What Is Cat Grass?

Although cats like to munch on many different kinds of grasses, there is one type of grass that is referred to as "cat grass". The scientific name for the grass is Dactylis glomerata, and it is also known as cocksfoot or orchard grass. Cats and other animals like this grass because it has a high sugar content.

Why do cats like to eat grass? One reason is that if they have eaten something they shouldn't have, or have hairballs in their stomach, the grass will make them throw up whatever shouldn't be down there. It is easier to throw it all back up quickly than to have to digest something that they shouldn't have eaten.

The second reason is that cats and other animals instinctively know that eating grass gives them vitamins and nutrients that they otherwise wouldn't get in their normal diet.

Do cats need to be given catgrass? What about other grasses? Cats, dogs, mice, hamsters, birds, and many other animals can eat a variety of grasses. If you are already growing wheatgrass, give them some wheatgrass. They can eat barley grass, oat grass, rye grass, etc. You can experiment to see which grass your cat likes best. Just follow the growing instructions here and grow and substitute some seeds of whatever type of grass you want. You can grow just a little bit if you are only feeding it to your pet. Animals know that the grass is full of nutrients when it is young, and they like to eat the grass a lot more at this stage than when it is old (over 10 inches long or so). You can chop it up into small pieces before giving it to them. This way they will digest it easier and absorb the nutrients instead of just throwing it up!

I don't have a cat, but I have a dog and she really loves wheatgrass. She sits right under my juicer waiting for me to drop pieces of grass as I put them in. I always make sure she gets some, and she loves it.

Several companies sell grass seeds and kits for feeding to your cat or other pet. Most of them are a mixture of different grain grasses like oats, rye, and wheat. Here are a few are a few of them.