Pampas Grass Garden Design ~ Cat Tails Via Belen Hostalet

The Gardens | Grasses Garden, Plants, Grass.

You may have seen your outdoor cat nibbling on the grass outside and wondered what they were up to. Many cats enjoy eating grass, but what about indoor cats that don’t get the chance to chew on that green stuff?

Cat grass is the solution! If you haven’t heard about this before, we’ll tell you everything that you need to know about cat grass. We’ll take a look at exactly what cat grass is and the health benefits that it can offer your cat.

If you’re worried about whether it’s safe for your felines, the good news is that cat grass is completely safe for your cat.

What is cat grass?

Cat grass is sometimes confused with catnip, but they’re completely separate things.

Cat grass is grown from a mixture of different grass seeds, including:

Oats

Oats Rye

Rye Wheat

Wheat Barley

You can buy cat grass kits that include everything that you need to get started, including a planter, soil, and seeds.

It’s also possible to buy bags of seeds, so you can plant them however you like. This works out as a more cost-effective option if you’re looking to offer your cat grass all year round. Some brands offer one type of grass seed, such as solely wheat or oats, while others offer a blend. You may find that your cat prefers one type of grass to another.

We recommend selecting a brand that uses organic and non-GMO seeds.

Why do cats eat grass?

Most of us know that cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their digestive systems are designed to process a purely meat-based diet.

So, why do they want to eat grass?

Researchers have studied cats in the wild that often eat a small amount of grass after catching and eating their prey. It’s thought that the grass may help them pass the parts of their meal that aren’t digestible, including the hair, feathers, and bones. Grass can help cats regurgitate hairballs as well.

Another reason cats might eat grass is that they know that it can be good for them. Grass contains nutrients that cats need, so they may be topping up their levels of vitamins and minerals by eating grass.

Health benefits of cat grass

Cat grass offers plenty of health benefits for your cat, and here, we look at each one in more detail.

Vitamins and minerals

Cat grass is packed full of things that give your cat’s health a boost. It’s full of vitamins A, C, E, and B, and it also contains iron and calcium.

Cat grass is rich in folic acid, a vitamin that helps your cat’s red blood cells produce hemoglobin. This protein carries oxygen through your cat’s body and is essential for keeping them healthy.

Digestive benefits

Grass adds roughage and fiber to your cat’s diet, which can help their digestive systems function at their best. Cats that regularly eat a small amount of cat grass often have less diarrhea or constipation, fewer hairballs, and a healthier digestive system overall.

Cat grass can be a good alternative to expensive hairball prevention supplements.

Grass contains chlorophyll

The green color of grass is due to the high amount of chlorophyll that it contains. This is a natural breath freshener, so you may find that your cat’s breath smells sweeter after they’ve been nibbling their cat grass.

Chlorophyll also used to be a popular remedy for pain and infection before antibiotics were discovered. So, it could be that your cat is enjoying those advantages as well.

Is cat grass safe?

You may have heard that cats will only be tempted to eat grass when they’re not feeling well, but cat behaviorists have found that this isn’t actually the case. Some cats genuinely just like eating grass! It’s a great enrichment activity for your cat, whether they go outdoors or not.

Eating grass from your lawn or other outdoor areas should be discouraged, however, as this may have been sprayed with pesticides or other harmful chemicals that could affect your cat’s health.

Other benefits of cat grass

If your indoor cat gets a craving for green roughage in their diet, they may start looking around your house to see if they can find anything suitable. If there’s no cat grass on offer, the next best thing is going to be your house plants!

Some cats might like to nibble on the edges of your plants’ leaves, causing damage. While the plant is likely to recover, if your cat chews on a plant that’s toxic, you could be left with an expensive veterinary bill.

The ASPCA has a comprehensive list of which plants can be toxic to cats.

If your cat knocks your plant pots over and leaves a mess of soil and chewed leaves, they might be trying to tell you that they’d like something green to eat.

Cat grass offers enrichment to your cat’s environment, which can help reduce the chances of them getting stressed and carrying out antisocial behaviors, like scratching furniture.

How to grow cat grass

If you don’t want to have trays or pots with soil that your cat may tip over, the good news is that you can successfully grow cat grass without using any soil.

Keep a careful eye on any cat grass that you grow, to make sure there is no mold developing. If you’re growing cat grass in soil, inspect the roots regularly, and plant a new pot before the stalks get eaten down to the bottom. If your cat grass is in water, change this every few days.

Follow the instructions for your particular brand of cat grass, and replant it regularly so your cat always has a fresh supply of new shoots to enjoy. We like to plant cat grass in small pots and have a continuous rotation of newly planted seeds, just-sprouted seedlings, and fresh shoots. Our cats eat the fresh shoots, which are replaced by the seedlings after 10-14 days.

How much cat grass should my cat be eating?

While a small amount of cat grass is beneficial, how much is too much? Any treats, cat grass included, should only make up 10% or less of your cat’s diet. If you find that your cat is regularly eating a whole pot of cat grass within a day or two, consider speaking to your vet for advice or limiting the amount of time that your cat has access to the grass.

Wrapping it up

Cat grass is completely safe for your cat and is part of an enriching activity that mimics the behavior of wild cats. It’s cheap and easy to grow, so you can buy a pack of seeds and make sure your cat always has a fresh supply of cat grass to enjoy.

Cat grass is full of beneficial vitamins and minerals and adds fiber to your cat’s diet. It can also help them deal with hairballs by aiding regurgitation. If your cat is eating too much grass, though, you may want to speak to your vet for advice.

Featured Image Credit: QueenNuna, Shutterstock

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! Author Bio

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