Nils Jacobi, 39, sprayed catnip all over his glass dining-room table before getting underneath with his camera to snap the animals in action. Fritz, 14, Kleine, 10, Frederic, and Lissy, both 4, can be seen rolling all over the glass and pulling funny facial expressions.
IG/furryfritz
Jacobi, from Langenfeld, Germany, who takes photos of cats for a living, told Newsweek: “I love their independence and their curiosity. From a photographic point of view, I am fascinated by cat tongues in particular.
“Sometimes, people send me messages saying they have had cats for years but never saw them that way. I just want the viewers to take away some serotonin and see the cats from my point of view.”
At the weekend, Jacobi shared a video of the photoshoot to his TikTok account @furryfritz and it has more than 21 million views.
What Is Catnip?
The scientific name for catnip is Nepeta cataria. The pet-food company Purina writes on its website that the plant is “classified as a herb in the mint family so catnip is related to peppermint and spearmint.” It can be purchased in a dried and crushed or spray form and can be home-grown.
How Does Catnip Work?
Catnip makes felines feel good, according to the pet-food company website that has explained exactly what the plant does to our furry friends.
“As your cat licks and rubs on the herb, the release of nepetalactone sets off a euphoric reaction,” reads the Purina website.
IG/furryfritz
The TikTok video has racked up 2.2 million likes since it was posted on January 14.
Speaking to Newsweek, Jacobi said: “I often get comments on social media saying I capture their personalities so well, but honestly, this is something I cannot really explain. I just try to figure out how I can make the cats model for me best. With some cats, I use their play instinct to get the desired shots, especially with playful kittens.
“With other cats, I use treats to make them a model for me and sometimes I also like to use kitty drugs like valerian, catnip, or silver vine. You have to be very flexible and cater to the needs of the cat.
“Some of them are rather shy and don’t enjoy too much attention, others love standing in the center,” added Jacobi.
“Some people call me the ‘cat whisperer.’ I don’t know why I have the special power to get more than 99 percent of them in front of my lens, but I think they are way smarter and more sensitive than we think.
“They have like a sixth sense that tells them if someone is a cat person or not. I’m also not the loud and jittery type of guy, which is also helpful.”
IG/furryfritz
More than 5,400 people have commented on the viral clip that has been shared 127,100 times.
“This is so cute for real,” wrote one TikToker, while others are expressing their need for a glass table. Another user commented: “Genius.”
“So hypothetically speaking if I spray catnip on myself will it make cats want to approach me,” asked another TikToker.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
