Can cats eat grass? The short answer is “yes”. Cats are carnivorous animals, which means they must consume meat and do not require plant-based foods to survive. They don’t need a salad with the chicken. However, if you own a cat, you may have noticed your pet outdoors, chewing on long blades of grass. So why do cats eat grass? If you see your cats eating grass, there is no need to be surprised.
How Grass helps Cats to digest their food
You might be surprised to find that cats can benefit from eating grass in terms of their health, including treating constipation and serving as a natural stress reliever.
When cats hunt mice, birds, or anything else and eat them, the meat and bones in their alimentary canal are digested due to hydrochloric acid and other digestive enzymes, but the hair is not digested.
And that indigestible hair can cause problems later and due to which the digestive system of cats can be troubled afterward.
In such a situation, removing those hairs from their body is necessary, so these animals eat soft and rough grasses. This grass sticks to those hairs by reaching the stomach of cats, then removes them and other waste material from their body through vomit or feces.
Cats have to rely on the grass to digest their diet. In this way, the grass acts as a digestive for the cats.
Apart from this, the effect of grass is also cooling, which keeps the stomach of cats cool. After eating grass, cats can remove the wastes inside by vomit or feces.
The grass is Rich in folic Acid
A lot of folic acids are found in grass. This folic acid increases the hemoglobin in the body of cats. Hemoglobin is essential for the functions and support of the cat’s body. Also, the blood circulation of cats is also good by eating grass. Also, Cats need folic acid which they use for their digestive growth. Cats get this folic acid from their mother’s milk, but if for some reason the amount of folic acid in their body remains low, then cats develop anemia. In such cases, cats take folic acid from the grass and replenish it in their bodies. Apart from this, cats are not able to supply their body with vitamins and nutrients by eating meat. In such a situation, cats try to get nutrition in their body through the grass.
The grass is a Natural Laxative for cats
The grass acts as a natural laxative in the body of cats. If you have cats you will find them vomiting in little wet buns. The grass is what cats use as a stimulus for their vomiting. Cats vomit after eating grass, which removes the dirt from their body easily.
Is Eating Grass Good for Cat?
If grass can be eaten in small quantities then it is not a big concern, but too much eating of grass can have a bad effect on a cat’s health. When the cat overeats grass, it can get stuck in her stomach and needs to be removed by surgery. If any issues which make your cat eat grass can be found with the help of a veterinarian.
Although some cats just enjoy the taste of grass, it can offer important fiber for cats with sensitive stomachs when consumed in moderation.
Some Prevention and Precautions from Grass for Cats
- You shouldn’t be too concerned if your cat occasionally enjoys nibbling or grazing on a few blades of grass and simply spits up the plant matter.
- Sometimes grass can get stuck inside the nasal cavities at the back of the nose and cause sneezing. When this occurs, the grass must be physically removed by the owner. If this happens, call your veterinarian immediately for safe removal.
- If your cat ingests some grass that has been mixed with some medicine, in such a case the grass may be poisonous to cats. Poison grass can be so dangerous to cats that it can even kill cats. That’s why you should know which grasses and plants are safe for your cat. The best thing for this is to keep your cats indoors and remove all the poisonous grass.
- Amaryllis, Dieffenbachia (also known as Dumb Cane), Lilies, Heartleaf Philodendron (also known as horsehead philodendron), Aloe plant, and Sago palm plants are the most common toxic plant. So, if you keep your at home remove all the toxic plants which can be poisonous to them.
- You can plant wheatgrass, Barley, Orchard Grass, and Common Oats seeds for your cat. This will allow you to give your cat safe and clean grass.
- Both grass and catnip are completely safe for cats. Catnip is a member of the mint family. So you can give Catnip to your cats to eat.
Conclusion
The grass is very beneficial for your cats. However, in some cases, it can be harmful, such as if your cat eats any poisonous grass or starts eating grass in excess. In that case, you should directly consult a veterinary doctor. Eating grass can cure many of their digestive problems, so if your cat eats grass, you don’t need to be afraid, just be careful not to consume toxic plants and not to eat grass in excess.
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