GiGwi Catnip Johnny Stick review: best catnip cat toy

The GiGwi Catnip Johnny Stick is our Best Catnip Toy: a bar of compressed catnip with natural feathers at both ends, at around ₱265. It gives your cat a full catnip hit without the mess of a loose sachet.

Why compressed catnip instead of a stuffed toy?

Most catnip toys hide loose dried leaf inside fabric. The scent fades within weeks, and the moment your cat tears the seam you are sweeping green flakes off the floor. GiGwi took a different route: the whole body is catnip pressed into a solid bar, textured so a cat can lick and gnaw at it.

Two things follow from that. The scent keeps releasing as the surface is worked, so the toy stays interesting for longer than a stuffed mouse. And there is nothing loose to spill, which is why this suits a condo or a carpeted room where a burst catnip pouch would be a genuine chore.

The shape matters too. It is a bar you can hold with the front paws, which is what triggers the bunny-kick with the back legs. A cat that grabs, kicks, and rolls with a toy is getting real exercise, not just a sniff.

Do the feathers add anything?

They do, and they are the reason to pick this over a plain catnip block. Natural feathers at both ends mean there is a grabbable target whichever way the toy lands, so a swat from any angle connects with something. The visual flick of a feather also pulls in cats that would walk past a scentless object.

Be realistic about them though. Feathers are always the first part to fail on any cat toy, and they will pull loose well before the catnip bar is used up. That is not a defect, it is what feathers do.

Is it worth it?

Around ₱265 as of August 23, 2026. Check the latest price on Shopee. It costs more than a sachet of loose catnip, but you are paying for the compressed form and a brand that actually sources North American catnip, rather than a mystery herb in a fabric mouse. Because the bar releases slowly instead of going stale in a month, one stick outlasts several cheap catnip mice.

Who should buy it

Buy this if your cat reacts to catnip and you want a tidy, longer-lasting way to deliver it, particularly in a condo where spilled leaf is a nuisance. It is also a good enrichment toy for an indoor-only cat that needs something to work at. Skip it if your cat has never shown a catnip reaction. See how it ranks in our best cat toys in the Philippines roundup, or check our cat toy buying guide for the catnip and silvervine question.

Alternatives to consider

Cat ignores catnip? The Daiso silvervine mouse wand uses matatabi, which works on many cats that catnip does nothing for. Want the catnip to also clean teeth? The Petstages Catnip Chew Mice wrap a catnip filling in dental mesh. More on the Pet Supplies page.