Grass For Cats: Types, Benefits, How To Grow It At Home, Which One Is Better To Choose, How To Wean An Animal From Eating Other Plants

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

Cat's garden

No one can unequivocally answer the question of why a cat needs grass. There are a number of hypotheses based on the analysis of the physiology and behavior of the feline family, each of which is somewhat convincing. It is a fact that both wild big cats and other carnivorous predators belonging to other families eat grass. Therefore, no matter how cherished a domestic beauty cat, the awakened desire to taste herbs signals an unobvious, but objectively existing need, which ancient instincts direct the cat to satisfy.

Content

• 1 Why do cats eat grass

  • 1.1 How grass can attract cats

  • 1.2 Is there any harm from eating grass

    1.2.1 Photo gallery: plants poisonous for cats

• 2 What types of herbs do cats prefer

  • 2.1 Where do cats get cravings for catnip and valerian?

    2.1.1 Video: Cat's Reaction to Catnip

• 3 How to grow cat grass at home

  • 3.1 Seed selection

  • 3.2 How to plant grass

    3.2.1 Video: how to grow grass for a cat

  • 3.3 How to grow grass without land
• 4 How to wean a cat from eating house plants
• 5 Veterinarian Opinion on Whether Your Cat Needs Grass

Why do cats eat grass

It can only be said with certainty that grass for a cat cannot be a food product, since its digestive system is not designed to assimilate plant foods.

How grass can attract cats

Scientists offer several hypotheses explaining why a cat needs grass:

• to cleanse the stomach from undigested food debris, as well as its own wool, which is ingested by animals during self-care. The herb has an irritating effect and causes vomiting, thus, the cat gets the opportunity to get rid of the accumulated undigested gastric contents, as well as the feeling of discomfort and heaviness;
• perhaps the cat is trying to get B vitamins, folic acid, vitamin E, trace elements, but the fact that she can really absorb them by absorbing grass has not yet been proven;
• for the regulation of digestive processes. A cat can eat grass as a laxative, because the latter consists of coarse fiber and has an irritating effect, therefore it stimulates intestinal peristalsis. Conversely, the cat may eat plants with narrow, dense stems to fight diarrhea;
• for fun: the cat likes the taste of grass or the very process of eating it.

The cat will be happy with the lawn grown for him

Is there any harm from eating grass

Cats raised in an apartment do not have sufficient experience in finding the grass they need and tend to eat it indiscriminately. This can harm health for the following reasons:

• some plants are poisonous to cats. They can both grow in an apartment and meet a cat on a walk. An animal can be poisoned by eating a flower from a bouquet decorating a house, as well as by stealing a seed, such as a tulip bulb;
• urban grass absorbs toxins from the environment, exhaust gases, and often the lawn is treated with insecticides. This can lead to acute poisoning of the cat;
• particles of soil that the cat swallows with grass contain pathogenic bacteria, protozoa and viruses;
• there is a great danger of worm infestation, the grass of city flower beds and lawns is generously seeded with eggs of parasites;
• trauma factor: plants have thorns, sharp edges of leaves that can injure a cat. The animal can choke on a spikelet when trying to eat, for example, feather grass or oregano.

Photo gallery: plants poisonous for cats

The most toxic are the roots of cyclamen; the plant irritates the digestive system, causes intense vomiting; possible death

Azalea causes cramping abdominal pains, diarrhea, salivation, general depression, loss of coordination, paralysis, weakness of the heart; in the absence of assistance, death occurs after 2-4 days

Aloe vera causes general depression, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions; possible discoloration of urine

Amaryllis flowers are especially toxic, which attract cats with their smell and sweet taste; cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, drooling, cramps

Euphorbia is very poisonous: it causes general depression, vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, convulsions, difficulty breathing, heart rhythm disturbances, dilated pupils, liver and kidney failure; often the outcome of poisoning is coma, paralysis of the respiratory muscles and death of the animal

Symptoms of indoor oleander poisoning are cramping abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, muscle tremors, depression, impaired coordination of movements and breathing, possibly death from heart failure

Poisoning from tomato seedlings is not fatal; severe disorders of the digestive system are typical: profuse salivation, diarrhea, lack of appetite; central nervous system disorders: drowsiness, depression, possible confusion and changes in behavior, general weakness, slow heart rate

Gypsophila causes vomiting, diarrhea

Tulip bulbs are most toxic, flowers and leaves are also dangerous; characterized by pronounced irritation of the digestive system, salivation, depression, convulsions, cardiac arrhythmias

All lilies are very toxic to cats, even a small plant eaten can cause acute renal failure in an animal

What types of herbs do cats prefer?

Considering that a cat can consume absolutely any grass on its own, it is better to purposefully choose plants for animals to eat. Cats prefer fresh, juicy grass. They also prefer grains - plants that form spikelets.

The most attractive herbs for cats and also the easiest to grow:

• oats;
• wheat;
• barley;
• millet;
• rye.

Cereals quickly produce friendly shoots and a lot of juicy green mass.

Where do cats get cravings for catnip and valerian?

Purring animals have a special relationship with some plants; their effect also extends to wild large cats: tigers, lions, lynxes.

Catnip contains nepetalactone, and valerian contains actinidin, these are volatile organic compounds also called "cat drugs". The cat's behavior when inhaling these substances changes; she clearly feels pleasure, purrs loudly, rubs her head and muzzle against the plant, rolls on the floor. Some cats, when in contact with valerian or catnip, behave calmly: they prefer to be near the plant, the reaction is inhibited, and salivation may occur. The behavior of animals is individual, a third of cats, as well as kittens up to the age of 8-12 weeks, do not show any interest in valerian and catnip. Some cats exhibit hyperactivity, aggression and sexual behavior when exposed to these substances. The action lasts 5-15 minutes and resumes no earlier than an hour later. Dependence on the effects of these substances is not formed,no health hazard. Nepetalactone is used in small amounts to flavor toys, scratching posts and cat beds.

Catnip attracts purring pets

A similar reaction of furry pets to valerian and catnip is explained by the fact that in their chemical structure, nepetalactone and actinidin are similar to pheromones contained in the urine of cats and stimulate them to sexual behavior. By binding to receptors in the feline Jacobson organ (this is an accessory olfactory organ located in the mouth above the palate behind the upper incisors), these compounds trigger a cascade chemical reaction that awakens the activity of some areas of the cat's brain, involving the hypothalamus and the amygdala (brain regions) causing sexual behavior.

Plants Tatar honeysuckle and actinidia polygamous also have similar properties.

Video: cat reaction to catnip

How to grow cat grass at home

Growing grass for a cat on your own will be the best solution, since it guarantees environmental safety and gives the animal year-round access to juicy and fresh greens. The grass planted in beautiful containers can successfully diversify the interior of the apartment.

Witty cat grass placement designs can be found

Seed selection

For the first time, in order to determine the taste preferences of the cat and give her a choice, it is better to sow several types of plants. The seeds need to be purchased from trusted locations - specialty stores, or you can buy a box of oats at the pharmacy. You should not buy seeds by weight on the market or from unknown persons on the Internet, they may be pickled and unsafe for the cat's health.

How to plant grass

You can grow grass for a fluffy pet as follows:

1. It is necessary to choose a container for planting grass, it must be wide and stable, have holes at the bottom for water drainage after irrigation, as well as a pallet. Some cat owners use a new cat litter box for these purposes, which the pet has not used (otherwise, the cat will continue to use it for its intended purpose).
2. Choose a substrate, it can be a ready-made soil mixture, you can also compose it yourself, if you wish.

3. Planting seeds and subsequent care of the seedlings are carried out approximately as follows:

   1. A part of the well-moistened substrate is evenly distributed along the bottom of the container, then the seeds are laid in a continuous layer and covered with a second, thinner layer of soil mixture saturated with water. It is necessary to ensure that after planting, the substrate and seeds occupy only half of the volume of the container, since, while germinating, the seeds raise the soil mixture.
   2. Then the container is tightened with cling film to create a greenhouse effect, facilitating seed germination. Light at the germination stage is not needed, but warm is desirable. Seedlings appear approximately on the 2-3rd day.
   3. With the appearance of the first shoots, the container with grass should be placed in a bright place; when the crops grow up to 1–2 cm, the film can be removed; on the 6-7th day, you can already offer a treat to the cat. The container should be placed so that the grass has enough lighting and the pet has free access to it.

The grass can be placed in the resting place of cats

In order for the cat to have grass constantly, conveyor sowing is used, using 3-4 containers, sowing the next container in the seed germination phase of the previous one.

The overgrowth of grass grasses should not be allowed, since at a height of shoots of 25 cm, they begin to accumulate substances toxic to cats.

Video: how to grow grass for a cat

How to grow grass without land

In some cases, the cat prefers to uproot and scatter the grass, as well as dig out the substrate in the container with its paws, throwing out the soil. To reduce clutter, it is possible to grow grass without using land. In this case, substitutes for the substrate can be:

• litter for cat litter;
• sawdust;
• substrate components - perlite, vermiculite;
• several layers of moistened gauze, as well as moistened napkins, cotton wool, toilet paper.

To grow grass between layers of gauze, napkins, paper, proceed as follows:

1. Holes are made to drain the liquid in the bottom of the disposable plastic dish.
2. Seeds soaked in water for an hour are placed in it and covered with the selected material (gauze, napkins, cotton wool), moistened and distributed in several layers; crops are harvested in a warm place.
3. With the emergence of roots, usually on the 2-3rd day, the germinated seeds are laid out on the surface of several moistened layers of the selected material and covered with cling film.
4. With the appearance of sprouts, the film is removed and the seedlings are provided with good lighting.

The disadvantage of this method is that in the absence of moisture, the grass dries up very quickly, and with an excess of moisture, the roots begin to rot. Within a week, the grass wilts, not receiving nutrition from the substrate.

The use of vermiculite looks optimal. This is a compromise option: vermiculite is a natural porous mineral, it is absolutely environmentally friendly. When scattered from a container by a cat, this mineral contaminates the surfaces much less than conventional soil. Vermiculite has a high moisture capacity and gives water to the roots of plants as required, which makes seedlings less dependent on the timeliness of watering. The mineral contains trace elements necessary for plants: iron, manganese, magnesium and others. Vermiculite can and should be reused. The best vermiculite is mined in the Urals mountains; it is light with a slight yellowness; the results of its application are comparable to the results of growing plants in expensive soil mixtures with the regular use of growth activators. Before use, vermiculite should be soaked in water for an hour.

Another opportunity to grow grass and keep the apartment clean is the use of a grass garden - Catit Senses 2.0 Grass Planter. Its cost is 1292 rubles. This is a ready-made product with a pleasant design, its design prevents the soil mixture from turning over and spreading. Also, the device is equipped with an add-on: its rubber mat simultaneously serves for acupuncture massage of the cat's paws.

The device prevents the soil from spreading, as well as the container turning over

How to wean a cat from eating house plants

First of all, the pet must be provided with a replacement for home flowers - fresh grass grown especially for him, since eating green vegetation is characteristic of all cats.

The easiest method is to separate the cat and the flowers. The latter can be placed in a place inaccessible to the animal, if there is one; the best solution would be to grow flowers in a separate room, closed from the cat.

Cats do not tolerate the smell of citrus fruits and spices - you can mix orange, neroli, lemon aromatic oils in a spray bottle and spray plant leaves and soil in pots. Perhaps dry citrus peels placed in flower pots will help. You can also spray the potting soil with a hot pepper spray.

If your cat is using a flower pot as an extra tray, it is best to sprinkle seashells on top of the soil. Their unevenness and rustling will cause discomfort to the cat, at the same time they do not interfere with the access of oxygen to the plant roots.

Veterinarians' opinion on whether a cat needs grass

Eating fresh grass may be necessary for cats primarily to regulate the digestive system. In the absence of suitable vegetation, the cat begins to use house flowers, many of which pose a danger to his health, sometimes fatal. The grass from the street is also not safe for the cat and is not suitable for use. You can grow grass for a cat on your own, it does not take large financial and labor costs and guarantees the safety and environmental friendliness of the product. Veterinarians recommend adding specially grown herbs to your cat's diet.