Cat Grass Savvy
Why Do Cats Eat Grass? There are so many excellent reasons for providing fresh, organic cat grass for your cats, but let’s just start with the fact that while all felines are well-known obligate carnivores, that doesn’t mean their diets consist of 100% meat. All cats that live in the wild hunt for a living, and a large percentage of their prey are herbivorous animals whose stomachs therefore contain grass and similar greens. Aside from this indirect source of green nutrition, most cats – even the big boys and girls – will seek out greens to satisfy a variety of nutritional needs.
Rescued Siberian Lynx Tiger in the wild
Most cat owners already know how effective Cat Grass can be at helping cats deal with hairballs – whether as a beneficial emetic, or to act as roughage to aid the passage of fur and other indigestible matter through the digestive tract. But there are many other nutritional benefits as well, because cereal grasses (mainly wheat, oat, barley and rye) contain a long list of vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall health and bolster the immune system. A lesser-known fact is the high protein content of these grasses: whole-leaf wheat grass powder, for example, contains 25% protein – far more than the equivalent amount of spinach or broccoli (about 3%), eggs (12.5%) or chicken (17.5%).
Bring the Outdoors, Indoors! Aside from the physical health benefits, many indoor cats love having their own personal garden…it enriches their environment in a unique way by adding an element of nature that is fun, safe, fresh – and that they won’t get yelled at for munching on!
How to Feed Cat Grass There are several methods for introducing Cat Grass to your cat for the first time, and because cats are such dedicated nonconformists (why we love them!) you may have to try more than one approach before they take to it. That being said, your cat may surprise you and dive right in the very first time you present them with a pot of cat grass – especially those younger, curious types.
However, if that adorable nose turns up and away after one quick sniff, here are a few other things to try:
Tip the container of cat grass on its side, at least initially. The blades of grass, while tender to the mouth, can be a bit off-putting if the tips poke kitty’s nose when she approaches for the inevitable sniff-fest of this intriguing new object. As we all know, cats can really hold a grudge about such effronteries, and starting off on the wrong foot can really put the kibosh on the whole venture.
Spritz the blades lightly with water. Many cats will lick at the water droplets, then decide to try a nibble of the sweet-smelling blades and realize how much they like it.
Pick a couple of blades and offer them to your cat by hand. While the container of grass may look enticing, your cat may not at first realize it is something good to eat. But if extended by the hand that feeds them they will probably make the connection more easily.
Snip some small pieces of cat grass and use as a food topper at mealtimes. A light sprinkling of tasty greens atop your cat’s favorite wet food is an easy way to add these nutritious greens to their diet, even if they haven’t quite gotten the hang of eating it directly from the container yet.
Where to Purchase Cat Grass A number of options are open to you here, as Cat Grass is available “live” (pre-grown in small pots) and in self-grow kits in a variety of sizes.
Pet Greens offers two options in pre-grown Cat Grass: 100% Wheatgrass or a blend of Oat, Rye & Barley grasses – both varieties are 100% Certified Organic. They can be found in pet specialty stores nationwide: Petco, PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus and Pet Valu stores all receive fresh shipments on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, as do more than 500 independent and smaller chain stores.
Pet Greens also has two sizes of self-grow Cat Grass to choose from: Garden (100% Wheatgrass) and Medley (Oat, Rye and Barley grass blend) can be grown right from the bag, and Meadow is a larger size self-grow tub of 100% Wheatgrass that is perfect for multi-pet households. While these are widely available in stores, many customers prefer the convenience of shopping for these items online: Chewy and Amazon are just a few of the more popular online sources for these convenient kits.
If all else fails and your cat looks at your offering of fresh greens as “just another crazy idea my human had,” but you want to make sure the little darling is benefiting from the nutritional properties of cereal grasses, Pet Greens also makes a line of yummy soft-chew treats containing wheatgrass, called Cat Craves.
