WINE FOR CATS . . . IT’S A THING

THIS TAKES spending time with your cat to a whole new level. To be clear, it’s non-alcoholic wine but your feline friends can now sip on a little Pinot Meow or MosCATo while you enjoy your glass of Chardonnay. Produced by Denver-based Apollo Peak, the drinks are actually made with organic catnip and water and colored with organic beet juice (the “white” varieties are colored with golden beets).  “It’s made like a tea,” founder Brandon Zavala said. “But since we got it to look so much like a wine, we want it to be perceived as a wine by the consumer – that way they can feel as though they are having a glass of wine with their pet.” Zavala, who named his company after the older of his two cats, Apollo, started making the drink commercially in November. “It’s kind of a weird story,” he said. “It started out as a joke, slapping a label on a regular wine bottle.” Then he considered that maybe some people really would be interested in a wine-like treat for their cats. He did some research and found out such a product did exist: Nyan Nyan Nouveau. However, it’s only available in Japan. More importantly, it’s made from grapes which can be toxic to cats. On the other hand, the ASPCA lists beets as non-toxic to cats. Zavala says his product is approved by local veterinarians. That said, it’s recommended to check with your vet beforehand, especially if your pet has preexisting health problems. And of course, cats are nothing if not fickle so there’s no guarantee that kitty will lap it up.