One of the most relaxing things that the owners of pets see is watching a cat on the grass. Be it in sun basking, rolling around, or chewing on fresh blades, cats simply cannot have enough of grass beyond mere curiosity.
Why Do Cats Love Grass?
Instinct and Behavior of Nature
The process of cats consuming grass is instinctive because wild cats and their predecessors have been observed to be involved in this behavior over the years. It is not only domestic cats that are drawn to grass, even wild big cats would go out to find grass on a regular basis.
Digestive Health Benefits
Cat grass is a natural digestive aid, which works to get rid of hairballs by giving the cats a soft fiber to push fur and other indigestible substances out the digestive system.
Although cats do not have the enzymes to digest fibrous grass, they vomited about 37% of the time after eating plants, but only 6% of cats were ill beforehand.
Grass juice is also rich in folic acid that is present in the milk of the mother cat and that aids in the digestion process, the growth of the cells, and in the formation of hemoglobin.
Sensory Adornment and Mental Exercise
Cats get to feel grass in several ways, fresh smell, different textures of things beneath their paws, and the sensual pleasure of chewing.
Indoor cats who do not have access to the outdoors can have essential enrichment with the help of grass pads that will replicate the natural world and will encourage normal behaviors among cats such as stalking and relaxing.
Temperature Regulation
When the body temperature increases due to sunbathing or lying in heaters, cats roll in dirt or on grass to cool down. Hot days offer natural respite to the cool dry surface.
What is Cat Grass vs Regular Lawn Grass?
Understanding Cat Grass
Cat grass is the cereal grass that is planted to be chewed on by cats produced in a chemically free environment controlled by wheat, oat, barley, or rye seeds. A cat grass will not have poisonous pesticides because it will be cultivated indoors unlike the lawn grass.
Cat grass is the opposite of catnip. Catnip belongs to the mint family that includes nepetalactone that induces euphoric states on cats and cat grass is not a psychoactive substance and can be used as safe and as an edible enrichment.
Nutritional Content
Cat grass has vitamins A and D that help in maintaining vision and bone development as well as folic acid that is essential in carrying oxygen to the blood and blood hemoglobin. Wheat grass powder made of whole leaf has 25% protein, which is higher than spinach (3%), eggs (12.5%), and chicken (17.5%).
Health Benefits of Cat Grass
Prevention of Hairballs and Hairball Control
Grass contains the fiber that aid in increasing digestion and the smooth movement of hairballs through the gastrointestinal tract which prevents the formation of hairball, constipation, and symptoms of indigestion. This is a natural remedy that is very effective with long haired breeds.
Emotional Health and Relaxation
Eating grass may be a relaxing habit that will eliminate the feeling of anxiety and boredom as is often seen in pets who spend the majority of their time indoors. There is the option to chew grass instead of engaging in a behavior that can cause stress such as over grooming.
Detection of Toxic Plant Consumption
Grass Pads can keep the focus on less appropriate items like furniture that cats might chew due to interest or boredom and keep your cat out of trouble and your home furniture free of the feline furry mischief.
Outdoor Grass Safety Concerns
Chemical Hazards
Eating grass may poison a cat when it has chemicals in it that may harm a cat such as pesticide and fertilizers, to which outdoor cats grazing on grass are readily exposed and intestinal parasites of the soil.
Weed killers usually have glyphosate which leads to vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, respiratory complications and even death in cats.
Toxic Plants
Appearances that are harmless such as tulips, lilies, and daffodils are deadly to cats. Always make sure your yard is clear of any dangerous plants before you can give your cat access to your yard.
Parasites and Contaminants
A 2020 study discovered intestinal parasites wrapped in plant material in the feces of carnivores, and so grass eating may aid in cleansing parasites out of the intestinal tract.
Cat Indoor Grass Solutions
Grass Pads and Kitty Lawns
Kitty Lawn is a plant that is grown in California farms in water with nutrient solution rather than on soil, thus it does not create a mess and no soil or pesticides are used.
They are available in standard (24×9 inches) and luxury (24×16 inches) which is safe to use as an indoor grass.
Growing Your Own Cat Grass
Cat grass bred 2-3 months under the proper care in sunny positions with watering every 2 days of the week. Place the chemical free potting mix 3/4 of the fill containers, keep the soil moist but not drippy, sprinkle the seeds on top and loosely cover them with plastic covers.
When your cat is approximately 3-4 inches high, feed it cat grass, after which a cat wilt, pull out the shoots and plant more seeds.
Introduction Tips
- Put lay grass containers on the ground on their side so the blade ends do not stick in the nose of your cat
- Spray a little water over them before eating so your cat can then lick the droplets and then chew it
- Provide the blade by hand
- Cut it up into bit sized morsels as food
The Question of the Cats and how much grass they should eat?
The amount of cat grass cats are meant to consume has no pre determined pattern; it is harmless and has numerous positive effects but must not be more than 10 percent of the food intake.
Uncommonly, cats become so excited by the fresh greens that they end up consuming too much and this may lead to stomach upsets and loose stool due to excess intake of fiber, but not because of toxicity.
Keep a check of what your cat eats. In the case of excessive or frequent vomiting, then visit your veterinarian to eliminate possible underlying health conditions.
Types and forms of Cat Grass and their best varieties
Popular Grass Types
- Oat grass is the most tasting, the most nutritious and provides good protein and fiber
- Barley is the sweetest
- Rye is the most durable
- Wheat grass is the all rounder
Where to Buy
You can buy cat grass kits at pet shops, veterinary clinics, online shops such as Amazon and Chewy or you can buy the seed at garden centers and plant one of your own.
Conclusion
A cat on the grass is not only an aesthetic phenomenon but a natural activity which helps to maintain the health of digestive and mental organs and instincts.
Can your cat get outside and have a lounging experience or do you offer the indoor cat grass substitutes but by understanding this behavior you will be able to give a safer and more enriching environment to your cat.
You can take care of your cat and observe their relation to nature by providing grass without pesticides and controlling their usage. The advantages of the cat grass go beyond hairballs to stress relief; hence it is a worthy addition to any cat house.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1- Why does my cat eat grass and then vomit?
Ans: Grass is a natural emetic which causes vomiting and is thought to help cats to get rid of indigestible substances such as fur or swallowed bones and is the natural way to give cats a digestion reset. This is normally harmless until vomiting is excessive.
Q2- Is cat grass safe for all cats?
Ans: Harmless to all cats, cat grass is safe even to kittens, but it is always better to begin gradually to observe the reactions and not to let cats become addicted. Monitor snacking to help avoid the excess fiber in one sitting.
Q3- How long does cat grass last?
Ans: The cat grass will take 2-3 months to grow provided that it is well maintained in a sunny area and watered approximately three times per week, after which it will die.
Q4- Can indoor cats eat outdoor grass?
Ans: Although this is possible, there are potential dangers out of pesticides, fertilizers, parasites and toxic plants in outdoor grasses. The cat grass grown indoors is a safer substitute of cat grass which is planted to be consumed by cats.
Q5- Does cat grass make cats high?
Ans: No, cat grass will not get your cat “high”—unlike catnip, cat grass has no psychoactive properties.
Q6- Why do cats roll on grass?
Ans: Cats roll in grass to keep cool when their body temperature is elevated, express safety and trust by exposing their belly in a vulnerable position, or mark territory through scent glands.
Q7- Can cats be allergic to grass?
Ans: Though rare, some cats may have sensitivities to certain grass types. Always consult your vet if you notice unusual symptoms after grass consumption.
