Occasional snacking on grass is perfectly healthy for your cat. Learn why and how to plant a little indoor, chemical-free lawn on which he can graze.
Cats (who thrive on a steady diet of meat) love the texture and flavor of grass. Grow cat grass from seed-usually oats or a mix of oats, rye, barley, and wheat-in a wide, low container. Don't worry: Vomiting may seem repulsive to you, but it's healthy for the cat.
Outdoor cats will find their own green delicacies in the wild, but you can give your indoor cat the flavor of outdoor life with a tasty patch of edible grass and a bowl of water. They may eat grass because it adds fiber to their diet, which helps work food through the system and lets them vomit indigestible contents such as hairballs from grooming and feathers, fur, and bones from eating small prey. (You can probably find grass seeds at your favorite pet store.) A small bowl of water is an added attraction to the pot of edibles. Overindulging on grass can cause digestive upset, so limit your cat's access to the grass if she gets too voracious.
How to Create an Indoor Kitty Garden
- Fill a container approximately 12 inches wide with potting soil and sink a 4- to 5-inch-wide bowl about 2 inches deep into the soil. Sow cat grass seed around the bowl.
- Move the container out of your pet's reach to prevent digging while the seeds take hold. Keep the soil moist and warm (about 70˚F) and near a sunny window or under a plant light.
- In 10-14 days, the grass should be tall enough to share with your cat. The water dish will draw your cat to the grass, so remember to clean and refill the water dish frequently.
A version of this article first appeared in Happy Paws Spring/Summer 2020.