The Benefits of Cat Grass for Your Feline Friend
As cat owners, we are well aware that our cats are carnivores, requiring meat in order to achieve a balanced diet and meet their dietary needs. What you may not realize is that your cat can also benefit by adding some greens into the mix. I’m not talking about adding lettuce or spinach to their kitty dish. The easiest solution to keep your cat happy and healthy is to explore the benefits of cat grass.
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If you’ve never heard of cat grass, it is a safe, non-toxic grass marketed to pet owners. Designed to be grown indoors, the seeds often include wheat, barley, oats and/or rye.
Unlike much of the grass grown outdoors, this grass is free from pesticides.
In fact, if you are purchasing a cat grass kit from your favourite pet retailer, you will be growing the cat grass yourself. This means that you will know exactly what the grass has been exposed to, allowing you to keep your cat safe and healthy!
Does your cat regularly get into your house plants? You’re not alone! In an attempt to fill that desire for greens, many cats resort to nibbling on whatever plants are accessible.
While these plants may be pretty to display in your home, not every houseplant is safe for consumption! By growing and providing cat grass, you can redirect your cat to a safer alternative. For more information about poisonous houseplants, you can read THIS comprehensive list from the ASPCA.
Types of Cat Grass
Many commercially available cat grass kits will contain a variety of different seeds, creating a mixture when it is grown. Each variety has its own advantages, meaning that you may want to select a seed mixture that includes a specific grass if it best fits your home situation.
The most common varieties of cat grass include:
- Wheatgrass: Arguably one of the most common cat grasses on the market, wheatgrass is reliable and easy to grow. Not only will this benefit your cat, but you can also share the garden with your cat, incorporating wheatgrass shots into your own diet!
- Rye Grass: Another highly durable grass, rye grass is super flexible. This means that it is the ideal option for a cat that may enjoy not only nibbling on their grass treat but also lounging in their own patch of greenery.
- Barley Grass: If you are sharing your home with multiple cats, barley grass is the way to go. This variety is best noted for how quickly it grows, meaning that your cats won’t have to wait as long.
- Oat Grass: If you have a cat that regularly suffers from hairballs, this may be your best option. This specific variety is packed with both soluble fibre and protein, which can help your cat to easily pass the fur they are ingesting while grooming through their digestive track without allowing it to build up.
Benefits of Cat Grass
Many cat owners believe that a cat will only eat grass when they are sick, however, this is just a myth. Not only are there are a number of great health-related benefits of cat grass, most cats simply enjoy the green treat.
Cat grass is packed with folic acid, contained in the juices of the grass. This is an important vitamin to your cat’s overall health and well-being. It assists the body in the production of an important protein called hemoglobin, which transports oxygen through the bloodstream.
A reduced level of hemoglobin in the blood can result in anemia and lead to a number of health complications related to a lack of oxygen in the body.
It should be noted, however, that cat grass is NOT a substitute to proper veterinary care. If you suspect that your cat is suffering from the signs and symptoms of anemia, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
Cat grass has also been found to contain B vitamins and niacin, essential vitamins for your cat’s health.
Another great benefit, adding cat grass to your cat’s regular diet can improve their digestion. Packed with fibre, the grass can speed up the overall digestion process.
It can also work as a natural laxative, helping the body to pass any indigestible substances they may have eaten. Alternatively, it can induce vomiting, allowing the cat to safely expel these substances. This is where the myth of the sick cat got its start!
Is your cat a mouser? If so, cat grass can play an important role in his/her health.
Not all parts of their prey can be broken down by their digestive system. It is believed that the instinct to consume grass is actually hardwired in a cat for this reason, even if they have never caught a bird or a mouse before.
While no cat owner wants to clean up vomit, it is preferred to health complications from an obstruction!
How to Grow Cat Grass at Home
If you’re not a skilled gardener, don’t fret! Commercially available cat grass kits are designed to be incredibly easy-to-follow for cat owners everywhere.
These kits can easily be purchased online and delivered right to your door. For some great examples that I personally recommend, check out the Hagen Catit Senses 2.0 Grass Kit from Pets Warehouse or the Priscilla’s Pet Products Cat Grass Kit from Amazon.
Before the seeds sprout, they should be kept damp but be cautious about giving too much water. They should never be soaked. It will take, on average, 3 to 7 days for your seeds to sprout.
Once the seeds have sprouted, they will require even less water. Using a spray bottle, spritz the cat grass daily and ensure that you are providing it with access to sunlight. Avoid overwatering as this can lead to the development of mould.
After approximately 10 to 14 days, your cat grass should be tall enough for your cat to enjoy! You don’t need to cut the grass or ‘serve it’ to your cat in any fancy manner. Simply make your freshly grown cat grass available to your cat right in the container and he/she will help themselves.
Watch for your grass to wilt or turn colour. This is the sign that it’s time to plant a new container, as this specific batch is now past it’s prime.
Caution: Signs to Watch For
If you notice that your cat is eating a large quantity of cat grass rather than just nibbling at the cat grass, or that they vomit every time that they ingest the grass, this is a sign that there’s a medical condition that needs to be addressed.
Your cat may be suffering from a blockage somewhere in their digestive tract, eating the grass in an attempt to unclog their system. Contact your veterinarian immediately.
Do you currently grow cat grass for your cat? If so, I’d love to hear your experiences!
I never bought grass for my cat, as he goes outside and eats it from the garden. I do know that it is healthy for cats to eat grass and they don’t eat it only if they are sick.
It is SO healthy for them to nibble on!
I might have to get some for my cats! They’d probably love it. This looks awesome.
I have 2 indoor cats and they LOVE it. I have one lounger (lays in the middle of the cat grass and nibbles casually around her) while the other will just nibble at it when she’s passing by.
I don’t have cats but my best work friend does, I’ll totally pass this along to her. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us!
It’s something so simple, but there are so many benefits that it’s worth mention!
Britt, I have no idea about Cat Grass, love to read this informative post, I learn about different cat grasses like barley grass, rye Grass, wheatgrass, oat grass…. Thank you for this good information
Thank you!
I remember my cat loved grass. This would be good for my cat to enjoy while inside
Yes, our two are indoor cats but they love their cat grass. It’s something they don’t have access to in the house unless we make the effort to bring it to them.
I thought cats were one of the few mammal species that were pure carnivores, so I’m surprised to read that cats will eat plants, rather than it being something they’d do when something is wrong with them. Even more surprised to learn that there’s also a product available (car grass) for them to eat that won’t make them sick
It’s not something that’s nutritionally necessary for their survival (they are carnivores) but it is something that offers a lot of perks!
I haven’t bought cat grass in years! Thank you for the reminder I’ll definitely go check out the Amazon kit!
It’s crazy how something so little can have so many benefits, isn’t it?
Interesting, I had never heard of cat grass but it seems like an important part of having a feline friend.
It definitely offers some great benefits!
Our cat eats a lot of grass and I never thought about it. I started planting some inside the house. I’ll have to keep an eye on her.
If she’s just grazing, it’s totally healthy. If, however, you notice she is obsessed with it, eating a lot and vomiting after, that’s a sign of bigger problems.
I didn’t know that cats ate grass as well. I heard its good for a pet’s digestion as well.
It’s great for their digestion!
This was a really interesting read! I’ve never heard of cat grass before so this was all new information for me. We had a cat when I was really small, maybe 4/5 but I haven’t had one since so I know next to nothing about cat care. I had no idea there were so many potential benefits for your cats! x
Sophie
It’s such a little thing but it has SO many benefits. Our one cat gets a lot of hairballs (she’s a long-haired cat) so it has been a big help here.
When I still had my kitty, she was a dual outside/inside cat. Really only inside at the end of the day when she just wanted somewhere warm and comfy to sleep, and maybe didn’t get enough kills outside so a bite to eat wouldn’t hurt. I never thought to give her cat grass, but I wonder if she was able to find something of the equivalent in nature while she roamed around?
Likely – they will nibble on grass if you take a cat outside, even if they are just on leash in the back yard.
Your cats are definitely well-loved! I love learning something new every day. And I’ve just learned about cat grass today.
They are, and I hope that they know it! One of them being longer haired has always struggled with hairballs – so cat grass has had a lot of benefits for her.
How interesting! I never knew about cat grass but it’s awesome that there’s something natural to keep them healthy and happy. Love it!
We are big supporters of all things natural when it comes to our own health and the health of our pets. Cat grass has been a great benefit for our cats.
I love cats but I don’t have one yet. I plan on owning one soon and this post is really helpful. Thank you for sharing
Having ours around really does add that extra touch of love and joy in our house! (even when they are being typical cats and acting all independent lol)
I don’t have cats but this is very interesting. I do notice in the summer my dogs will chew on grass once in a while too.
Ours do as well. That’s why we can’t use any pesticides, insecticides, etc. on our yard – I know the dogs are going to eat it lol
I have read about this many times over the years, but for whatever reason I have never done it. I really would like to do this for my two cats. Maybe I will look into it in the coming week.
We have 2 cats here, and they LOVE it!
I have never heard of this! My fiance has a cat so I will let him know about this and see if it’s something he would be willing to try.
It’s such a cheap and simple way to see some great health benefits!
I’ve heard of cat grass but I didn’t know that there were so many kinds or that it was so great for them. Very informative for cat patents ?
I actually didn’t realize there were so many varieties until I wrote this – we’ve always stuck with wheatgrass because it was easy to get ahold of locally.
I was actually considering getting cat grass for my cat. This is an informative post I didn’t know I needed. It was a very useful read!
It’s definitely worth it for the health benefits alone!
We also bought cat grass a few times before, and our cats definitely love them! <3
It’s so funny to see something so simple be so exciting for them, isn’t it?
I’ve never heard of cat grass but I’m glad it’s around for our kitty friends!
It’s not nearly as well known as it should be! So many great benefits and it’s both cheap and easy to do.
We used to grow cat grass all the time when we lived in a flat as our two indoor cats couldn’t go outside. As you say, the semi-regular vomiting wasn’t that pleasant to clean up, but far preferable than the alternative! Now we have a garden with plenty of grass so I don’t need to grow it any more but I have noticed they both enjoy a good nibble on the fresh grass, so Nature over Nurture wins again! Great post, Britt, very helpful, thank you 🙂
The small effort and cost it takes to provide a cat with that and to clean up the occasional vomiting is DEFINITELY better than the cost of a major vet visit, right?
This is really interesting to read, thanks for sharing Britt! Sometimes I catch my youngest cat nibbling on fresh flowers in my vase and wondered why. After reading this post, it makes a lot more sense, I never knew there were so many benefits to cat grass (and that you could buy it too!). Thanks for sharing, really helpful and informative post <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
I have one cat that is HORRIBLE for getting into my houseplants if I don’t make sure she has her cat grass readily available lol
Perfect timing reading this article now as we are just starting our garden seeds and bought wheat grass for the cats and chickens.
Your cats are going to love it!