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growing cat grass in a pot

Michaele Boncaro Photography: Blog.

Last Updated on January 29, 2020

You’re out on the trail with your cat, enjoying the sights and smells, and then you notice your cat has paused by the nearest patch of grass and is now munching away. We know cats are obligate carnivores, so why is your cat eating something with little-to-no nutritional value to him?

In this article, we’re going to delve deeper into the reasons why cats eat grass and whether or not it’s safe. We’ll also explain what cat grass is, and how you can grow it at home.

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Why do cats eat grass?

We don’t have a definite answer.

While we’ve observed that many cats love to nibble on grass, no one is sure just why. Like we mentioned above, it’s not necessary for a nutritionally complete diet. Cats derive little nutrition from grass and they can definitely live without it. Even though it’s not necessary, the cats in our lives are telling us that it’s a fun addition. Perhaps cats eat grass just like we eat ice cream—because it tastes good. Perhaps they like the texture.

Other theories on why cats eat grass.

“Maybe it’s tasty” isn’t all the cat community has come up with, though. Let’s take a closer look at some of the other theories answering the question of why cats eat grass.

Grass may act as a high-fiber digestive aid.

The high fiber content in most grass aids digestion, so constipated cats might eat grass to get things moving. This is plausible. Cats in the wild consume indigestible fiber in the form of hair and claws from their prey. That prey would likely also have undigested vegetable matter in its stomach. Some human-created diets, for example, most raw cat food diets, don’t include a substitute form of fiber. Without enough fiber in their diet, cats can become constipated. Grass acts as a laxative and helps to clear out backed-up systems.

Cats may eat grass in order to boost lacking vitamins.

Grass, wheatgrass and barley grass, for example, contains concentrations of vitamins such as B, C, and K, so it’s possible that a cat whose diet lacks these vitamins would snack on grass to fill their nutritional needs.

However, we need to consider how much of a benefit vitamin-deficient cats would actually get from the grass. The answer is unclear. It depends on how long the grass is in the cat’s system and whether or not it’s digested at all. A lot of cats throw up grass shortly after consuming it, so they won’t be able to absorb all of the nutrients within the grass. Unless your cat is showing other signs of deficiency, anemia, skin problems, weakness, etc., I wouldn’t worry too much about this theory.

Grass is a natural emetic and can help bring up hairballs.

Cats may also use the grass as a natural emetic (vomit inducer), to help bring up distressing hairballs or relieve a stomach-ache.

Because cats are obligate carnivores, they lack the digestive enzymes necessary in order to break down plant matter. When cats eat a large amount of grass, most of it will come back up in an undigested form. This regurgitation may help your cat get rid of troublesome hairballs or stomach discomfort. Vomiting induced by grass consumption usually only consists of a few strands of grass and clear liquid or a hairball. If your cat is eating grass and then throwing up food, take a look at our guide to cat vomiting.

When it comes down to it, we just don’t know why cats eat grass. We do know that a lot of cats do it and it’s not something to worry about. It doesn’t mean your cat is sick and he might just eat grass because he enjoys it.

Is grass safe for cats?

For the most part, grass is safe for cats to nibble on. In a few select situations, though, it’s not a good idea to let your cat eat the grass. Let’s take a closer look at those situations.

Keep your cat away from grass treated with pesticides.

Unless you live in a rural environment without many neighbors, much of the grass growing outdoors has been treated with pesticides. Most lawn pesticide treatments are only harmful before they’ve dried, 24-48 hours, but it’s hard to tell your cat to watch out for flags and signs indicating a fresh treatment. If your cat encounters a freshly pesticide-treated lawn and chomps on the grass, they could get sick. Check out this article from wagwalking.com to learn more about pesticide toxicity in cats.

If you walk your cat outside, just be aware of what they’re doing and avoid areas that have been recently treated with pesticides.

Mature grass can be dangerous.

Many cereal grasses (barley grass, wheatgrass) grow awns when mature. An awn is a stiff, bristle-like appendage on the grass. These awns are sharp and can be dangerous if your cat eats them.

Fortunately, most cats don’t go after tough, mature grass, so this isn’t much of a concern. Cat grass grown in a pot rarely reaches maturity and your cat can eat it in complete safety.

What is “cat grass”?

Now that we’ve gone over why cats may eat grass and whether or not it’s safe for them to eat, let’s take a closer look at cat grass. If you’ve been to a pet store, you’ve probably noticed cat grass growing kits. Maybe you’ve wondered what makes something cat grass—is it a special type of grass bred just for cats to eat?

Cat grass is just a label that is used on safe-to-eat grasses that are marketed for cat guardians to grow at home. The cat grass label encompasses a number of grass varieties. These grass varieties are generally cereal grasses: wheatgrass, oat grass, barley, and ryegrass are just a few varieties that fall under this umbrella.

When young, these cereal grasses are crisp and appealing to most cats and don’t present any danger. They are also easy to grow at home in a small pot.

How to grow cat grass at home.

If your cat always wants to stop and taste the greenery whenever you take him out for a walk or has an unusual interest in the houseplants, try growing a pot of cat grass in your home. A designated pot of cat grass can help to divert his attention away from the plants you’d rather have un-nibbled. Note: if your cat has a fascination with greenery, it’s important that you don’t keep any harmful houseplants. If you aren’t sure which common plants are poisonous to cats, check out this list from PetMD.

Cat grass is usually easy to grow. Most cat grass kits come with either a single variety of seed or a blend of grass seeds and seed-starting soil. Keep the seeds moist at all times but don’t soak them. Within 3-7 days the grass should sprout. Once the grass sprouts, you can reduce the amount of water to prevent mold growth, but continue to water regularly—at least once a day. Make sure the grass is in a sunny location.

It will take up to two weeks after the grass sprouts for it to reach four inches. That’s when it’s mature enough for your cat to eat. Allow your cat to nibble the grass straight from the container. A pot of cat grass usually lasts for a few weeks before it becomes rootbound and begins to wilt. Cereal grasses have large root systems when matured and a small indoor pot isn’t large enough to sustain the plant longterm. This means it’s time to get some more seeds started for your cat!

Cat grass kits aren’t expensive—they usually cost from $2 – $5.00 and contain everything you need to get started. I’ve featured the best-selling cat grass kit on Chewy.com below. It has a 4.1 out of 5-star rating and 84% of reviewers agree that they would recommend it to a friend.

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Cat grass is exactly what it sounds like – grass that is safe for your feline to eat. Many cats like to eat it as well, though an equal number of cats are completely uninterested. However, for cats that enjoy noshing on a bit of green, it can provide some stimulation and keep them entertained. Typically, cat grass is actually a mixture of different grasses. Depending on what cat grasses are included in your particular set of seeds, cat grass can also provide a variety of different nutrients. Luckily, cat grass is pretty easy to grow and maintain. Even if you aren’t much of a green thumb, you should find this plant pretty easy to grow.

How to Grow Cat Grass Indoors

Growing cat grass is extremely similar no matter where you are growing it. However, when growing it indoors, you do need to be more concerned with lighting. It does require quite a bit of light. Therefore, you need to be sure to place it somewhere near direct sunlight. Otherwise, a growing light may be necessary. However, you also don’t have to worry as much about diseases and pests. After all, the odds of bugs finding your grass inside are quite low! With that said, it is still possible, especially if you have other plants inside. Beyond these slight differences, the growth procedure is identical for indoor and outdoor cat grass.

1. Pick Your Grasses

There are a few different types of grass you can utilize as cat grass. The most common sorts are barley, oat, rye, and wheatgrass seeds. In the end, which seeds you choose doesn’t matter all that much. You can purchase a mixture of cat grasses from a local pet store or online. Alternatively, you can purchase a specific type of seed separately. We recommend getting your seeds from a high-quality source – preferably organic. Otherwise, you don’t really know what you’re getting. On top of grasses, you’ll also need to pick out soil and a small pot. Be sure that the soil is safe for your feline, as they will likely be digging around in it quite a bit. You don’t want to choose soil with fertilizers mixed in, as many of them are not safe for felines.

2. Plant Your Seeds

These seeds are extremely easy to grow. In many cases, you may simply be able to throw the seeds onto the soil, and they’ll sprout within a week or so. Technically, you should plant seeds about an inch or two into the soil. However, the specifics are not super important for these seeds. There is no need to get your ruler out and measure. You can partially cover your pot with plastic wrap to speed up the sprouting process. This step makes it more humid within the pot, which can encourage the seeds to germinate. Of course, you should place the seeds in direct sunlight. While they will often grow without sunlight, the blades will be tall and lanky – not actually very beefy. You should notice the seedlings sprouting after 2-3 days. However, some may take a bit longer to get going.

3. Location, Location, Location

Whether you’re planting your cat grass inside or outside, it’s essential to plant them in the correct location. Cat grass is pretty sturdy, but it can’t grow well when put in the wrong location. It needs quite a bit of sunlight, for example. Therefore, you should plant it in a location that gets direct sunlight. Indoors, this can be a bit more difficult. However, it is essential if you want your grass to be thick and edible. The most important part of planting cat grass is the location. Beyond this, it can survive in a variety of conditions. Put it in the right place, and you can basically leave it alone beside watering.

4. Keep the Soil Moist

The soil should stay moist. Don’t overwater, as this can lead to root rot. However, if your pot has good drainage, this is less of a problem. After all, the excess water should drain out of the bottom of the pot. Generally, you don’t have to be very specific about the watering pattern. As long as you are providing water, the plant will probably be just fine!

5. Don’t Let Your Cat Eat It Right Away

You may be tempted to see if your feline likes the grass as soon as it sprouts. However, at this stage, your cat can easily overeat the grass at a faster rate than it grows. Therefore, you should be cautious about letting your cat go to town as soon as the sprouts are up. They may destroy the plant pretty quickly! Therefore, you may want to put the grass up somewhere high where your feline cannot get it. If you have indoor cats, the beginning stages may be a good time to grow your grass outside. If your cats are indoor and outdoor cats, you may have to be a bit creative with where to hide the grass before it gets long enough. Once the grass is about 4-6 inches tall, you can introduce it to your cats. At this point, they likely won’t eat it faster than it can grow. If you have multiple cats, we recommend waiting until the grass is closer to 6 inches. After all, multiple cats will be eating the same cat grass.

6. Trim as Needed

Your cat will likely be eating the grass regularly. However, if you don’t consume enough, you’ll need to trim it back at least an inch each week. Otherwise, the ends may flop over, which can cause growth problems. Plus, if the stalks get so heavy that they touch the ground, diseases are far more common. If the leaves start flopping, you should plan on trimming them more.

7. Resow Regularly

You will need to add more seeds to the pot regularly. The first few stalks won’t last forever. You want to promote regular growth, which will ensure that your felines continue to have grass for years to come. Plus, it will also prevent your feline from eating all the grass. If the new seeds are sprouting, there will be backup growth once the new plants are tall enough. However, you don’t need to hide the pot again when the new grass is younger. The tall grass should provide some protection and prevent your feline from chewing the newer grass. Plus, if it doesn’t, then your cat isn’t destroying the whole pot, at least.

8. Watch for Pests

You should carefully watch for pests. These can hurt your cat grass and are not appetizing for your felines. If you’re growing the grass indoors, this is often less of a problem. However, it can still happen, especially if you have more house plants. Sometimes, the parasites can jump from plant to plant. Diseases can also spread from plant to plant. Again, these are most common for outdoor plants. However, it can occur with indoor plants as well.

Conclusion

Many cats love cat grass. It provides them with some extra nutrients, as well as some entertainment. Luckily, cat grass is extremely easy to grow. Generally, you can simply put the seeds in the correct soil and location and leave them be. Regularly re-sow them to ensure that there is a steady supply of grass. Of course, don’t use anything on the grass that isn’t safe for your cat. They will be eating it, after all. This includes fertilizers and similar substances. Everything should be made for safe consumption. When in doubt, don’t use it. The last thing your cat needs is to get sick from grass!

Featured Image Credit: lam vika, Pixabay

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