Storing catnip

I just got an 8 ounce bag of dried catnip. What is the best way to store it to keep it fresh? It is an awful lot of catnip for one little kitty.

I keep mine in glass containers that are wrapped with aluminum foil and kept in my pantry. I have kept them on top of my frig before. Guess i treat them as i would tea leaves.
Vickie

Thanks Vickie. It is so much catnip that I'm going to try freezing a good portion of it. Then keep the rest in a glass jar.

I kept mine in a glass jar sitting on shelf at work till the puddytat managed to push it off. Fortunately, it didn't break the jar. It now resides in the frig... at least until he figures out how to open it! LOL I am sure there would be no problem freezing a portion.

Podster, Are you not letting your poor kitty have any catnip? LOL!!
Vickie

That guy? In limited doses only!!! 8 ) He tends to get a bit rowdy on catnip...

DD has 3 cats. To me it is truely amazing the different ways cats react. one gets laid back(no care in the world) another just gets drunk as a skunk,the other will take on the whole world. It only lasts a few minutes.
Vickie

Four more reside at my house (actually, they let us stay there as long as the food bowl is kept full). Only one of those has the catnip gene and it has to be green. She cares not at all if it is dried.

I keep it in the freezer. We have four cats in the household and only one no longer goes for it (very old and senile). It seems to keep it's potency a lot longer when frozen.

Thanks McCool - the freezer it is.

I keep it in the pantry in a jar. My mountain lion only gets it on very special occasions cuz he gets smashed. BTW I accidently dropped a coriander seed on the floor once and he went bullistic. Rolled around on it like a crazy man and finally ate it and then vegged out for an hour. I can't find anything on the net about coriander and cats so I'm afraid to give him it again as I don't know if its harmful or not.

I had a similar reaction with Valerian capsules and felines...

From what I've read, valerian often effects cats like that or may make them quite aggressive. I've never heard anything about cats and coriander though. Mine have never reacted to a them out in the garden or when I've brought seed heads into the house (except that they will generally paw at anything new -- especially if it's moving.)

Podster, One of the dummy,s here. I did'nt know there was a gene for reacting to catnip. DD,s are the only ones i've seen smelling catnip. So some kittys never get to party? DD will want me to grow valerian now. and i don't share my capsules.LOL also valerian leaves a lot to be desired in the fragrance catagory.
I've got coriander so will give the cats a test.
Vickie

Yes, stinky socks fragrance... the cats think it is to die for!

I'm not really sure it is genetic, I just have a peculiar way of speaking. I think my humor gets lost in the typing, sorry... LOL

What is with the stinky socks thing anyway? My mountain lion spends hours lounging on my DH's stinky socks. eeeeeeeeew!!!! (Note: I take no responsibility for other people's dirty socks so as gross as it is they stay where the stinky socks person deposits them until they find their way to the laundry room. ok that was waaaaaay too much info, wasn't it? LOL)

Podster and Dahlianut,I lose my sense of humor thru a typewriter too. Family says it's because i can't talk without my hand gestures.LOL

Some Dogs love stinky sox too. Ever seen one role over and over on one?

My DD is the only one who tends to give me too much info. :0

Ever try peppermint tea, one of my cats likes that better than catnip. I can't have a cup with out giving him the used teabag.
I grow catnip about 1/10 of an acre, but have to fence it so I have a harvest, the local cats know where it is. I hang in a shed to dry and then strip the leaves and buds off and put in large glass jars, keeps for several years, and I have seed to plant more. It is a great perrennial, hummers and butterflys love it.

Annabelle15, thank you for that information. I didn't know that catnip is a perennial. Will it be okay to freeze the catnip? This is an enormous amount for my one cat.

I found a jar once that got pushed behind 'stuff'. It had to have been there for more than 3 years. Teke didn't seem to notice the difference so I think catnip has a long shelf life.

I have 2 cats from the same litter 9 years ago.They have never been interested in catnip.I used to dry it,bag it and give it to friends with cats.Mine could watch me do it I never bother me.