Why cats eat grass - a list of the most useful and harmful plants for the cat's body + tips on how to grow grass at home

"The cat eats grass." You often hear such a statement from the lips of cat owners. It turns out that this is not just another prank of your pet, but a useful activity.

Why do cats eat grass? There are many hypotheses, and so far none of them have received proper confirmation from science. However, assumptions exist, and many of them seem logical.

Why do cats eat grass?

If you notice your cat eating grass on a walk, there is no need to forbid her to do so.

There are several reasons why the mustache needs greens:

• Stomach cleansing. There are almost no coarse fibers in the animal food of the main diet, but they are present in large quantities in plant foods. As they pass through the digestive system, they clean the walls of the esophagus and intestines from food debris and pieces of hair that have stuck to the walls of the esophagus. And the most important benefit is that the herb removes toxins from the body through regurgitation.
• Improved bowel function. Some herbs have a laxative or fixative effect. Cats have preferences and some knowledge about herbs, which are determined at the genetic level. To relax the intestines, the cat will eat broad-leaved plants, and to strengthen the intestines, narrow-leaved plants.
• Diet expansion. Various greens contain many valuable macro- and microelements, vitamins and amino acids. When a cat gives birth to kittens, she chooses plants that contain folic acid. It allows you to better saturate the animal’s blood with oxygen, which has a positive effect on the development of the offspring.
• Self-medication. Scientists still adhere to this version. But when examining many cats that regularly eat greens, veterinarians did not find any significant diseases or disorders of the body.
• Taste preferences. Sometimes the pet does not swallow the plant, but only slightly bites it; from this behavior we can safely conclude that they simply like its taste.

Grass-friend and grass-enemy

Not all plants will benefit your pet - there are also some that can cause harm, including serious poisoning. Therefore, not all greens will be useful for a cat. It’s better not to keep others at home at all to avoid trouble.

Useful plants

Catnip or catnip

- Favorite herb for cats. 3% consists of essential oil, which emits an attractive smell and attracts mustaches. Although the smell is stimulating to them, eating this plant calms cats.

Schisandra

. Sedative and diuretic. Serves as an antibiotic and improves digestion.

Parsley

. Not all cats recognize parsley, but its benefits are enormous. It contains vitamin B, C, A and potassium.

Valerian

. Valerian should not be given to cats without the advice of a veterinarian, as it is addictive.

Melissa

. Acts as a laxative, therefore useful for constipation.

Marigold

. They remove worms and improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Some cats eat not only marigold grass, but also flowers. Make sure that the animal does not overdo it.

Dangerous plants

Azalea

. Contains an alkaloid that is lethal. Causes swelling of the larynx and convulsions, depresses the nervous system and disrupts the heart rhythm.

Schefflera

. Even one leaf can cause breathing to stop. If it gets into the eyes, it can cause conjunctivitis.

Cyclamen

. If your pet eats the stem of the plant, it will be poisoned. For some reason, some cats still eat this grass, as if they are somehow attracted to it. Be careful: put the flower in a pot or don’t plant it in your apartment at all.

Chrysanthemum

. Less dangerous than previous flowers, but also causes an unpleasant effect: diarrhea, vomiting and malaise.

Caladium

. Caladium juice burns the mucous membrane and leads to chronic kidney dysfunction.

What greens do cats eat?

Walking outside on a sunny day, cats do not eat all the vegetation in a row, but only plants with thin and narrow leaves.

The most delicious green cat food is wild-growing herbaceous cereals.

These include:

• Wheatgrass;
• Sedge;
• Wild oats;
• bentgrass;
• Timofeevka and others.

Nutrition issue

The grass contains folic acid and vitamin B9. Folic acid is essential for the growth and development of the immune and circulatory systems. The animal’s body cannot synthesize them on its own, which means they can only be supplied with food. In particular, folic acid is found in plant leaves. This explains why many cats do not swallow grass, but simply nibble on blades of grass.

This does not mean that your cat should be force-fed grass. If the cat itself does not show interest in plants, then everything is fine with it.

What grass don't cats like?

Having a keen sense of smell, cats absolutely cannot tolerate vegetation that contains a lot of essential oils. Some of this vegetation is poisonous to purrs and can cause severe poisoning, for example, hyacinths or geraniums.

Field herbs that cats don't like:

• Melissa;
• Lavender;
• Sagebrush;
• Tansy.

Cats try to stay away from such plants. Owners often use such plants to wean cats from some unwanted actions. For example, when a cat scratches on furniture or shits in the corners of the room.

Behavioral reasons

Cats were once wild animals. In terms of their character, they retained their wildness, but their diet has changed a lot. For example, a cat used to eat mice and birds. The cat doesn’t particularly know how to separate fur and feathers, and she doesn’t have anything to do it with. Therefore, virtually the entire bird ended up inside, along with bones, down and feathers. Of course, only a boa constrictor can digest this, so cats have found a natural way to remove all this from the stomach. An eaten bunch of grass had an emetic and laxative effect, and everything unnecessary came out.

Cats also take care of themselves and constantly lick themselves. This is how their own fur accumulates inside, sometimes in very considerable volumes. Today, cats do not eat birds, but mostly feed on kibble. Therefore, a cat eats grass primarily to cleanse its stomach of hair.

How to grow grass for cats

Planting in vermiculite. You can buy vermiculite at any hardware or flower shop. This mineral is characterized by the fact that it retains moisture well; it also contains potassium, magnesium, ammonium and calcium, which are so necessary for any vegetation.

How to grow grass for a cat:

1. The first step is to germinate the seeds. To do this, take a small part of vermiculite and fill it with warm water, then mix the mixture with the seeds, in this state the seeds should be left for 3 hours in a warm place.
2. Next, you need to pour out the excess liquid and pour the mixture into any cup.
3. It should be covered with cling film in order to obtain a greenhouse effect. Place in a warm place where the temperature is approximately 25-30 degrees Celsius.
4. As soon as the first shoots appear, the film must be removed.
5. After 5-7 days, you can treat your pet to delicious greens.
6. Every 5 days you need to pour water into a cup, let it stand for 5 minutes, drain off the excess. This time is enough for the vermiculite to absorb the liquid and then gradually release it to the roots.

You cannot grow greens more than 25-30 centimeters, as then they begin to accumulate toxins that are harmful to all pets.

Poisonous plants for cats

Usually the cat can figure out on its own what kind of grass it should chew. But there are exceptions, and quite dangerous ones. For example, you should not let your cat onto a lawn that may have been sprayed with chemicals. The cat may not even notice them. In addition, there are also indoor plants that are poisonous to cats:

• Geranium
• Lily of the valley
• Tree of Life
• Cicuta
• Yew
• Squill
• Calendula
• Daffodils
• Poppy
• Henbane
• Violets
• Philodendron
• Hellebore
• Oleander
• Tulip
• Bulbous plants

In fact, the list of plants that are poisonous to cats is much longer. Here are only those of them that often end up in the house.

Growing in the ground

You can also grow grass for your favorite purr in a flower pot with regular soil. Before planting seeds, you should thoroughly disinfect the soil - heat it with a gas burner (laying it on the ground), this is the most accessible and effective way. But you can also moisten the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).

Instructions for growing grass in the ground:

1. Soak the seeds in warm boiled water in a plastic container for 10 hours for germination.
2. Lay 3-4 centimeters of disinfected soil without debris, place the seeds on top with the roots down.
3. They should be covered with a 0.5 cm layer of soil on top.
4. After germination, you will need to water the grass every 3 days.

If the seeds have been lying around for a long time, then it is better to germinate them under cling film, where a greenhouse effect is created, then the results will be much better.

How to grow

To begin with, you should buy cereal seeds, they are sold at the pet store. Then choose a container in which you will plant the grain, it could be a container, a pot or even an old hat.

Then you need to think about where to plant. Often animals like to rummage in the ground, in addition to eating grass. Therefore, you can use cotton wool, a napkin or gauze for planting.

For seeds to germinate, not only water or sun is needed, but also the greenhouse effect, so you can cover the container with a lid or cover it with cling film.

If the cat doesn't eat grass

It may happen that all the owner’s efforts to grow greens for his furry pet will be in vain. In this case, the cat should be accustomed to greens without haste, sometimes adding them to food.

If the cat is interested in this, then in the future he will begin to eat the vegetation. If this method does not work, try sometimes offering grass to your cat, and maybe one day he will appreciate such care.

• If your pet doesn’t want to eat grass at all, you don’t need to force him.
• But if the cat, on the contrary, is very interested in devouring various types of vegetation, then there is a good reason to take him to an appointment with a veterinarian.
• Perhaps the animal has health problems that need attention.

We are sure that this article was useful for you, do not be lazy to grow a green treat for your pet yourself. She will definitely appreciate it!

Some tips

1. If your cat eats all the potted plants, buy her some normal grass at the pet store.
2. Don't punish your cat for burping, he didn't do it on purpose.
3. Don't force feed grass. If he doesn't want to, he doesn't eat.
4. If your cat eats too much grass, make an appointment with your veterinarian. There may be problems with digestion.
5. Feed freshly sprouted grass, it contains more vitamins.

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What indoor flowers can spoil?

Cat people often complain that their pets spoil their indoor flowers. The interest is not always gastronomic. They play with stems, dig in the soil, and turn over pots. Indoor flowers serve as a substitute for grass in winter. They are not always useful, often even poisonous. Cats will not touch flowers if greens are grown for them at home. This is especially important in the city, where the necessary plants cannot be found in the yard.

Ways to preserve indoor flowers:

• place in a place inaccessible to the pet;
• regularly spray with a solution of lemon juice, table vinegar or special sprays;
• place sprouted cereal next to it;
• cover the soil in pots with shells, pebbles, gravel;
• saturate the mulch with an unpleasant odor, cover with a plastic mesh;
• buy special grilles.

These measures will not help completely prevent damage to ornamental plants, but the risk will be reduced.

Following some simple rules also helps:

• plant flowers in hanging pots, on the walls;
• choose heavy containers;
• do not place plants on the windowsill too closely, use stands;
• secure racks and racks.

Ornamental plants can be protected with fences and display cases can be used.

How to make a “bed” in an apartment

Most often, grass seeds are purchased at pet stores and planted in a ready-made substrate, self-prepared soil mixture, or vermiculite.

Sequencing:

• soak the seeds for about three hours;
• pour soil into a pot or container for decorative indoor plants (2/3 of the volume);
• lay out the seed, cover with soil (2-3 cm);
• pour, cover with film.

The film is removed after seed germination. The sprouts are suitable for food after 2 weeks. To avoid a break, sowing is carried out every 3 weeks.

Some cat owners prefer to grow grass in plastic dishes. The bottom of a container with a smaller diameter is pierced in several places, cotton wool is laid out, moistened with water, seeds are poured in, and covered with gauze with large cells. A small plate is placed in a large one and covered with film.

Supplementing a cat's diet with grass is not necessary, but it is correct. It is useful if you use the one intended for pets. This is an additional source of minerals and vitamins that helps stabilize the functioning of the stomach and intestines. The home version is even better than the street version, since there is no risk of eating grass with parasites.

Are herbs always beneficial?

Cats living in nature or on the street usually instinctively choose the right herbs for medicinal or cleansing purposes. Pets do not have this experience, and their instincts are most often somewhat muted. There is a high risk for them to chew grass that is hazardous to their health while walking.

Even a plant that is safe in its composition can cause considerable harm if it grows in a polluted area - on roadsides or near industrial enterprises. In addition, there is no guarantee that this grass is not contaminated with helminth eggs or contaminated by the feces of a sick animal.

Not all outdoor grass is good for your pet.

If the animal does not leave the house and does not receive the necessary greenery in the required quantities, then it may well switch to nibbling indoor plants, some of which may be very poisonous. As a result - various troubles, even death, and specifically the following side effects:

• uncontrollable vomiting;
• digestive disorders;
• pain and cramps;
• renal, heart or pulmonary failure.

Common houseplants can cause serious harm to a cat.

Here are some houseplants to keep out of your cat's reach:

• amaralis;
• asparagus;
• geranium;
• dieffenbachia;
• caladium;
• lily of the valley;
• spurge;
• narcissus;
• oleander;
• ivy;
• spathiphyllum;
• physalis;
• ficus;
• philodendron;
• Cyperus;
• cyclamen.

Offer your pet only safe green treats.

Safety and Prevention

If your cat has consumed grass, there are several ways it will pass through its digestive system: a hairball of grass, stool, or a combination of both. If she likes to chew grass blades periodically and removes plant material easily, you don't need to worry too much.

Now that you know the answer to the question: “Why do cats eat grass?” you can grow your own small patch of grass by planting grains of wheat and your cat will have his own private, safe lawn to graze on.

What's the benefit?

The grass is rich in vitamin B9 and folic acid, which promote the growth of the animal and increase the level of oxygen in the blood. Pregnant cats need grass for normal fetal development.

Greens act as a laxative. If your pet eats it in large quantities, it will vomit. He can deliberately provoke it if he feels discomfort in the stomach. The herb not only helps get rid of hair in the intestines, but also removes undigested foods and small foreign objects.

Some types of grass have a strengthening effect.

The animal can determine independently, so the animal can give preference to one herb and refuse another. If the petals are narrow, the plant strengthens, and if the petals are wide, it gives a laxative effect. The pet can simply bite succulent species. They not only like the juice of the stems, they get vitamins and useful elements from it.

Vomiting after weed

Usually, if your cat vomits immediately after eating grass, this is a natural and safe stomach cleanse of hairballs and debris. They can be easily seen in vomit.

The animal does not require additional help from the owner. It is enough to give him more clean water and feed him a soft diet for several days so as not to provoke irritation of the gastric mucosa.

There are characteristic signs by which you can determine a threat to health and life. It is important to seek help from a veterinarian if:

• Uncontrollable repeated vomiting with streaks of blood and bile clots. This may be a symptom of injury to the wall of the stomach or intestines.
• Foamy saliva, lethargy, convulsions, loss of coordination. Such manifestations indicate severe poisoning; perhaps the plant eaten was poisonous.
• Refusal to eat, anxiety, the cat is diarrhea and has a fever. Such signs indicate severe digestive upset and possible parasite infection.

For proper and timely assistance to the cat, it is necessary to take it to a veterinary hospital and give the doctor a detailed description of the plant eaten; it is best to take it with you.

Sometimes, looking at how their pet chews vegetables and fruits with appetite, the owners forget about safety. The animal overeats and suffers from indigestion, bloating, and pain.

Abuse of greens with a high content of oxalic acid can provoke the development of urolithiasis.

In your desire to please your cat with a treat, do not forget that it is a predator. Food must correspond to the characteristics of his gastrointestinal tract. Also read the article about the TOP 12 treats for cats and kittens.