Dennis Ray, age 13,of Nashville, Tenn. for his question:

What exactly is catnip?

Catnip also called catnap, is a strong smelling herb of the mint family. If you have a cat you know that she is very fond of sweet scents such as flowers and certain perfumes. Nothing delights her, however, like a whiff of catnip. She smells and licks it until she rolls on the floor with delight. Any pet cat, of course, deserves a package of store catnip leaves or perhaps a mouse or other toy stuffed with catnip.

If there is catnip in your garden, Miss Puss will certainly find it. It is a weed, perhaps a foot or more highs with fuzzy, mint type leaves. In the early summer, the plants come into bloom with spires of dainty blue flowers. In earlier days, When people set stock on herbal medicines, catnip was used for certain stomach ailments. But nobody has ever enjoyed the minty herb the way Miss Puss does.