What kind of grass to plant for the cat at home

By the end of the third day on the surface of the rollers appeared hardly noticeable little sprout appeared on the surface of the rolls by the end of the third day of the grass (on the left photo), but the roots began to show more activity (on the right photo).

Cat grass: what it is, how to grow it and more

Despite the fact that cats are carnivorous animals, many cats like to chew on plants or grass. However, not all grass is suitable for cats. Some houseplants and flowers are poisonous to cats and grass from your lawn can contain dangerous fertilizers, pesticides and weed killers, not to mention bacteria and viruses. Fortunately, there is a safe alternative: cat grass.

Cat grass, is a specially grown, cat-safe grass that can be used as a treat or snack for your pet cat. Cat grass can be bought already grown, or you can buy tray kits or just seed packets to grow it at home.

The term "cat grass" describes not one specific type of grass, but many herbs that are safe and even beneficial for cats.

Some popular kits include wheatgrass, oats, rye, barley, alfalfa, and flax.

Cat grass is not the same as catnip. , a plant in the mint family that makes a cat intoxicated.

Where can I buy cat grass?

Most pet stores sell cat grass that has already sprouted. You can also purchase kits to grow grass at home.

Cat grass kits are available at online stores such as Amazon and contain everything you need to grow cat grass, including a container (tray, bag or box), soil and seeds. All you need to add is water and sunlight.

If you're looking for simplicity, buy a tray of cat grass already grown at your local pet store. If you can't find grown cat grass, buy a cat grass kit and follow the instructions on the package.

Start by moistening the grass.

To grow cat grass, you usually start by moistening the seeds with water and waiting for them to germinate, which can take several days to a week.

Water lightly daily.

Water the sprouted cat grass lightly daily. You want the soil to stay moist, but not wet. Watering with a sprayer can ensure that you are not using too much water. Place cat grass in a warm place in the house where it gets indirect sunlight.

Avoid direct sunlight

Avoid direct sunlight on cat grass, as this can cause burns to the grass.

Allow to grow.

Do not let the cat eat cat grass until it is tall enough (10 to 15 cm in height). Cat grass will be ready for the cat to eat within one to two weeks.

Make your own cat grass garden

Cat owners with gardening experience and a penchant for this activity can enjoy growing cat grass at home without buying a special cat grass kit.

Simply buy seeds of any cat-safe grass (wheat, oats, rye, barley, alfalfa or flax), fill the container with soil, place the seeds on top and lightly water.

Why do cats eat grass?

When you see a pet outside eating grass, you don't have to forbid it to do so. There are several theories as to why cats need grass:

• Stomach cleansing. Animal food, which is the basis of a cat's diet, contains practically no coarse fibers, but plant food has them in abundance. As it travels down the esophagus, it cleans the walls of the esophagus of bits of food stuck to it and fur licked off during washing, and expels them from the body by regurgitation.
• Normalization of intestinal function. Eating the herb allows a mild laxative or solidifying effect. The first is achieved due to burping, the second – due to the constituent substances of the herbs. For different digestive problems and choices, the pet will eat different herbs. He will give preference to broadleaf plants to relax the intestines, narrowleaf plants to strengthen them.

• Expansion of the diet. Grass contains a lot of useful micro- and macronutrients, vitamins, amino acids. While carrying her offspring, the cat eats greens containing folic acid to improve oxygen enrichment of the blood. During the observations of four-legged test subjects, felinologists found that they choose familiar plants without trying something new. From this we can conclude that the eating of grass by these animals is more of a habit than a search for missing elements in the body. Moreover, some substances not contained in the food of animal origin are synthesized independently in the cat's body.

• Self-medication. Some scientists adhere to this version. However, examining many cats that often eat grass, veterinarians did not detect acute and systemic pathologies in them.
• Taste preferences. Some cats do not swallow grass, but only nibble on it, from which we can conclude that they simply like the taste of it.

Are indoor plants suitable for this purpose?

Many house cats, who cannot walk outside, eat houseplants. Their attempts to chew ornamental flowers must be suppressed, because some of them can be poisonous. Anyone who has such a pet in the house should know the names of plants that are dangerous for these animals. These are monster, dekabrist, azalea, begonia, ficus, dracena, etc.

Household flowers are not meant to be eaten by cats. They can enjoy plants that are safe for them – thyme, rosemary, mint, melissa – but they cannot replace grass.

What plants do cats eat?

A cat will never eat just about anything: even if it is still winter outside a cat won't eat houseplants. In summer it will not eat wormwood, datura, lily of the valley or buttercup, but it will not neglect creeping couch grass. This herb is literally everywhere, it is effective in treating gastritis, and also helps normalize metabolism in the cat's body. Moreover, wheatgrass has the necessary stiffness for pets, activating peristalsis.

In addition to wheatgrass, cats like nettles, which help improve lactation during the lactation period of kittens. They also love parsley, using it as a diuretic. It is worth noting that parsley also calms the pets.

Lemongrass helps relieve pain, improves digestion, and cleanses the body.

Pets love sprouted barley, oats, and wheat. This herb can be grown at home on a windowsill at any time of year. Having the means to buy, in a pinch you can buy already sprouted "lawn". Of course, it will quickly lose its fresh appearance, but it will help the pet in case of emergency.

At the same time, you should not try to give the pet intoxicating herbs such as valerian, lemon balm or peppermint. This is because these herbs are, in fact, not useful. Moreover, it is scientifically proven that it can provoke not only relaxation and intoxication, but also aggression. Other than that, this grass is not eaten by cats, but only sniffed.

How to choose?

A caring owner can buy grass for his or her pet in a specialized store. The seller will choose the right option, taking into account the sex of the pet, as well as the nuances of hair texture and frequency of shedding. If the owner decides to grow the grass himself, you can start by buying oats or wheat. It is sold in packages at the store and is called "Cat Grass."

So that the cat is not deficient in greenery, the lawn can be enriched with other grasses. For example, you can grow three kinds of grass in one pot: wheat, barley and oats. This way you can offer your pet a nice variety of green foods.

In a separate pot you can grow lemon grass or lemongrass, which is a natural antibiotic or antiseptic with a diuretic effect.

Although cats and kittens sometimes need rather tough grass, a relatively new pet owner should buy grass without spikes or sharp cuts in the leaves or feathers. A pet that lives in an apartment might hurt himself on such grass. Grass should ideally be young and juicy, since rough and old grass often has no effect for the pet. Of course, he will eat it in the absence of other greens, but for the care to be effective, the owner should take note of this nuance.

In addition, the dosage must also be considered. The pet does not eat grass every day, and therefore it is not worth buying herbs in heaps, because until it becomes necessary, it can get old.

You'll also have to consider the purpose of the choice: there is no grass for all problems at once. If necessary you will have to plant a specific one. For example, with frequent shedding, it is better to have sprouted cereal sprouts in the house – they do an excellent job of removing licked up wool from the stomach. As for wheatgrass, it is desirable that this herb is one of those that grow in the house all the time. The cat's interest in it is pronounced, it will definitely come in handy.

Weed for cats TiTBiT – review

I have already described my negative experience of growing a useful treat for cats from seeds ( TM Lyubimaya grass). Product manufacturer TiTBiT deserved diametrically opposite assessment and review: cat grass in a pot (in the form of a sub-tray of plastic) is a 100% successful option for getting useful plants for cats with minimal growing effort.

Grass is necessary for cats, but not as a supplier of vitamins and minerals. More often than not, these animals consume vegetation for the purpose of cleansing their intestines. Cats are already known as lovers of licking and grooming, and when they molt, this process multiplies. As a result, the animal swallows a large amount of hair. This is when grass for cats becomes particularly important. On the one hand, the feline family has adapted to the involuntary consumption of hair, but the periodic cleaning of the body in certain cases everyone needs and cats are no exception in this regard. That's why they start eating lots of grass, which helps with natural regurgitation.

Grass for cats in pots TiTBiT (TitBit). The name is Oats. The appearance of the package of the growing kit.

Grass for germination from TiTBiT is a 100% natural product. It contains only forage oat seeds and no artificial substrates.

Features germination of grass for cats in a pot (pallet):

Weed for cats TiTBiT – review

Once again strolling through a sundries store I came across an interesting product – "Grass for cats" company TiTBiT.

What if my cat is a HONEY cat and he wants to eat plant food! And I feed him dry and wet balanced cat food? Hmm, I'll have to try grass.

Also on the label is information about the benefits of grass for cats, composition, storage conditions, and manufacturer.

Two synthetic rollers poured water and began to wait. The first 3 days were almost ineffective in growing grass.

What grass should not be given to cats

Most cats can tell the difference between useful and harmful grass. However, overly curious purrs may try inedible and poisonous plants, which is not safe for them.

Outdoors, make sure that Cats do not eat the following types of plants:

Cats often prefer to eat chamomile or wheatgrass, as they contain many vitamins and minerals, but they can also be dangerous for the animal, as they are home to worm or other parasite eggs and mites. Even if you wash the plants well under water, this will not solve the problem: not all the dirt will wash off.

What to do if a cat vomits after grass

It is usually quite natural, after all, this way the cat gets rid of excessive hair and litter and cleans its stomach. Make it easier for her to throw up by giving her plenty of water and wet foodSo as not to irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach.

Of course, there are certain factors that tell you that vomiting is a health or even life threatening threat to your cat. Contact your veterinarian immediately if the following symptoms appear:

1. There are blood clots or bile in the vomit. This may indicate an injury to the stomach or intestinal wall.

3. Lethargy, seizures, loss of orientation. Most likely the cat has poisoning, so immediate hospitalization is required.

4. refusal of food, increased body temperature, diarrhea. These symptoms indicate a digestive disorder or parasite infection.

When taking the pet to the vet, describe in detail the plant he ate so that the vet understands what treatment to prescribe.

A neighbor told me how to grow grass for a cat without soil in a week

I recently had a new concern – how to quickly grow herbs for my cat. My red-haired beauty started nibbling on plants, so I decided to replace my flowers with grass for him. A neighbor helped me out, she told me how to get green oats and wheat grass without soil in just a week.

I did not think before that my cat needs green, because it eats well, no problems. But then I accidentally read that it turns out that if the cat eats house flowers, then it needs greenery. Indeed, my kitty does spoil the plants in the house from time to time, but I attributed it to a feline caprice.

With grass, cats solve 2 problems: Clearing their stomachs of accumulated hair, which they lick off all the time, and getting essential vitamins that aren't in meat food. Grass eating is an instinctive behavior of cats, which is why they love to nibble on geraniums, violets, or even cacti.

So I decided to make my furry pet happy too and grow grass for him. Only without soil. The pros of growing greens on the windowsill without soil :

I did not bother germinating oats and wheat on gauze, mineral wool or perlite. I decided to just grow greens in water and did not fail.

Thanks to the advice of my neighbor, I now grow whole glades of grass directly in a plate or any suitable container – very convenient and not expensive. I take the most ordinary flat plate or a plastic container, pour the wheat grains into the container tightly, so that the bottom was not visible. I pour water so that it covers a thick layer of grains. Now they should swell, and only after that you can pour more water.

I try to make sure that the grains do not dry out, and a little more water. Grains germinate very quickly, their roots are intertwined, forming a dense mat and it gradually grows a green lawn of grass.

Every day I rinse the growing greens so that mold does not form and bacteria does not accumulate in them. I simply take the bundle of sprouts in my hands, turn them over and rinse them under running water. Then I put it back in the plate and refill the water.

Ways to grow herbs at home

It is safest to buy planting material for growing at a pet store.

There are many ways to grow sprouts for cats. Let's take the easiest and least expensive methods.

Not all hostesses want or have the ability to use soil for planting.

For your first experience growing young grass, you will need: 2 plastic plates, absorbent cotton, some gauze and film.

At the bottom of the plate we put a 2 cm layer of absorbent cotton, abundantly moisten it with water, densely pour the seeds and cover our "field" with film. When the seedlings appear, remove the film and do not forget to moisten the absorbent cotton.

We take any container and pour the soil in a layer of 5-6 cm. Sprinkle the soil, pour a layer of seeds, then pour a centimeter layer of soil and lightly moisten it.

To create a greenhouse effect, cover the container with a film, which should be removed after the shoots sprout.

Some hostesses have adapted to use vermiculite or cat litter instead of soil. The actions are the same as in the second method, only first the filler is soaked to a state of mush.

It is not necessary to breed a whole vegetable garden in the window. Only the early shoots, which will outgrow in a week, are good for the animal.

To ensure that the cat always has fresh greens, you need to have three pots and sow seeds in them every 10-12 days.

Juicy oat or rye shoots you will not have to teach or force the cat to eat. The animal will feel what he needs to do.

And soon a satisfied pet will leave alone the favorite flowers of the mistress.

Grass for cats – properties

• natural laxative,
• relieves,
• eliminates undigested food,
• facilitates and improves bowel function,
• cleanses the stomach,
• promotes the removal of excess mucus, bile and other impurities,
• Contains many vitamins.

When caring for your cat, make sure she has access to fresh and healthy grass. Eliminate the possibility of your cat snacking on inappropriate plants. The most popular and easily available grass for the cat is oats, but you can also sow rye and barley – just be careful with wheat seeds, as some animals are extremely sensitive to them.

Young shoots contain green sap rich in phytoncides, bioflavonoids, acids and vitamins. When nutrient deficient, cats chew only fresh, barely sprouted grasses and leaves.

The small amount of insoluble plant fiber helps undigested food remnants move faster in the intestine, causing irritation and wave-like contraction of its walls. Pieces of vegetables or plant parts allow the smooth muscles of the digestive tract to function normally.It is important to understand that eating plants and then regurgitating them is an instinctive behavior. This is what feline ancestors have been doing for thousands of years.

Versatile germinator for the home from Plantada

Couch grass

This is a ubiquitous weed. It is available to absolutely all outdoor cats. Even though your cat is a carnivore, wheatgrass is good for him because it aids in digestion, breaks down and expels hair that got into the stomach during washing, and serves as a source of vitamins and minerals (especially vitamins A, E and B).

Licorice

This herb not only tastes good for the kitty, but is also good for the cat's body. Licorice root acts as a natural cortisone, eliminates allergy symptoms and soothes mucous membranes in case of irritation, which is quite common in cats. In addition, it improves digestion and respiratory function, strengthens the endocrine system, and helps prevent arthritis.

Lemongrass

This plant not only smells nice, but also tastes very good to cats. It is a safe treat with a catnip effect. Pure essential oil, however, is a different matter and should be kept away from your cat, as this concentration is dangerous to his stomach.

It is advisable to plant cat grass at short intervals, so that your cat always has fresh, succulent vegetation available.