Intermittent catheters having hydration/gripper devices

An intermittent catheter comprising:

• a catheter shaft extending between a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
• a drainage member associated with the distal end portion of the catheter shaft;
• and
• a hydration device encircling at least a portion of the drainage member and defining a hydrating fluid-containing reservoir in fluid communication with at least one fluid-release port, wherein
• the hydration device is configured to be manipulated by a user to move the at least one fluid-release port from a closed condition to an open condition to flow at least a portion of the hydrating fluid out of the reservoir via the at least one fluid-release port for covering at least a portion of the catheter shaft, and
• the reservoir is defined between inner and outer walls of the hydration device, the outer wall including a gripping portion that is sufficiently flexible to be moved toward and into engagement with the inner wall.

An intermittent catheter comprising:

• a catheter shaft extending between a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
• and
• an introducer tip associated with the proximal end portion of the catheter shaft and comprising proximal and distal sections, wherein the distal section comprises
• a barrel portion receiving a portion of the catheter shaft, and
• a rim portion, with the rim portion surrounding the barrel portion and being in contact with the barrel portion in at least one location and spaced away from the barrel portion in at least one location to define at least one opening between the barrel and rim portions and configured to allow fluid flow through the rim portion between positions proximal and distal of the rim portion.