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By Stacia Friedman
Nibbling on grass is a natural behavior for all cats. If you have an outdoor cat, chances are it’s part of your kitty’s daily routine. But if your pet spends all of its time indoors (like most domestic cats), you may want to consider growing cat grass in your home.
Why Do Cats Eat Grass?
“Research has not yet shown why cats eat grass, but we have several ideas,” said Carlo Siracusa, animal behaviorist of University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. “In the wild, cats eat grass after they have eaten their prey. In many cases, the grass causes the cat to vomit. We believe this is nature’s way of helping the cat expel the parts of their prey that are indigestible.”
Even if your indoor cat has never caught a mouse or bird, she will instinctively be attracted to cat grass. Why? “It’s a behavioral instinct,” Siracusa says. “Grass is also a form of fiber that helps cats either throw up hairballs or digest them by acting as a laxative.”
Another theory is that cats may eat grass for some trace minerals and the vitamins A and D. Grass also contains chlorophyll, which, before the discovery of antibiotics, was a remedy for pain, infection, ulcers, skin diseases and anemia. Grass also contains folic acid, which helps with the production of hemoglobin, the protein that moves oxygen into the blood to help kitty’s circulation. Plus, there’s the benefit of breath cleansing chlorophyll.
What is Cat Grass?
Not to be confused with catnip, which is a member of the mint family, cat grass is typically grown from rye, barley, oat or wheat seeds. You will find a variety of kitty grass kits at your local pet store, which contain everything you need, including seeds, soil and a potting container. All you’ll need to provide is water and sunlight, and within one week, your cat will have her very own organic garden for safe, healthy nibbling.
“Cat grass is safer than outdoor grass which may have been chemically treated with pesticides,” Siracusa said. “It also gives your cat a healthy alternative to nibbling on houseplants and flowers, many of which are toxic to cats.”
Talk to your veterinarian before you bring any flowers or plants, including cat grass kits, into your home.
Is Cat Grass Safe?
Cat grass is a safe alternative to outdoor grass, which can be treated with weed killers or other pesticides, and to certain houseplants, which can be toxic. It provides your cat with an opportunity to engage in a natural behavior. For outdoor cats, an indoor garden provides a healthy alternative to nibbling on the neighbors’ possibly pesticide-laced lawn. For indoor cats, it offers a delicious taste of the outdoors.
How to Grow Cat Grass
Your cat grass kit will likely come with easy-to-follow directions, but here are some basic tips for caring for and growing cat grass:
Before sprouting, seeds should be kept damp but never soaked. Once sprouts appear, use less water.
Allow three to seven days for seeds to sprout.
The grass will be ready for your cat to eat in 10 to 14 days after sprouting, or once it has reached a height of four inches, and will last one to three weeks.
Continue to keep it in natural light and water daily with a spray bottle.
Do not over water, as this causes mold.
Allow your cat to eat directly from the container.
When the grass starts to wilt or turn color, plant a new container.
Image: Veera / Shutterstock
How to grow wheatgrass for cats
Growing wheatgrass for your cats is a great way to provide them with an organic, healthy snack.
It's also perfect for those looking to reduce the amount of food they feed their cats or want to put less strain on their digestive systems.
If you're ready to learn how easy it is to grow this type of grass, read on.
How to grow wheatgrass for cats?
The first step to growing wheatgrass for cats is to soak the seeds overnight.
After soaking, drain them and spread them out on a paper towel or cloth dish napkin to dry overnight.
After your seed is dried, it can be planted in pots filled with good quality potting soil (i like organic).
Plant one seed per container about an inch deep into the soil and keep moist.
You can also use a spray bottle to mist them daily, so they don't dry out.
After the wheatgrass starts sprouting, you need to thin it by removing some of the plants to be about an inch between them.
Once your cat grass has several inches tall, you can start harvesting small amounts for your cat.
As the wheatgrass continues to grow, you can use scissors or a knife to cut it at about one-inch height for your cat's consumption.
Cutting the fresh grass daily will ensure that your cats are getting maximum nutrition from their cat grass.
If you have larger containers of soil with several plants growing, then you can let your cat graze on the grass for up to a few hours.
Make sure you don't give them too much wheatgrass in one sitting since it is very rich in nutrients and vitamins.
This will cause digestive issues like bloating or diarrhea.
Watering your wheatgrass should be done at least once a day.
If you live in an area where it is very hot and dry, then watering twice a day may be necessary to keep the soil moist at all times.
Fertilize your wheatgrass once a week with an organic fertilizer.
This will ensure that your cat grass has the proper nutrients and vitamins to keep it healthy and growing properly for your cats.
Also, make sure that you are not taking all of it when harvesting fresh cat grass daily.
Leave several inches of wheatgrass so your plants can continue to grow and provide fresh cat grass for your feline's consumption.
How do you prepare the soil for growing wheatgrass for cats?
Soil is what you should prepare before planting wheatgrass.
Wheatgrass grows best in loose, well-drained soil rich with organic matter and has a pH of around seven (neutral).
You can mix your garden compost or use store-bought potting soil as long as it contains peat moss and perlite to keep the soil loose and full of air pockets.
When do you grow wheatgrass?
Wheatgrass is best grown indoors in the wintertime.
If you live in a climate where it's warm year-round, you can grow your wheatgrass outdoors for most of the year and bring it inside during colder months.
Wheatgrass also grows very well with artificial light when there isn't enough natural light available.
How do you propagate wheatgrass?
You can start by purchasing a container of wheatgrass seeds.
You should be able to find the seeds at any pet store or even your local grocery store.
The containers will need soil, water, and sunlight for them to grow properly.
Place the container on a tray or saucer that will catch any water that may drain from the bottom of your container.
Then, pour water into it until you see some draining out of the holes in the bottom of your container.
Pour off half after all drainage has stopped and replaced with new water.
Repeat this step until there is no water coming out of your container.
Place the wheatgrass in a window that will get sunlight for at least five hours each day.
If you do not have access to natural light, place it under one of your artificial grow lights.
How much light does wheatgrass need?
Wheatgrass has a very high photosynthesis rate, so that it can be grown in low light areas.
It does best with six hours of sunlight every day.
How do you water wheatgrass?
You can water wheatgrass a few ways, but leaving it in a glass of water overnight is the easiest way.
This allows for excess pulp and trash from your seeds to float away while also hydrating the grass itself so that you have more juice leftover as opposed to just dry seeds on top of some stale-tasting water.
Another way to do it would be to soak your seeds, pulp and all, in a small amount of liquid for some time before planting them or even eating them raw (if they're organic).
However, this method might take longer because you don't want the grass itself drowning while trying to get rid of the pulp.
How do you fertilize wheatgrass?
Fertilizing wheatgrass is not necessary because it grows quickly even without added nutrients.
If you fertilize, dilute your fertilizer to half strength and apply once per week until plants are established (usually after the first four weeks).
You can fertilize your wheatgrass at any time during its growing cycle.
However, it is recommended to start with a half-strength solution once weekly until the grass becomes established (usually after four weeks).
After that point, you may up the dosage as needed.
If you see signs of nitrogen deficiency, including yellowing or curling leaves, you can fertilize more frequently.
How long does it take to grow wheatgrass for cats?
Wheatgrass usually takes about ten days to grow.
However, it depends on the temperature of your home and how often you water it.
Make sure that you give about two teaspoons full for every cat in your household.
Conclusion
It is difficult to say which way of growing wheatgrass for cats will be the best.
You can try different methods and choose the one that seems most convenient for you.
If you are not sure about starting this project, it would be wise to ask your vet what they think before making any choices.
There is an endless number of benefits for your cat in growing wheatgrass.
It is nutritious, has no chemicals that are dangerous to cats, and can also be used as a training tool when you want the cat to do something specific on the grass before entering the house.
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