Don't Drink Alone: Party With Your Cat

Whether you're throwing a full-on pet birthday party or you just don't want to feel totally alone when you pop some popcorn and pour some wine for yourself at home, you can still party with your furry friend thanks to one great thing: cat wine.

No, we're not talking about that so-so riesling that comes in a bottle shaped like a cat. You shouldn't feed your pets grapes anyway. We're talking about the pet equivalent of alcohol: catnip.

Two companies offer "cat wines" made from catnip, juices, and a bit of salmon oil (it's just too bad that it isn't mouse-flavored). These drinks won't get your kitties drunk, per se, but catnip (Nepeta cataria) will cause a cat to roll around in blissful confusion and lick, chew, and rub against the plant... which is more or less how an inebriated person acts, right?

Why does catnip affect cats? According to Mental Floss, an oil called nepetalactone, which is found in the plant's tissues, the cat smells the catnip, causing their sense receptors to send signals to the cat's brain that, according to the prevailing theory, closely mimic the effects of feline pheromones. Because cats are inherently creatures of curiosity (who domesticated themselves, by the way), little else is known about how the process works inside a cat's brain. It just... does.

So, the next time you crack open a beer, crack open some cat wine for your cat. You won't be drinking all by your lonesome, and your kitty will be feeling pretty good too.

Want to get your cats looking festive? Click here for amazing, hilarious party hats for your cats.