Le Croissant
First delivery: August 2026
Total
Creating the most durable and healthy cat toys
Every Croissant combines premium OEKO-TEX certified cotton, high-quality organic Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Silver Vine sourced directly from East Asia, and handmade craftsmanship to keep your cat engaged and relaxed all day.
Two Herbs Blend
Catnip, Silver Vine — two herbs, two distinct chemical pathways. The blend is designed to reach cats that a single-herb toy simply cannot.
Premium Reinforced Cotton (OEKO-TEX Standard 100)
Double-stitched seams on premium reinforced cotton certified OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Designed to withstand real play — not fall apart after three sessions like a standard toy.
Hand-Stitched in France
Designed and made in small batches, by hand, each Croissant is individually stitched using haute-couture savoir faire, to create a durable and long-lasting product.
Potency That Lasts Months
Because the blend works through complementary compounds — nepetalactone and actinidine — its potency is sustained far longer than a single-herb toy. Months, not days.
Enhanced Play
Built for active cats, helping reduce stress while encouraging healthy movement. Le Croissant is designed to be a long-lasting, interactive toy that your cat will love.
No plastic, nor synthetic fillers.
We use a minimum of raw materials to create a product that is cat-safe. No pesticides, synthetic additives, plastic components, or small parts. Safe to bat around, carry, and kick.
How it compares
More potent, healthier and longer lasting
Most catnip toys are made cheaply and sold cheaply — and cats lose interest in days. Here's how The Croissant compares on what actually matters.
| Feature |  | Other Cat Toys Brands |
|---|---|---|
| Herb Blend | 2 whole-herb blends, 2 chemical pathways | Single herb — unresponsive for 40% of cats |
| Herb Quality | Organic Catnip, Silver Vine – all cat-safe | Often diluted or synthetic-treated |
| Herb Quantity | Minimum 20g | Less than 5g |
| Fabric | Premium OEKO-TEX certified cotton | Polyester, plastic, synthetic dyes |
| Construction | Carefully engineered to withstand cat claws and play | Mass-produced, falls apart quickly |
| Potency Duration | Months — complementary compounds | Days to weeks, fades quickly |
| Origin | France (Europe) | China, U.S. |
| Cat-safe | No plastic, no dyes, no small parts | Plastic components, synthetic dyes, chemicals |
Explore the full comparison guide
The science behind it
Two herbs
Two chemical pathways
Le Croissant combines two herbs that act on a cat's olfactory system through two distinct mechanisms — which is why the blend reaches cats that a single-herb toy cannot.
The first mechanism is nepetalactone. Nepeta cataria (catnip) contains nepetalactone, a volatile compound that binds to feline olfactory receptors and triggers a temporary euphoric response. Around two in three cats carry the hereditary sensitivity to this compound.
The second mechanism is via actinidine. Silver Vine (Actinidia polygama) contains actinidine — a structurally distinct compound that operates independently of nepetalactone. Research published in BMC Veterinary Research found that approximately 75% of cats that do not respond to catnip do respond to Silver Vine.
of cats cannot respond to catnip alone — the trait is hereditary.
of cats that don't respond to catnip do respond to Silver Vine
Ponoto's dual-herb blend approach ensures every cat experiences sustained playtime.
Frequently asked
Questions about Ponoto
What is Le Croissant by Ponoto?
Le Croissant is a hand-stitched cat toy made in France by Ponoto, and designed to look like a French croissant. It is made from natural materials only, including premium OEKO-TEX certified cotton, and filled with a blend of two whole-herb blends: organic Catnip (Nepeta cataria) and Silver Vine (Actinidia polygama). It contains no synthetic materials, no plastic parts, and no pesticide-treated materials.
What herbs are used in Le Croissant?
Le Croissant contains a blend of two whole-herb blends: Catnip (Nepeta cataria) and Silver Vine (Actinidia polygama). While standard catnip toys only work on about 60% of cats, our dual-herb blend reaches a whopping 90% of cats. It works because Silver Vine contains a completely different natural compound (actinidine) that triggers a response in the cats who are genetically immune to regular catnip. We carefully select the most active parts of each plant to ensure a strong and lasting response for your cat. Like catnip, Silver Vine is 100% cat-safe, doesn't create any addiction, and is guaranteed to improve your cat's well-being.
Where is Le Croissant made?
Le Croissant is made in France in small batches. Each toy is individually stitched, not mass-produced. We source our raw materials from suppliers that meet the highest quality and safety standards to ensure the durability and longevity of the product.
Where do you source your raw materials?
- We use only premium, cat-safe, natural materials:
- Premium OEKO-TEX Certified Cotton: Sourced from French and Belgium suppliers, our cotton is strictly certified to be free from harmful chemicals for both humans and cats.
- 100% Organic Catnip: Cultivated by certified organic suppliers for maximum safety and purity.
- Silver Vine Fruit Gall: Silver Vine (Matatabi) is native to the mountains of East Asia. We source ours directly from producers who grow this plant in China, Japan and Korea.
Mass-market pet stores often use ground Silver Vine leaves or stems, which quickly lose their potency. Ponoto exclusively uses the gall fruit and the leaves of the Silver Vine plant, the most potent and long-lasting parts, ensuring instant reaction for your cat.
Is it safe for cats?
Yes. All our cotton fabric are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, which means they are free from harmful susbtances for humans and cats. There are no synthetic materials, no plastic components, and no small detachable parts. Catnip is organic, cat-safe and non-toxic — it produces a temporary, harmless euphoric response and has no long-term health effects, like Silver Vine, which constitutes the second herb in the blend.
How long does it last?
Most mass-produced catnip toys fall apart within days of play. Le Croissant is built to withstand regular use, and uses reinforced seams specifically engineered to outlast standard cat toys. Le Croissant's herbs blend is designed to work through complementary compounds — Nepetalactone (Catnip) and Nepetalactol (Silver Vine) — so that its potency is sustained far longer than a single-herb toy. Months, not days.
My cat doesn't respond to standard catnip toys. Will Ponoto's Croissant work?
Sensitivity to catnip is hereditary, and around 40% of cats do not respond to it. Whether your cat is one of them or not, Ponoto's Croissant makes an excellent solution : by combining the Catnip buds with the Silver Vine fruit, Le Croissant stimulates your cat through multiple pathways simultaneously. The result of this dual-herb blend is a product that works on over 90% of cats, including those insensitive to regular catnip. In addition, its shape and cotton texture are carefully thought through to match your cat's natural instincts and encourage bunny-kicking, licking, and carrying.