It’s a given fact that cats are carnivorous. While the felines we live with may seem domesticated, the evidence of their teeth, claws and the occasionally mouse corpse on the doorstep — or, in the case of a friend’s cat, her bed — attest to their hunters’ hearts. So why do we sometimes catch our cats chomping grass in the lawn or attacking potted plants?
One theory is that when cats hunted prey, they digested the leafy contents of their dinner’s stomach and that second-hand meal provided necessary nutrients. Another theory is that consuming fiber from grass helps move those pesky hairballs along. It’s also possible that cats like to chew plants because they’re sensory-seekers and it simply feels good on their teeth, like an oral change of scenery.
Regardless of the reason, it seems that some cats require leafy greens.
Indoor cats, lacking access to the many chompable grasses of the great outdoors, are likely to get their greens where they can. This spells danger for your indoor plants and your cat, as many indoor plants are toxic and even deadly if ingested.
So what’s a cat lover to do?
In order to provide for this need in the healthiest way possible, pet owners have turned gardener and brought a bit of the outdoors inside by growing patches of grass just for kitty.
Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
Choose your Seeds
- If your cat likes to lounge while he gnaws, plant rye grass. It’s durable and will bounce back after the cat gets bored and wanders off.
- For a heavy duty chomper, plant barley grass, which grows fast and high.
- Wheatgrass is an ideal multitasker — use it in your morning smoothie if you don’t mind sharing with Fluffy.
- You may have added kale to your diet, and your cat may enjoy some kale sprouts in hers.
Tips for growing indoor grass
- Select a suitable container that you don’t mind kitty nibbling from.
- Find a spot where the newly planted seeds won’t be disrupted in their tender infancy. You may need to keep them outside for the first few days.
- If you’re new to growing indoor plants, be sure the grass is somewhere you’ll lay eyes on it every day so that you’ll get in the habit of watering it regularly.
- Consider adding grass to your kitty’s catio!
- Next time you head out of town, be sure to remind the cat sitter to water the kitty garden.