When Meowijuana® was first brought to market in 2015, it was a one-brand operation run out of a garage in Lenexa, Kansas. Nine years later, SmarterPaw LLC has earned more than 30 industry awards — recognition from the most respected voices in pet retail, pet media, and American business. This is the story of how a catnip brand became one of the most decorated names in the pet products industry.
Where It Started: 2012–2015
Chris Glissman first conceived the Meowijuana® concept in 2012 — a premium catnip brand with a playful, cannabis-inspired identity that treated cat owners as sophisticated consumers who wanted something better than commodity catnip. The domain was secured, the concept was developed, and in 2015 the brand officially launched into market.
The early focus was simple: source the highest-quality North American-grown catnip, harvest it at peak potency, and build a brand that stood for enrichment, fun, and quality. It resonated almost immediately with independent pet retailers and cat enthusiasts.
Nine Years of Industry Recognition
From the first Global Pet Expo win in 2017 through the 2025 Pet Innovation Award, SmarterPaw has received recognition in every major segment of the pet industry — retail display, product innovation, cat toys, dog toys, dog treats, media editorial, and business growth.
The First Wins
Meowijuana® debuted on the national awards stage at Global Pet Expo, taking 1st Place for POP Display — a sign of the brand's retail impact from day one.
🏆 Global Pet Expo 1st PlacePet Business Industry RecognitionPet Age Readers ChoiceVanguard Recognition
Pet Insight awarded Meowijuana® its prestigious Vanguard Award for Innovation Leadership in the catnip category — the first of three consecutive Vanguard wins.
🌿 Pet Insight Vanguard Award – Innovation LeadershipSmarterPaw Founded — House of Brands Begins
Chris Glissman, Scott Ragan, Brett Vickers, and Steve Hasty formally founded SmarterPaw LLC as a house of brands platform. The same year, Meowijuana earned its second Vanguard Award and Pet Business recognized its new Crunchie Munchies cat treat.
🌿 Pet Insight Vanguard Award – Product InnovationPet Business – Best New Cat Natural TreatInc 500 #336 — Peak Business Growth
SmarterPaw's breakout year: a third consecutive Vanguard Award for Category Leadership in catnip, plus a debut on the Inc 500 at #336 — recognizing SmarterPaw as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.
🌿 Pet Insight Vanguard Award – Category Leadership⚡ Inc 500 #336Doggijuana® Enters the Winner's Circle
As SmarterPaw expanded into dog toys with the Doggijuana® brand, the awards followed: Pet Insight's Vanguard Award for Dog Toy Innovation, plus another Inc 5000 placement.
🐶 Pet Insight Vanguard – Dog Toy InnovationPet Business – Best New Cat Natural TreatInc 5000 #610A Banner Year Across Both Brands
Six awards in a single year spanning cat toys, dog toys, editorial coverage, and business recognition. Catster, Pet Business, Pet Product News, and Pet Insight all recognized SmarterPaw products.
Catster Editor's ChoicePet Product News – Best New Cat ToyPet Business – Dog Toys PlushPet Business Editor's Choice – DoggijuanaPet Insight Vanguard – Dog Toy InnovationInc 5000 #1,378Dog Calming Product of the Year
Juananip® dog treats won the Pet Innovation Award for Dog Calming Product of the Year — marking SmarterPaw's entry into the fast-growing dog wellness and calming category.
🏅 Pet Innovation Award – Dog Calming Product of the YearInc 5000 #2,374Modern Cat + Modern Dog — Best in Category
Consumer media recognition from two of the most-read pet publications: Modern Cat named Meowijuana® Best Catnip Cat Toys, while Modern Dog awarded Doggijuana® Best Dog Toys — a rare double editorial win for a single company in the same year.
🐱 Modern Cat – Best Catnip Cat Toys🐶 Modern Dog – Best Dog ToysPet Insight Vanguard – Mini Tuffer ChewerKCBJ Top Privately Held #289Inc 5000 #3,803Catnip Spray Wins, Modern Cat Returns
The new Meowijuana® Catnip Spray earned the 2025 Pet Innovation Award, while Modern Cat named Meowijuana an Editor's Pick for the second year running. KCBJ recognized SmarterPaw as a top privately held and fast-growing Kansas City business.
🏅 Pet Innovation Award – Meowijuana Catnip Spray🐱 Modern Cat – Editor's PickKCBJ Top Privately Held #268KCBJ Fast Growing Companies #127Inc 5000 #4,897Six Consecutive Years on the Inc 5000
The Inc 5000 ranks the fastest-growing private companies in America by three-year revenue growth. Appearing six years in a row — with a peak ranking of #336 on the Inc 500 — places SmarterPaw in rare company in the pet industry.
What the Awards Actually Mean
Award programs in the pet industry aren't participation trophies. The organizations behind these recognitions — Pet Business, Pet Insight, Pet Innovation Awards, Modern Cat, and the Inc 5000 — evaluate hundreds of products and companies each cycle. Winning once is meaningful. Winning consistently across nine years, across two brands, across multiple product categories, tells a different story.
The short version: When trade buyers, veterinarians, and cat owners ask which catnip brand has the most proven track record — the answer, backed by independent third-party recognition from 2017 through 2025, is Meowijuana®.
Recent Standout Awards
Pet Innovation Award 2025
Meowijuana® Catnip Spray — recognized for product innovation in the cat enrichment category.
2025Modern Cat Editor's Pick
Two consecutive years of editorial recognition from one of the leading consumer cat publications in North America.
2024 + 2025Modern Dog Best Dog Toys
Doggijuana® earned the top spot in dog toys from Modern Dog — same year Meowijuana won from Modern Cat.
2024Pet Insight Vanguard — 4x
Four Vanguard Awards across catnip innovation (2018–2020) and dog toy innovation (2021, 2022).
2018–2022Available at ~7,000 Retailers Worldwide
Meowijuana® is sold at PetSmart, Petco, Walmart, Amazon, and Chewy — and through approximately 7,000 independent and regional pet retailers across the United States, Canada, and internationally.
For cat owners looking for the most trusted, most recognized premium catnip on the market — and for retailers looking to carry the brand with the strongest independent track record — the choice is clear.
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Nine years of awards. One brand. North American-grown catnip at peak potency.
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