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Cosmic Catnip is my favorite maker of catnip-laced goodies for my four felines. All four are reactive to catnip, and it makes them act like crazy kittens when I break out a fresh toy or a sprinkling of the herb itself. Catnip products come in a wide variety, and I'm always looking for new ways to administer this “kitty drug” to them, so Cosmic Cat Bouncy Bubbles sounded like an intriguing prospect.

Bubbles With a Kick

Basically, Cosmic Cat Bouncy Bubbles work the same as the regular bubbles you blew when you were a kid. You get a bottle of liquid and a wand. To use this product, you simply dip the wand into the liquid, blow gently through the ring, and the bubbles drift gently through the air until they pop naturally or get pounced on by a playful cat. You see, these bubbles are different than the old, soapy variety. They're made with a cat-safe formula that's laced with the essence of catnip in the form of pure catnip oil to make them attractive to felines.

This product has all the makings of a winner. Cats love to chase things, and usually their restricted to balls or other toys tossed along the floor, although they get to do some aerial acrobatics if you use a wand toy. Playthings are especially important if you have an indoor cat, since you need to help it meet its daily needs for stimulation and exercise. Cosmic Cat Bouncy Bubbles offer something different: they drift through the air, so you cat can leap at them while chasing the drifting spheres.

The Paws-On Test

I have four cats, ranging in age from two years old to geriatric, and my youngsters and one of the two middle-agers goes crazy whenever an unfortunate fly or moth gets into the house. I figured the catnip bubbles would give them a safe, controlled way to let out those same playful instincts.

I knew my oldster would have no interest in chasing bubbles. He prefers his catnip in toys like the Cosmic Cat goodies or the Kitten Mitten or, better yet, some dried herb straight out of the plastic tub. However, I thought I'd get a response from my two middle-agers and SheiKra, the rambunctious youngster of the herd.

This product is very easy to use. Literally, if you've every blown bubbles as a kid (and who hasn't?), you already know how to use it. I opened the bottle and fished out the wand, with the cats gathered 'round watching me curiously.

I blew some bubbles in the kitchen, expecting the cats to to chase them excitedly, but they stared at the globes drifting overhead as though to say, “What the heck is that?” SheiKra, usually my adventurous boy, actually seemed a little shy of them. I have to say, this was probably my biggest surprise in testing out cat products, since my boys love catnip and have a strong prey instinct.

I tried a few more times, but most of the cats just couldn't seem to grasp the idea that bubbles are something to play with. I was hoping that the catnip essence would give them the right idea, but the concept, like the bubbles themselves, simply drifted over their kitty heads. SheiKra eventually did get into the spirit of things, but he wasn't nearly as reactive as he is with his Cosmic Cat toys.

Could Work for Kittens

I think this is potentially a good product if you have cats that are attracted to bubbles, unlike most of my lazy guys. I suspect that it might work particularly well with kittens, since they haven't yet settled into a rut of favorite toys yet. To my cats, toys are basically catnip-stuffed cloth toys, feathers mounted on wands, and bouncy balls. To kittens, the whole world is one big playground, so I imagine they might go crazy for bubbles. Although I've often read that younger cats aren't as likely to be reactive to catnip, I've owned two kittens and both went crazy for it from day one, so the catnip oil would be an added enticement.

In the meantime, my four big goofs don't want to be bothered by bubbles. They're more than content to stick to their catnip toys or to beg for a fresh pinch of their favorite herb.



Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.