Ridiculous History — "The Bizarre Tale of the 1909 Catnip Riot"

Podcast: Ridiculous History (iHeartPodcasts)
Air Date: April 7, 2026
Hosts: Ben Bowlin (A), Noel Brown (B), with Max Williams (C)
Listener Suggestion by: Stacy R.

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the bizarre and hilarious true story of the 1909 "Catnip Riot" in New York City, where a hapless street vendor’s scheme to make a quick buck selling catnip to wealthy Fifth Avenue residents backfired in the most chaotic, feline-filled way possible. As always, hosts Ben and Noel use irreverent humor and playful banter to explore not just the odd history of this event, but its social and economic context, drawing clever parallels between eras.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: A Riot, But Not As You Think

• Ben and Noel open with trademark cat puns and banter about cats’ (lack of) domestication and their unique, self-interested behavior.
  • [02:24] Ben: "House cats are somewhat unique...there’s convincing argument that they are barely domesticated or self-domesticated at all."
  • [03:23] Noel: "...if you were going to get not feral, it would have already happened, right?"

Setting the Scene: 1909 New York & the Gig Economy

• The hosts explain the early 20th-century gig economy, drawing parallels to today’s flexible—sometimes precarious—work situations.
  • [10:17] Ben: "The gig economy is not a new thing, you know."
  • [12:44] Ben: "Our hapless hero of today's story, G. Herman Gottlieb, he is no different. He is an early 20th century businessman in New York City."

The Hustler: G. Herman Gottlieb’s Catnip Scheme

• Gottlieb, a street vendor in Upper Manhattan, is down on his luck and seeks a novel way to make money by selling wild-gathered catnip to the city’s wealthier cat owners.
  • [15:30] Ben: "He is armed with the clothing on his back, a little money for the subway, two big empty baskets, and a crazy dream."
  • [16:21] Ben: "He located a specific plant...Nepetita cataria, commonly known as catnip."

Catnip: Nature’s Cat Drug — Science & Myth

• The hosts clarify what catnip is (a mint) and its effect on cats (not all respond, those who do become intoxicated for 5-10 minutes due to "nepetalactone").
  • [23:03] Ben: "What's happening here is...there's chemical stuff going on...Cats inhale the aromatic oils...then come into contact with receptors in the cat's noses...affect the cat's behavior in often silly willy ways."
  • [26:09] Ben: "It is believed that this is a similar reaction cats have when they are exposed to feel good pheromones..."
  • [27:39] Ben: "The cats in question don’t know that...they tend to recognize the smell from earlier and chase that dragon, chase that high of catnip."

The Incident: The “Catnip Riot” Unfolds

• Gottlieb attempts to peddle catnip in rich neighborhoods, but NYC’s sizable stray population catches wind—literally—and chaos ensues.
  • [28:58] Noel: "A door to door cat treat salesman."
  • [31:41] Ben: "Strays are very similar to Herman Gottlieb because they’re working their own day to day gig economy of survival."
  • [32:27] Ben: "He couldn’t shoo the cats away because he was walking. He was like a walking ice cream machine or something."
  • [32:39] Noel: "He was a bit of a Pied Piper of cats."
  • [38:30] Ben: "So in no time at all, at least 40 cats were following this guy...that’s why people started calling Gottlieb the Pied Piper of Catnip after this."

What the Papers Said: The Riot in the News

• Early 20th-century newspapers delighted in the spectacle, indulging in purple prose and witty reporting.
  • [39:07] Noel (reading in a period-appropriate voice): "Shame faced felines whose permanent addresses were alleys and backyards came stealthily forth. All of them rich and poor aristocrats from the sofa cushions near the front windows. And thin plebeians from the areaways struggled mightily to get into the two baskets of nip."
  • [40:15] Ben: "Herman's big hustle is not going the way he wanted it to go. Like, he hasn't sold all the catch up. The strays are after him, and now the police are on his case..."

Law, Order, & Feline Pandemonium

• Gottlieb is picked up by Police Sergeant Higgins for "causing a crowd to collect" (usually meant for people, not cats!).
  • [40:16] Noel: "Why don’t you arrest the cat? Now that is collecting the crowd, not me, bro!"
  • [41:00] Ben: "The law says a man must not cause a crowd of people to collect. The law doesn’t say anything about cats."
  • [42:33] Noel (disbelief): "Wait, police cats? Ben, that's absurd."
• At the police station, even the official “police cats” join in, eventually fighting off the mob of stray, catnip-high kitties.

Climax: The Final Chase

• Gottlieb, police-escorted home, flees a persistent last cat, tossing catnip as a distraction.
  • [44:06] Ben: "He apparently yells, 'Don't tell your relatives or your friends!' and then he slams the door shut."

Parallels to Napoleon’s “Rabbit Mob”

• The hosts liken the catnip riot to their earlier episode on Napoleon’s failed rabbit hunt that turned into a bunny uprising.
  • [44:21] Noel: "Hugely so...that was about Napoleon...basically demanding a sort of staged rabbit hunt...ultimately created like that movie Critters, you know, where they become a giant ball of critters..."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:49] Noel: "If we do our job right, or even a little right, today’s episode may well also be a laugh riot."
• [16:21] Ben: "He located a specific plant...Nepetita cataria, commonly known as catnip."
• [23:03] Ben: "What's happening here is...cats inhale the aromatic oils...then come into contact with receptors in the cat's noses...affect the cat's behavior in often silly willy ways."
• [32:39] Noel: "He was a bit of a Pied Piper of cats."
• [39:07] Noel (newspaper voice): "Shame faced felines whose permanent addresses were alleys and backyards came stealthily forth...struggled mightily to get into the two baskets of nip."
• [40:16] Noel (quoting Gottlieb): "Why don’t you arrest the cat? Now that is collecting the crowd, not me, bro!"
• [44:06] Ben: "He apparently yells, 'Don't tell your relatives or your friends!' and then he slams the door shut."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:21] — The episode is introduced as a “riot,” tease of story theme
• [08:28] — Connections drawn between today's and 1909's gig economies
• [12:44] — Introduction of G. Herman Gottlieb
• [15:30] — Gottlieb’s plan: catnip harvesting and sales plot
• [21:59-24:33] — Science behind catnip and feline intoxication
• [28:28] — Gottlieb brings catnip to wealthy districts; strays become a problem
• [32:39] — The “Pied Piper of cats” moment
• [38:30] — “40 cats” following Gottlieb; contemporary press reactions
• [40:12] — Police intervention; legal comedy about what counts as a "crowd"
• [43:44] — Final chase; "catted pursuit" and dramatic conclusion
• [44:21] — Comparison to Napoleon’s “bunny mob”
• [46:44-47:56] — Banter on possible future "absurd riot" episodes

Tone & Style Notes

• The tone is consistently light-hearted, irreverent, and warmly nerdy, with the hosts riffing on feline facts, historical parallels, and their personal experiences as “cat dads.”
• The episode balances informative detail (catnip chemistry, gig economies) with tongue-in-cheek asides and playful delivery.
• Features period-voice newspaper readings and meta-humor about podcasting and in-jokes with long-term listeners.

Summary Statement

The "Catnip Riot" episode is a classic Ridiculous History blend of quirky storytelling, historical oddity, and sharp social commentary. Through Gottlieb’s feline fiasco, Ben and Noel illuminate not just a forgotten New York City anecdote, but also the enduring themes of hustle, unintended consequences, and the perennial weirdness of human-animal coexistence—sprinkled liberally with laughs and catnip puns.

Recommended for: History buffs, cat lovers, fans of delightful human folly, and anyone who enjoys history with a hearty laugh.