Large Crabgrass : Nutsedge Yellow
Yellow Nutsedge | NC State Extension.
While cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need to eat meat to survive, they also like to munch on plants. Cat grass is a grass that's safe for cats to eat.
Eating grass is a natural behavior for cats. In the wild, these felines eat grass in order to regurgitate parts of their prey that they haven’t been able to digest.
As well as an aid for digestion, cat grass has a number of other benefits including providing your kitty with minerals and vitamins. Not all felines love cat grass, but if they do, it’s definitely worth exploring as a healthy treat for your cat.
If you’re wondering if it’s safe to feed an indoor cat cat grass, this handy guide has everything you’ll need to know from what it is, to its benefits and how to grow your own.
What is cat grass?
Cat grass is not one type of plant, but a mixture of grasses grown from wheat, barley, oat and rye seeds. It is grown indoors specifically for pets as unlike the grass on your lawn it will not contain toxic pesticides.
If you are planning to buy or grow your own cat grass oat grass is known to have the most flavor as well as being a good source of protein and fibre, barley is the sweetest and packed with nutrients, rye is durable and wheatgrass is the best all-rounder.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Do indoor cats need cat grass?
Cats do not need cat grass. In fact, not all cats like it. However, it is an affordable, low maintenance snack for your pet and it has numerous benefits so if they do enjoy it it’s worth giving it a go.
Cat grass benefits
As well as being a tasty treat for your cat, cat grass has a number of health benefits. It is full of nutrients and vitamins including vitamins A and D.
Cat grass also contains folic acid which helps produce hemoglobin to carry oxygen around the body, and chlorophyll, which helps relieve pain, heal infections and acts as a breath freshener.
This leafy green also helps with digestion. It not only acts as a laxative pushing out hairballs, but it helps cats rid their stomachs of undigested bits of food when they vomit it up.
Unlike the grass in your backyard, you can guarantee it won’t contain toxins and if your cat is eating the cat grass you’ve bought or grown, they’re less likely to eat other dangerous, non cat-friendly plants or ruin your houseplants entirely.
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Any drawbacks? Can cat grass make a cat sick?
While eating cat grass is perfectly safe for your cat and they will naturally vomit to aid digestion, cats do have a tendency to overeat if they are sick so if you do find your pet is vomiting too much visit your vet.
The other drawback is that if they’ve got cat grass to snack on, they may also try to nibble your other houseplants or lawn, which could not only be unwelcome by you, but toxic to them.
Keep your houseplants out of reach and make sure you’re not treating your grass with any product that contains pesticides or use a sprinkler so your cat avoids the area.
How do you keep cat grass alive indoors? Will cat grass keep growing?
Cat grass will grow for 2-3 months if you’re looking after it, keeping it in a sunny spot and watering it around twice a week. After this it will die.
If you’re growing it yourself, give it to your cat when it’s around 3-4 inches (7.62-10.16 centimeters) tall. Once it has started to wilt pull out the shoots and plant more seeds.
Is catnip and cat grass the same thing? Does cat grass make cats high?
While catnip and cat grass sound similar and are both tasty treats for your pet to enjoy, they aren’t the same thing. What's the difference, you ask? Catnip is a member of the mint family and contains Euphoria nepetalactone, which gives cats a euphoric feeling and may even make them sleepy when they nibble on it, smell it or even rub themselves in it.
Cat grass, however, is generally only eaten by cats and is grown from a mixture of wheat, barley, oat and rye seeds. It has many benefits, but does not give them the same high.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
How much cat grass should I give my cat? Can I feed my cat grass every day?
There is no set rule for how much cat grass you should give your cat. Cat grass is safe for them to eat and has lots of benefits, but like everything else they should eat it in moderation so no more than 10% of their diet.
If you’re growing it yourself try planting a handful of seeds at a time. If you have more than one cat, perhaps give them each their own pot. Cats often overeat when they’re ill so make sure to monitor them to make sure if they’re eating excessively that they’re not vomiting too often and that they’re not ill.
Don’t worry if there’s grass in their vomit as often this just means something in their digestive system needed unblocking.
How to grow cat grass
Cat grass is relatively easy to grow. You’ll need a small, shallow container such as a pot plant, seeds, soil and water.
Fill the container with 2/3 soil, then scatter the seeds and add the last 1/3 soil. Finally add 50ml water and put the pot in a sunny area.
The grass should start to sprout in a few days and will be ready for your cat to eat after around two weeks or when it is 3-4 inches (7.62-10.16 centimeters) tall. Make sure to water your cat grass about twice a week.
Where to buy cat grass
Cat grass kits are available online, at pet stores or even at your veterinary practice if you want to buy them. If you are planning to grow your own cat grass, you can purchase seeds from a garden center.
Plants are an amazing way to add color to our gardens and homes, but sometimes our green friends and our pets don’t go together very well.
Cat grass is a variety of grass that is grown and produced specifically for cats, and it is usually grown from oat grass or barley grass seeds.
It has many benefits, from helping your cat’s digestion to freshening up their breath.
Cat grass can be grown in many different ways, including without the use of soil.
In this text, let’s talk all about cat grass and how to grow it without soil.
How to grow cat grass without soil
To grow cat grass soil-less, use a jug filled with horticultural stones and place a piece of paper towel on the top. Place the seeds on the paper towel before filling water below this. Sprouting should happen within a few days, and the seeds are fully grown within 10 days.
Growing cat grass without soil: The basics
Before you start with the process, you will need:
Horticultural gravel or grow stones
Cat grass seed mix
An unbleached paper towel or clean coffee filter
Room temperature water
A bowl or jar (glass or plastic)
Start by arranging the stones in the bottom of your glass jar. I would suggest filling the jar around 3/4 of the way up.
Although there are many planters specifically designed for growing cat grass without soil, I much prefer to use a jar as I think that this method is much cheaper and looks much more pleasing amongst the rest of my houseplants.
Next, lay your clean coffee filter or sheet of paper towel on top of the stones.
If you are choosing to use a paper towel, I found that I got better results by using two sheets and folding them over.
You can then start to place the seeds on that two-sheet layer of paper towel. Arrange a thin layer of seeds on the top, but don’t worry about the seeds overlapping each other.
I also found that soaking my cat grass seeds in water overnight before planting them sped up the germination process.
Next, use room temperature water and fill your jar up to where the paper towel is. Over the course of your cat grass growing, you will need to top up the jar with more water to ensure that you maintain this water level.
I would suggest keeping the jar away from your cat until the cat grass has begun to grow. Depending on how mischievous your cat is, having a jar of water out in the open could cause a messy situation!
If you live in a hard-water area like me, I would suggest filtering the water beforehand to get the best results.
You should only take a few days for your seeds to sprout shoots, and within 10 days they should be ready for your cat to enjoy!
Once the roots have fully formed and your cat grass growing, you no longer need to maintain a high level of water. Simply ensuring that the roots are always moist will be sufficient.
I would suggest placing your jar on a windowsill but don’t worry if you are struggling to find a sunny spot.
Cat grass will grow no matter what the light levels are – you could even place it in a shady location and still get results!
Benefits of growing cat grass without soil
There are lots of benefits to growing cat grass, and even more to growing cat grass without the use of soil.
Cats often use plants not only for added nutrients when they are feeling under the weather, but also to clean and brush their teeth.
The taste is also quite appealing to them, and some even go as far as to purchase cat grass flavored treats for their pets!
For me, placing cat grass in my home and garden created a distraction for my cat, and stopped them from taking nibbles out of my beloved plants.
This is crucial if you own lots of houseplants.
Some plant parents are unaware that even plants such as the ever-popular Monstera and the Peace Lily are actually highly dangerous to pets if consumed.
You can find out the toxicity levels in your plants by visiting the ASCPA website.
A specific benefit of growing cat grass without soil is that it is much more mess-free.
If you are the owner of a quite troublesome cat, you may wake up some mornings to find your plants knocked over and soil spilled all over the place.
Growing cat grass in water means that this problem is much easier to clean up – just be sure to place the jar away from any electronics, just in case!
Frequently Asked Questions Related to Growing Cat Grass Without Soil
Can I grow cat grass even if I don’t have a cat?
Cat grass can still be used for decorative and landscaping purposes, even if you don’t own a cat. Who knows, you might even attract some friendly neighborhood felines in the process!
Will the cat grass grown without soil regrow after being cut?
Once trimmed or nibbled by your cat, the plant should continue to grow for around 2-3 weeks. After this, it will be time to dispose of your cat grass and start again.
What is the difference between cat grass seeds and wheatgrass seeds?
There’s no absolute difference between cat grass and wheatgrass! Typically, cat grass is made up of a mixture of seeds, including wheatgrass, oat grass, barley grass, ryegrass, and much more!
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Yellow Nutsedge | NC State Extension
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