Choosing the Right Cat Grass: Tips & Tricks 

What is Cat Grass Good For?

Indoor cats spend a large part of their day grooming their fur. It’s no surprise, then, that the odd indigestible hair ends up in their gastrointestinal tract. However, hairballs in cats (also known as trichobezoars) aren’t just a nuisance. Once they reach a certain size, they can block the intestines. In the worst-case scenario, your cat could even suffer a life-threatening intestinal obstruction (ileus). 

Is Cat Grass Good for Indoor Cats?

While outdoor cats stimulate their digestion by nibbling on blades of grass in the garden, this isn’t so easy for cats that live exclusively indoors. As a result, many cats resort to chewing on houseplants, some of which can be toxic. For these reasons, it’s important to always provide your indoor cat with a pot of cat grass. 

Why Does a Cat Vomit After Eating Cat Grass?

Cats use the plant fibres as a kind of natural emetic: they swallow the indigestible blades to trigger vomiting. This allows them to bring up swallowed hair and spit it out. So if your feline friend is sick after eating cat grass, this isn’t just normal, but healthy too. Instinctively, they’re trying to prevent dangerous digestive problems.

What Types of Cat Grass Are There?

There are different types of cat grass. Most of these belong to the so-called sweet grasses, such as wheat or oats. However, some sedges, such as umbrella grass, are also popular as cat grass. 

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Spider plants can make cats feel nauseous. By retching, your cat can remove swallowed hair from their stomach.

The downside: the plant stores toxins from the air and passes them on to your cat. If you live in a smoking household, you should therefore avoid spider plants.

Cereals 

From cereal grains (e.g. barley, oats, rye or wheat), you can quickly and inexpensively grow your own cat grass. Canary seed mix and budgie food are also suitable for sowing. The sprouted seedlings of these plants are generally soft and therefore pose no risk of injury to your cat.

Umbrella Grass (Cyperus)

Although umbrella grass isn’t toxic to cats, your cat can cut themselves on the sharp blades. It’s not uncommon for umbrella grass to cause cuts in the mouth or to get stuck in the throat. So keep a close eye on your cat after they’ve eaten umbrella grass. 

Dwarf Bamboo (Pogonatherum paniceum)

Many indoor cats love dwarf bamboo and its long, pointed leaves. Unfortunately, these are precisely what make it a significant hazard for cats, as they can cause injuries. 

DIY: How Do You Grow Cat Grass?

Follow the steps below and you can grow your own cat grass with very little effort: 

• Use untreated garden soil.
• Soak the seeds in water for one to two hours.
• Fill a flowerpot with garden soil.
• Plant the seeds about two centimetres deep in the soil.
• Place the pot in a bright spot (but avoid direct sunlight).
• Keep the seeds evenly moist, but avoid waterlogging.

Beware of Overly Tough Blades

You’ll see: the cat grass will start to sprout within a few days. As the blades gradually become thicker and tougher, you should grow a new batch. Very tough grass can otherwise injure your cat’s sensitive mouth lining. 

How Often Can a Cat Eat Cat Grass?

As a rule, cats only eat as much grass as they need. Indoor cats usually help themselves to the cat grass provided every few days. You should therefore always make sure fresh, not overly tough blades are available. Outdoor cats will also find what they need in the garden or meadow, but they’ll still appreciate some healthy greenery indoors that they can nibble on safely.

If you feel that your feline friend is eating an unusually large amount of grass and/or vomiting frequently, you should take them to the vet as a precaution to rule out any health issues.

Malt Paste: A Suitable Alternative to Cat Grass?

Many cat owners use cat malt paste to help support the digestion of hairballs. The paste coats the swallowed fur, allowing the hair to pass more easily through the intestines. This remedy is particularly popular among owners of long-haired cats such as the Maine Coon.  

However, it’s generally advisable to consult your own vet before giving any supplements. Certain ingredients can be harmful to your cat in the long term, especially high levels of fat or sugar.

You can find a wide range of cat malt in our online shop:

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Is Cat Grass Dangerous for Cats?

Nibbling on plants from time to time to induce vomiting and get rid of swallowed hair is part of a cat’s normal behaviour. For outdoor cats, it’s perfectly natural to eat a bit of grass during their rounds in the garden.

For indoor cats too, eating non-toxic cat grass is harmless, provided you keep a few points in mind:

• Choose a variety with soft blades so your cat doesn’t injure their mouth while nibbling.
• If your home-grown cat grass becomes too hard and tough, replace it with young, fresh shoots.
• If you buy ready-grown cat grass, look for organic quality to ensure your cat doesn’t come into contact with toxic pesticides.
• Wash ready-grown cat grass thoroughly before giving it to your cat.
• If a blade gets stuck in your cat’s nose or throat, take them to the vet as quickly as possible. They can carefully remove the foreign object.
• If you have concerns about giving your feline friend cat grass, speak to your vet. They’ll be able to advise you professionally.

Conclusion: How Should You Feed Cat Grass to Cats?

Indoor cats in particular, who don’t have access to lawns or meadows, should be able to nibble on fresh cat grass at any time. Place the pot somewhere your feline friend can easily reach it, for example on a windowsill. That way, they can have a nibble before or after watching the world go by. If your cat ignores the cat grass provided, you can cut a few blades and sprinkle them as a topping over your cat’s food – perhaps that will make this digestive aid more appealing.