Cats are carnivores, right? At least that’s what my teacher thought, back in third grade, when I drew a picture of ours and labeled it an “omnivore”. The cat food companies obviously think so, too – their products don’t come in flavors like sun-dried tomato or roasted red pepper.

But it turns out I wasn’t completely wrong (though I was basing my conclusion on the fact that our cat ate our table scraps, including vegetables – something I don’t recommend).

Although a cat’s diet is mainly meat, a little bit of vegetable matter once in a while can be very helpful. It supplies fiber, which helps prevent hairballs, and vitamins. Cats either know this instinctively, or just like the taste. That’s why they sometimes chew on houseplants. (This can be dangerous – Iowa State University has a list of plants that are poisonous to cats.) It’s also why a cat that gets outdoors often will pull up some grass and eat it.

What if you have a strictly indoor cat? (Or, like me, one cat who only goes outside when someone can go along, and one who refuses to go outside.) You still can meet their cravings for greens with cat grass.

This is a mixture of wild grasses that cats can eat safely. You can buy small containers of it, either growing or not yet sprouted, at animal clinics and pet supply stores. Where I live, it costs about two dollars. It’s even cheaper to grow your own from seed.

Whether you grow your own or buy some, wait till it’s a couple of inches tall to let your cat have it. Then it’ll be good for weeks.

Cat grass grows quickly and eventually withers. If you want to slow down its life cycle, put it in the refrigerator for a day or so. Then, keep an eye on it and get ready to start over.

Tweet This Post