As a cat owner, you must have seen your cat eating grass once in a while, even if you have not observed such odd behavior, it is very common among all cats and your cat is doing it too. Once this quirky behavior as come to our knowledge, one must be curious why cats do this, although we have stopped questioning many behaviors of our cat, this one will only be beneficial for your knowledge and your cat’s health.
As many of cat’s odd behaviors are coming from their ancestors and is a part of their natural instinct, this one also falls in that category. Wild cats that have to scavenge for food often eat things that are not good for their health, this food can involve worms and other insects that are present in the dirt or trash. Cats eat grass in order to expel the worms from their body. It also makes their digestive system better and helps them to vomit up the harmful substances from their body.
As there are many plants that are poisonous for cats, let’s see which plant is safe for cats to consume and why are they eating grass in the first place.
Reasons your cat is eating grass
Throwing up
Although, this fact is not scientifically proven, you will find it almost everywhere. This is one of the common reasons why cats eat grass. To throw up the food. Many owners have caught their cat throwing up their food just after eating grass. Maybe the cat has eaten something it cannot digest, such as; bones, features, hairball etc. As we said, there is no scientific proof but then why would cats willingly make themselves sick?
Aid in digestion
As we have said before, no matter if a cat is a house cat, she will still go out and hunt for food. And eat something she can’t properly digest. Well, grass juice contains certain vitamins, such as; folic acid. Folic acid is required by a cat’s body to aid in digestion. How you must be wondering that what foods that you give her provide her with folic acid. As a kitten, she used to get it from her mother’s milk but as a cat grows up, she needs to find these vitamins in other ways.
Hairball digestion
Sometimes, cat eat hairballs. And usually cats vomit them right back up. But sometimes they get too deep in the intestine that vomiting is not an option anymore. These hairballs interrupt digestion as well and leaves your cat in a poor taste, thus cats eat grass in order to their digestive system going and to help expel hairballs and feces from their digestive tract.
Stress eating
Like humans, cats also feel anxiety and stress. This stress could relate to certain changes. As cats are not very comfortable with changes. This could lead to withdrawal from eating, from their owners and even stress eating grass. Thus, if you see your cat eating grass very often, along with other odd behaviors, Consult a vet.
Is eating grass safe for cats?
As we have listed many uses of cats eating grass, still there is a question of whether it is safe for your cats to eat or not. Seeing as eating grass makes your cat sick, should she be nibbling on it so much? Well, to answer your question, eating grass is not a problem. But still certain precautions should be made. You have to make sure that the plants your cat is eating is not chemically treated. They must not be sprayed by pesticides or herbicides. Because these chemicals are extremely toxic to your cat’s health and could lead to serious problems.
What kind of plants can cat eat?
You can’t stop your cat from going outside, but you can make sure that the grass she is eating to safe for her. Many people have bought indoor plants for their cats but as usual we are not aware of which plant is safe for her or not. We are going to list some of the plants you can grow or buy and won’t have to worry if you see your cat nibbling on it.
Spider plants
You must have heard about these, because they are the most common indoor plants that a person grows. One of the reasons behind this is that they are extremely easy to grow and also have air-purifying properties. And now you have another reason to love this plant, it is extremely safe for your cat to chew on!
Sweet basil
Sweet basil is a plant that people grow is their herb garden as they are used in cooking. They are great for cats eating as they can be regrown very easily. Just set them up so they receive direct sunlight and you are good to go.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a plant that can grow outdoors as well as indoors. It requires direct sunlight to grow and is very decorative. It is also safe for cats and makes your house look pretty.
Conclusion
Next time you see your cat chewing on grass, don’t freak out. This is one of the many things they do to benefit themselves. Eating grass is actually beneficial for your cat and should not be prevented. But there are certain plants that are dangerous for your cat, such as; lilies, aloe plant and sago plant. Also, cats can become sick if they ingest chemically treated plants. As a solution, you can grow your own herb garden or plants that are actually safe for cats to eat. Before buying any plant, make sure you check out if they are safe for your pets or no.