Table for One: Cat Grass Now Being Served

You may notice your cat nibbling on green vegetation once in awhile. Anything from houseplants to leaves to grass  can fall prey to your cat's walk on the vegetarian side. Cats tend to graze on grass or nibble on plants to create a natural health supplement. However, letting your cat eat vegetation found in your lawn or in pots inside your home could be dangerous. Many houseplants are naturally poisonous to cats, and many lawns are treated with chemicals. To give your kitty the health benefits she craves from vegetation, consider growing your own Cat Grass.

While you may find a plant that is called Cat Grass, also known as Avena sativa or the common oat, cats actually can eat other types of young grass to fulfill their cravings. Only young grass should be offered to your cat. Mature grass contains awns, which can create some health problems if eaten. Catnip also can be referred to as cat grass, but catnip should not be eaten. For all intensive purposes, this discussion of Cat Grass excludes catnip.

Health Benefits of Cat Grass

Your cat instinctively eats grass for the health benefits. Some of these benefits include:

• Fiber & Vitamins - Cat grass contains plant fiber, which can be a great supplement to your cat's daily diet. Cat grass is also a great source of Vitamin B and Niacin. If your cat is having some issues with diarrhea or constipation, or if you are feeding your kitty dietary supplements, you may be able to add cat grass to her diet and solve some health issues.
• Prevent Hairball Build-Up - If your cat has problems with hairball build-up, cat grass can help fix her problem. Cat grass helps cats cough. If your cat eats grass, it will help her cough up the excess hair that is in her stomach. If your cat is coughing up hairballs more often, she will not suffer from having too much hair building up in her stomach. Using cat grass, in addition to other hairball prevention cat supplements, should allow your cat to be free from hairball problems.
• Induce Vomiting - If your cat eats something that does not agree with her, cat grass can help her induce vomiting. If your cat eats grass without chewing, the grass will essentially tickle your cat's stomach so she can vomit. This is beneficial to your cat if she happens to eat something that is toxic or other things that cause health problems.
• Digestion Aid - Cat grass can speed up your cat's digestion process. While she may be getting all the nutrients she needs out of her food, cat grass can help your cat digest her food faster.
• Distraction from House Plants - With cat grass available, your cat will be less likely to chomp down on your house plants. Your cat should not be tempted to eat your house plants, which could be poisonous, since cat grass is more appealing.

Providing Cat Grass to Your Cat

It is not recommended that you allow your cat to eat grass from your backyard. With all the chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, and other products used to treat lawns, your cat could become ill eating from your lawn. In addition, your cat may accidentally eat a poisonous plant while attempting to eat outside grass. To prevent any of these problems from occurring when your cat eats grass, it is recommended that you grow your own cat grass.

An ideal way to grow cat grass for your kitty is with the Cat It Senses Grass Garden Kit. This re-usable kit includes everything you need to grow safe grass for your cat and includes a mat to hold the grass container. You can also get refills for growing your cat's grass. An extra benefit to this kit is it's ability to be added to other Cat It Senses products to create an entire sensory activity center.

With your new knowledge regarding why cats eat grass, the benefits cats get from eating grass, and the best way to provide cat grass to your kitty, you should be ready to offer safe cat grass as a part of your cat's normal diet.