We only harvest these shrubs in the spring or fall when there are no leaves or berries present. Since only the wood is used in our toys, harvesting at these times makes it easier to keep the honeysuckle wood free of leaves and berries.
We have observed dozens of cats scratching on these honeysuckle shrubs when the berries are present. They don't seem to be even attracted to the berries at any time.
Our own cats have lived with the honeysuckle cuttings in our storage facility for 8 years - rubbing, playing, chewing, napping contentedly - with absolutely no side effects.
"It has come to our attention that there is a concern with the safety of using honeysuckle n toys for cats. Our clinic has carried the Kitty Kottage line of honeysuckle toys since early 2001 and to date we have not seen any allergic reactions or poisonings from the toys. We have had no clients voice concerns or worries over these products. The plant part is inside the toy so that there is no ingestion of the plant. Honeysuckle is a very nice alternative to catnip, and it sells very well. A lot of customers return to purchase new toys as their cats love them. We will continue to carry these inexpensive toys that cats love, and continue to offer then as a viable alternative to catnip toys." Dr. Dell, D.V.M., Animal Ark Pet Clinic, Edmonton, Canada
We certify - without reservation - that the Honeysuckle we use is completely safe for your cats.
