"Assuming that you don't object to your cat doing something that you could be arrested for doing yourself, you will want to provide kitty with only the best in recreational drugs. This means that you will have to grow it yourself or convince a green-thumbed friend to help out. The dry catnip available in pet stores is a pale imitation of the real, fresh item and does not even belong in the same category as what you will preserve for kitty's winter enjoyment."

"Catnip is a perennial herb, which means it will come back every year from a single planting. It will also self-seed any where the wind blows, so you will have lots to share with friends as the years go by. This is an attractive plant, growing to three feet or more and producing bluish flowers in mid-summer. The leaves are light green, slightly furry and have an attractive scalloped edge. As with all members of the mint family, the stems are square and hollow."

"You should not have any trouble finding seeds or pots of catnip at your local garden center. It is also possible to get from mail order nurseries. Be sure that you do not buy an ornamental catnip by mistake. There are now at least four different types of "catnip" grown as ornamentals. They will not get kitty high or even slightly tipsy. You want common catnip, "

"As with most herbs, full sun, adequate moisture, and reasonable soil are all that is needed. Catnip will grow happily in patio pots or as a part of the vegetable or flower garden. Nearly pest-free, the worst damage usually comes from outside cats that discover the plants before they get well established. If your pet is allowed outdoors, by all means show him the plants. After the initial delight wears off, they usually leave the plants alone to grow strong and tall. Catnip can survive long periods of drought once it is growing well. In fact, this often intensifies the aroma by concentrating the essential elements that kitty loves."

"You can begin harvesting catnip as soon as the stems get to about one foot tall, and continue cutting all summer. In mild climates, the plant will maintain a low rosette of leaves and can be picked through the winter. During the summer, you can cut a few sprigs of fresh catnip for kitty whenever you want to give him a treat. Don't be alarmed if kitty eats all the leaves."

"Cut the stems when the leaves are dry of morning dew and hang upside down in an airy, shaded place to cure. When completely dried and crunchy, crumble the leaves into a paper bag and discard the stems. Store in plastic bags under lock and key. It has been my experience that many cats are able to open cupboards and remove bags of catnip. A few well aimed bites and the bag is shredded,
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