Mary Allen
Cats love cat grass. Does it just taste good to them, or does the cat grass also have benefits for the cat? Is cat grass maybe even essential for your house cat? You will find out in this post.
Why you should offer your cat cat grass
If you observe your cat in the garden from time to time, you will soon find that it sometimes cannot resist the temptation of particularly juicy blades of grass and happily nibbles on the lawn. If this is also a very amusing sight, one or the other cat owner asks the question of whether the veganism trend has also found approval in cat society. At the latest when a mouse or a bird shows up in the grass and the little hunter loses all interest in the grass, this question is off the table, but: why eat grass then?
In this article, you will find out why your cat nibbles on the grass from time to time, why it is a good idea to offer your cat grass, and what you have to consider when doing so.
Support your cat’s health with cat grass
It may seem strange at first when the cat suddenly gnaws on blades of grass in the garden despite a full food bowl. This is by no means a silent criticism of your menu choices or a confusion of tastes, but rather a cat’s instinct to rid itself of annoying swallowed hairs, which you are then allowed to scrape off your carpets in the form of vomit.
Grass, especially special cat grass, also has positive properties for your cat’s blood count, which is why cat grass should also be offered to indoor cats. Here you can find out how cat grass differs from your lawn in front of the house, what needs to be considered when choosing and whether there are adequate alternatives. In addition, we will tell you about different types of cat grass and put tips on cat care in your basket.
What is cat grass?
If you are now wondering why you should spend money on cat grass even though there is more than enough natural grass growing in front of the house, just click into our input video:
In short, cat grass isn’t just “meadow”. Cat grass is usually the sprouts of cereals such as wheat, barley or oats. Although an outdoor cat may also fall back on meadow grass, the often sharp-edged grasses are less digestible than cat grass, which is why not only indoor cats should have access to cat grass.
Cat grass effect – do cats need cat grass?
The fact that a cat that is allowed outside repeatedly devours blades of grass or nibbles on them speaks for the importance of cat grass, as does the instinct of an indoor cat to attack indoor plants if there is no cat grass available. While the former is healthy behavior, your kitty can get seriously poisoned if he eats the wrong plant. So, as a conscientious cat owner, it’s best to make sure your cat has access to fresh cat grass at all times. This will help your cat regurgitate swallowed hair in the form of hairballs by triggering a gag reflex.
Cat grass causes cats to vomit fur that they ingested through their tongues while grooming. From the little mouth it finally gets into the digestive tract, where it can lead to gastrointestinal problems. The large amount of loose hair tends to become tangled in the stomach and then cannot be easily regurgitated. However, since the matted bunions are difficult or even impossible to digest, intestinal obstruction can sometimes occur, which is not only extremely painful but also life-threatening. The essence of the cat grass effect is that its ingredients promote vomiting and thus prevent or alleviate stomach pain.
Apart from that, cat grass contains folic acid, which supports blood formation. If this important vitamin is missing or not sufficiently available, it can lead to anemia, also known as anemia. The cat usually notices intuitively when its folic acid level is deficient and starts to nibble on cat grass on its own. If she’s just after the trace element but doesn’t need to get rid of swallowed hair, she just bites the grass without swallowing it. How beautiful for your carpet!
Briefly explained: effect of cat grass?
Cat grass triggers a strangling reflex. In this way, swallowed hair can be choked up. Cat grass also contains the important trace element folic acid.
Give cat grass from when and how often?
Many cat owners are unsure when it comes to cat grass, from what age it can be offered to the kitty and how often. The paw rule here is that kittens are allowed to enjoy the fresh greens once they are weaned from their mother’s milk, although the kittens will then naturally respond to your offer when they need kitty grass.
With regard to frequency, it is up to you whether you set up the cat grass so that it is accessible to the cats at any time or include times when the kitties can help themselves. The advantage of making the cat grass available all day is that the cat can intuitively pay attention to its needs. The downside, however, is that you can’t control when she starts eating grass, and she may respond to your offer shortly after feeding time. This is often annoying because the vomit then not only consists of fur and grass, but also the cat food comes up again. It’s disgusting, but not too bad if it doesn’t happen too often.
Tip: Cat grass is enough at certain times
Cats love to vomit on carpets. If you want to protect your carpets, it is advisable to set specific times for the administration of cat grass. In this way, the period in which your cat throws up can be limited. Pass the cat grass when your cat’s stomach is empty. Best 1.5 – 2 hours before the next meal. This has the advantage that the gag reflex occurs faster and the last meal is not in the vomit. You are also there if your cat wants to throw up and you can take it off the carpet beforehand.
Viewed over the year, there are also special indications for the administration of cat grass. Logically, there is an increased need when the cat is changing its fur, when the cat swallows a lot of hair when grooming it. However, if you weren’t sensitive enough to notice the shedding, your cat will let you know it needs cat grass by beginning to nibble on your plants. Most house tigers have a feeling for which plants can be harmful, but even this instinct can be wrong, which is why you, as a conscientious cat owner, should remove all plants poisonous to cats from your home or place them inaccessible to your cat.
Another indicator of the need for cat grass is your cat’s stool. If the cat only excretes small amounts of hard stool that look like strings of pearls, hair in the intestinal tract can be the cause.
Is cat grass dangerous?
Despite all the benefits that cat grass has for cats, there is still some evil in the bush. Cat grass comes with a few risks that should be considered by caring cat owners when offering cat grass to the cat. The greatest danger comes from residues of pesticides on the stalks. Although the reaction to these chemicals is mostly the same as with natural cat grass, i.e. the cat vomits, it has negative effects on your cat’s health caused by toxins, up to and including poisoning, if she does not manage to get enough of it out of the system bring to.
Likewise, the danger posed to cats by sharp-edged and particularly stiff types of grass is often underestimated. It is not uncommon for the animals to nibble the edges of their mouths until they bleed, or they injure themselves in the pharynx, resulting in blood in the vomit. It can also have fatal consequences, up to and including suffocation, if stalks or plant parts get stuck in the throat or pharynx. Often, these culms must be surgically removed, which can be a traumatic experience for the cat. You can reduce this risk by offering your cat softer varieties, such as sprouted grain sprouts.
Some cats also tend to eat too much grass. In these cases, stomach problems can occur, but serious consequences are not to be expected.
However, there is a real risk that your carpet will suffer from the vomit, as cats are notoriously “carpet pukes”.
Cat grass is not just cat grass
As your cat’s servant, you can’t afford to show her the nearest blade of grass from the roadside. As with cat food, many cats have preferences when it comes to cat grass that you can easily address. First of all, the question arises as to which grasses are suitable as cat grass. Apart from normal grass from the garden, the following are popular:
The spider plant is popular with cat owners because it is a very decorative plant that can also be found in many households without cats due to its pretty appearance. The robust houseplant with the green and white leaves can be used decoratively as a hanging basket or in a pot and forgives any care mistakes. But if you are now happy to be able to kill two birds with one stone, you should consider that the spider plant is only suitable as cat grass to a limited extent because it captures pollutants from the air and stores them in the stalks.
What is very positive for humans can be rather unhealthy for a cat that gnaws on the stems. Especially in a smoker’s household, the plant stores many substances that can harm your cat’s health, which is why it is advisable to use a different type of grass.
The Cyprus grass, or the less sharp-edged version, the dwarf Cyprus grass, is just as decorative. It is very popular with cats because the long stalks, to which tufts of leaves cling, stimulate the urge to play. Basically, “cyprus grass” is just the umbrella term for about 600 different species. They are all very easy to care for and can be found in many households.
The advantage here is that you can bring a plant into your home that you can safely leave without risking your cat poisoning itself. However, it is very possible for your little clumsy one to get their long branching stems stuck in their nose or throat, which is why many vets advise against it.
Wheat, rye or barley sprouts are considerably more digestible. These grasses are the varieties that are commonly sold as “cat grass” because their texture causes fewer mouth injuries, they are easier to digest, and their soft texture reduces the risk of choking compared to other grasses . Even if it is less decorative than Cyprus grass, for example, the seedlings with their fresh green decoration in a beautiful pot are still beautiful to look at.
While many cats prefer the grain variant to meadow grass, there are some house tigers who don’t particularly like the texture, because some love crunchy.
Regular meadow grass is an option, provided the meadow doesn’t get too much exhaust fumes from a nearby road and isn’t fertilized. So if you live in a rural area, there is nothing wrong with your cat nibbling on the neighboring meadows and pastures. However, it should be remembered that not all meadows are the same and that among the various grasses in a mixed meadow there are also varieties with sharp edges or solid stalks that can be dangerous for your cat.
However, if your cat is not a fan of the delicate grain seedlings, you can try to grow seeds yourself from a carefully selected meadow mixture such as you can get at the hardware store or in the nursery. Perhaps your cat likes the natural aromas of meadow grass better than wheat, rye and barley.
Grow your own cat grass
As with care, there is no need for black magic to grow cat grass. All you need is some pollutant-free garden soil, which you put in a pot of your choice. After you have soaked the grass seeds in water for about 1-2 hours, you now put them in the soiled pot and bury them 2cm in the ground. From now on, the grass should be kept evenly moist but not wet and placed in a bright but not too sunny location.
Advantages:
cheap
controlled rearing
Disadvantages:
is not immediately available
Tip: If you don’t feel like buying everything individually, you can also use a ready-made mixture. You can find out how this works in the following video: Grow your own cat grass with a ready-made mixture.
Are there cat grass alternatives?
Malt paste and butter are good alternatives to cat grass. Malt paste has the obvious benefit of preventing the cat from vomiting, which you’ll probably find quite appealing as it spares your carpet. Unfortunately, neither malt paste nor butter can prevent the hair from passing through the cat’s body, so that the intestinal tract is only partially relieved. It should also be borne in mind that many indoor cats tend to be overweight, which malt paste and butter do not exactly counteract. Grass is considerably lower in calories and more efficient.
Conclusion
Whether you live indoors or outdoors: In order to avoid a folic acid deficiency and intestinal problems in your cat, you should definitely give your cat access to cat grass or natural grass. It can be planted in just a few steps, even for people without a green thumb, and does not require much care. You can then dedicate the time you save to your cat, for example by brushing it regularly or running a damp, but not wet, sponge over its fur. This means that she swallows less hair when grooming and contributes to a silky coat.
You can get cat grass in any pet store, but also in many supermarkets, drugstores and hardware stores, depending on which variant you choose, also in a plant shop. It may take a little time to find the right grass for your cat, but there is usually something for every house cat among the numerous varieties. Last but not least, cats need cat grass as a green oasis in the home where they can make themselves comfortable, because where better to dream of hunting mice than in the flattened grass?