Ridiculous History The Bizarre Tale of the 1909 Catnip Riot
Apr 7, 2026
A down-on-his-luck peddler turns wild catnip into a get-rich-quick scheme that spirals out of control. The hosts trace how spilled catnip lured dozens of felines into the streets and even into a police station. Along the way they compare old-time hustles to modern gig work and link the chaos to other historic animal mobs.
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Door-to-Door Catnip Hustle Goes Awry
- Herman Gottlieb attempted a door-to-door hustle selling freshly gathered catnip to wealthy Uptown households in August 1909.
- He harvested two large baskets from Inwood woods and took the subway to sell on Lenox Avenue and Fifth Avenue, aiming for rich cat owners.
How Catnip Triggers A Short Intense High
- Catnip creates intense, short-lived behavioral changes by aromatic oils hitting feline nasal receptors linked to the brain.
- Ben and Noel explain Nepeta [nepetalactone] produces a 5–10 minute high and a 1–2 hour refractory period, explaining frantic repeat-seeking.
Cat Class Divide Turned A Hustle Into A Riot
- New York's feline population mirrored human social divides: pampered indoor cats and hungry strays.
- Dropped leaves from Gottlieb's baskets attracted strays across neighborhoods, turning a luxury product into a public nuisance.