I dried the catnip I got fresh, but they still weren't interested in that particular harvest.
It looks like what I was going to say was already covered, but I can reiterate what aligator said. My last cat didn't care about fresh catnip either, but she loved the dried stuff. Don't be completely disappointed. You can still dry the fresh stuff and then rub the dried catnip to release the oils, much like you would rub dried herbs when you're cooking before you add it to the pot. This should work like the commercial dried catnip. Then, again, if it doesn't, you'll have at least tried. And, again, as was already stated, not all cats are even affected by catnip. Some cats are "addicts", and some cats can take it or leave it.
You can also buy catnip oil spray, which I bought for my new cat, Hunter, to help attract them to their toys and to places that you want them to go to, like their scratching posts. This only works if they're already affected by catnip, though.
Drying herbs intensifies the scent. Like when you use dried herbs vs fresh.
I've tried fresh cat nip and fresh cat grass. BOTH were a no-go to my cats. They like the dried cat nip, but not all were affected by it. That cat grass is something I would definitely not recommend because we all know what happens when cats eat grass. They end up barfing it!!
The absolute best cat nip I've found is called Cosmic Cat Nip. Don't know what they put in it, but cats go absolutely nuts with that stuff. LOL
Hi There.
The first and true answer is that cats will do what They want. They enjoy watching us while our best laid plans just sorta lay there. Our confusion and disappointment is a source of amusement to them, bless their furry hearts.
Some cats aren't affected by catnip at all.
Here's what might have worked: Crushing the leaves up to bring out the smell. Nepetalactone is the active ingredient in kittynip that gives the hallucinogenic effect when it enters the cat's nasal passages. Also, you could dry the fresh catnip either in the oven (low heat) or by hanging it upside down in a dry, dark place until it crumbles when touched.
So you can try fresh catnip again someday if you want but be sneaky and act like it's no big deal, just to fool them.
Blessings to you & your furry friends.
Melinda