The reason why cats sometimes eat grass (and other plants)
is not completely understood. There are several probable theories as to why
they do:
For the
nutrients
Cats are carnivorous,
they need to consume meat to live. When cats hunt, they consume almost
all parts of their prey including the stomach and its contents. This may
include small amounts of plant matter and their nutrients. Your pet cat
probably doesn't hunt and therefore won't get to ingest those small amounts of
plant material obtained from prey. They
may try to obtain these vitamins/minerals by eating grass if there is a
nutritional imbalance in the diet.
To help
them vomit
We all know what happens after our cats consume grass, they
come back inside and vomit all over our favorite bed or rug. Spiteful?
Maybe. It is believed that grass
acts as an irritant to the stomach, and cats don't have the ability to digest
grass in the way herbivores do. This makes sense from an evolutionary point of
view because when hunting, cats eat their entire prey. Vomiting helps rid the digestive tract of unwanted
feathers, bones, etc.
To bring
up hairballs
Adding to the vomiting theory, it is speculated that another
reason cats consume grass is to assist with the passage of hairballs. When cats
groom themselves, they inevitably ingest fur which can build up in the stomach.
Eating grass can help with the passage of hairballs either from regurgitating
or as a laxative.
Because
they can
They may simply enjoy the taste of grass. Cat-loving friends
tell us that their own feline friends enjoy a variety of greenery--cucumber and
broccoli are just two. Now if we could
just get them to eat their spinach!
What kind
of grass
If you want to grow a tub of grass inside for your cat to
nibble on, common types include:
·
Wheatgrass
·
Barley
·
Common oat
Is there
a difference between cat grass and catnip?
Yes, catnip is a member of the mint family. They are
completely unrelated. Catnip can also induce a "buzz" in some cats;
cat grass doesn't have this effect on cats.
Cat grass and catnip are perfectly safe for your cat to eat. However, mind there are a large number of
plants that are toxic to cats. It is recommended you don't have indoor house
plants that are poisonous as they can in some cases lead to death. The ASPCA includes the following plants on
their toxicity list:
·
Aloe Vera
·
Asian Lily
·
Asparagus Fern
·
Begonia
·
Baby's Breath
·
Calla Lily
·
Corn Plant
·
Cycads (Sago Palm, Fern Palm
·
Daffodil
·
Geranium
·
Jade Plant
·
Pencil Cactus
·
Ribbon Plant (Corn Plant, Cornstalk Plant,
Dracaena, Dragon Tree)
·
Tulip
Safety
precautions
Note that grass grown outdoors may have been sprayed with
chemicals such as weed killers or fertilizers that can be toxic to cats. If you have an outdoor cat, take care if your
cat has a tendency to nibble on the greenery.
***
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