The Catnip Queen's 'royal' line of soft toys

A RANGE of soft cat toys filled with organic catnip is challenging throw-away culture with its signature Royal Collection.

The Catnip Queen, a UK-based family business, says the line is designed to be durable and sustainable.

Among the toys available are The Count’s Moustache, Royal Catch and Royal Clutch, which combine purple and gold colours to symbolise royalty.

And to ensure toys remain fresh, an organic Royal Elixir spray made with a blend of organic Catnip and Silvervine fruit extract.

Catnip derives from Nepeta Cataria, a member of the mint family which contains a compound called nepetalactone that triggers an intense, albeit temporary, bliss response in most cats.

While sensitivity is genetic, around 70% of cats love catnip so much they will roll in it, lick it and rub their faces in it.

Silvervine fruit extract comes from the fruit of a vine native to East Asia and is related to kiwifruit. It contains multiple compounds, including actinidine, that mimics feline pheromones, and dihydroactinidiolide, a calming agent that like Catnip, triggers a cat’s sensory receptors.

In fact, cats are even more likely to respond to Silvervine than they are Catnip, with around 80% feeling the effects.

The Catnip Queen Founders, Aime and Matt Anderson, spent months working with

cats of all ages and breeds at rescue charity Felinecare and those already living with owners to test, modify and perfect every product.

Matt said: "The Catnip Queen was born out of our desire to give our own rescue cats Princess and Tiger a life of luxury after they were found abandoned in a cardboard box.

"And now we want other down-at-paw kittens to experience the same moments of joy, so we’re donating 1% of all our sales to Felinecare.

"We know there are approximately 10.2 million cats in the UK with almost one household in four home to a cat.

"And the cat toy market is huge and is worth millions, but mostly comprises short-lived, poor quality toys.

"The Catnip Queen is here to challenge the assumption that toys for our important feline friends can’t last.

"Our toys are designed to be kept and refreshed, not replaced, using our Royal Elixir spray, making us a greener choice; reducing your pets’ carbon ‘pawprint’ by replacing their flimsy, short-lived toys with beautifully crafted, made to last ones they’d choose for themselves."

The Catnip Queen’s toys are now available to buy at thecatnipqueen.com, Amazon and eBay.