Comments on: Engrish kitty treats http://www.expatintaiwan.net/2008/08/13/engrish-kitty-treats/ An American expatriate shares his thoughts on life, language, food, and culture in Taiwan. Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:14:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: RFW http://www.expatintaiwan.net/2008/08/13/engrish-kitty-treats/comment-page-1/#comment-4001 RFW Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:39:34 +0000 http://www.expatintaiwan.net/2008/08/13/engrish-kitty-treats/#comment-4001 The botanical name is Actinidia polygama. It's in the same genus as kiwi fruit. I've tried to grow it here in western Canada, but every time I've had a start of it, the local cats have eventually penetrated my defenses and trampled it into the ground. It's actually native to China. I've read that when the cat population gets too great in a district, they build a fire and throw matatabi on it to make a smudge, which then lures in cats from all around for repurposing. The botanical name is Actinidia polygama. It’s in the same genus as kiwi fruit. I’ve tried to grow it here in western Canada, but every time I’ve had a start of it, the local cats have eventually penetrated my defenses and trampled it into the ground.

It’s actually native to China. I’ve read that when the cat population gets too great in a district, they build a fire and throw matatabi on it to make a smudge, which then lures in cats from all around for repurposing.

]]> By: The Expatriate http://www.expatintaiwan.net/2008/08/13/engrish-kitty-treats/comment-page-1/#comment-17 The Expatriate Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:54:00 +0000 http://www.expatintaiwan.net/2008/08/13/engrish-kitty-treats/#comment-17 Awesome! Thanks for the information, both for my cat and the upcoming hike! Awesome! Thanks for the information, both for my cat and the upcoming hike!

]]> By: kaminoge http://www.expatintaiwan.net/2008/08/13/engrish-kitty-treats/comment-page-1/#comment-16 kaminoge Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:41:00 +0000 http://www.expatintaiwan.net/2008/08/13/engrish-kitty-treats/#comment-16 The product is called "Matatabi no Ki" またたびのき, aka "Silver vine tree", which is also called "catnip". The Japanese writing underneath the name assures you it provides all-purpose ease and comfort for cats. The rest of the packaging promises that it will keep your cat happy and active the whole day, which seems to be case judging from your post. <br/><br/>BTW, I'm the guy who went hiking with Micheal "View from Taiwan" Turton the other day in Dakeng. If you're coming to Taichung from Yunlin, you would get off the No. 1 Freeway, and drive on Jhonggang Road to Wensin Road, then make a left. To get to the main hiking trails in the Dakeng area (Nos. 1-4), you basically keep on Wensin Road until it becomes Dongshan Road. As you enter the mountains, you need to keep a sharp eye out for the small brown, wooden signs that tell you where to turn off for the trails.<br/><br/>The trails (Nos. 6-10) that Michael and I were on the other day are much shorter, and in a different location, than the ones above. Getting to them is much harder to describe, so if you'd like to send me an email, I could try and give you the detailed directions:<br/>kaminoge@yahoo.com The product is called “Matatabi no Ki” またたびのき, aka “Silver vine tree”, which is also called “catnip”. The Japanese writing underneath the name assures you it provides all-purpose ease and comfort for cats. The rest of the packaging promises that it will keep your cat happy and active the whole day, which seems to be case judging from your post.

BTW, I’m the guy who went hiking with Micheal “View from Taiwan” Turton the other day in Dakeng. If you’re coming to Taichung from Yunlin, you would get off the No. 1 Freeway, and drive on Jhonggang Road to Wensin Road, then make a left. To get to the main hiking trails in the Dakeng area (Nos. 1-4), you basically keep on Wensin Road until it becomes Dongshan Road. As you enter the mountains, you need to keep a sharp eye out for the small brown, wooden signs that tell you where to turn off for the trails.

The trails (Nos. 6-10) that Michael and I were on the other day are much shorter, and in a different location, than the ones above. Getting to them is much harder to describe, so if you’d like to send me an email, I could try and give you the detailed directions:
kaminoge@yahoo.com

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