Matatabi, also known as Silvervine, is a Japanese herb similar to regular catnip, but with a much milder scent. The big question is—do cats like Matatabi? From our testing, most cats ignored it completely. Compared to American catnip, which has a stronger scent and captures their interest, Matatabi simply didn’t hold their attention.
We tested four types of catnip—Thai, Japanese, and two American brands. The clear winner was the American catnip, as cats enjoyed playing with it the most. The second-best was another American brand. The Thai and Japanese catnips were similar in appeal, though the smaller size made them easier for cats to bat around. However, Matatabi had the weakest scent and was the least engaging of all, making it not the best choice for stimulating your cat’s playfulness.
