.

Seeds are commonly sold at your nearest pet or all in one store (Wal-mart, Target, Costco, etc…) and should be planted 18 inches a part in neat rows that are no more than 10 inches deep. You’ll want to make sure your seeds are in a spot that receives plenty of sunlight and it wouldn’t hurt if you wanted to place a layer of mulch over the top. In no time (typically within just a few weeks) you should start seeing the first sprouts popping up and by the end of the second month they should be upwards of two feet or more.

Once the plant has reached 18 inches and starts to show signs that it might be turning yellow, it’s time to pick. Some choose only to pick a few leaves a time, but regardless if you and a little or the whole plant, the next step is to make sure the catnip has had time to dry. Either lay them outside or hang them upside down from a clothes line (this will also ensure that neighborhood cats won’t be tempted to steel the treats) and give them a few days to become dry/brittle.

Finally now that your done drying the catnip, you’ve got a treat that kitty is sure to go gaga for. You can crumble it up and cover a favorite toy, pour it over a scratching post, or simply place it in little pile to roll around in. The most important thing though is that kitty is happy and you’ve found a very inexpensive way to treat them while managing to stay on budget.