Cat Grass
£1.12
Cat grass – Natural digestion support
With cat grass, you are buying a food supplement that is readily accepted by many cats and can help them to regurgitate undigested hairs in their digestive tract. In the following article, you will find useful tips for choosing plants, how to properly deal with cat grass and the right spot and soil. If you wish to buy cat grass, the bitiba online shop offers a great selection of top brands like GimCat, Catit Senses or Trixie.
Cat grass – What is it?
Cat grass is the collective name for a variety of plants that cats prefer to eat. These can be grain shoots, such as wheat, barley, rye or millet. Umbrella papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius) and spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) are two other popular types. Experts assume that plant fibres encourage the regurgitation of hairballs. Hairs enter the digestive tract when cats lick themselves during grooming or eat hairy prey. Cats regurgitate hairballs in order to prevent constipation and bowel obstructions.
What should be considered when dealing with cat grass?
If your cat has no access to a garden, it's worthwhile buying cat grass. If not, felines may soon feel compelled to eat your houseplants, which can lead to a risk of intoxication. If your cat is grain-intolerant, you should avoid cat grass in the form of barley, wheat and the like. You should only use spider plants if you are a non-smoker. They heavily filter harmful substances like nicotine, which can end up in your cat's digestive tract. Nor is umbrella papyrus without controversy as a cat grass, since sharp-edged grasses bring a higher injury risk.
How often should cat grass be given? Is too much cat grass dangerous?
You just have to place cat grass somewhere easily accessible, as cats will eat it there of their own accord. Normally you can let your cat decide how much it eats, but the stomach lining can become irritated if it consumes very large quantities. In this case, you can put the pot of cat grass away for a while, keeping it away from your cat. If excessive consumption persists, you should see a vet to determine the cause of this behaviour. Perhaps your cat is simply lacking in activity options and eats the grass out of boredom.
What soil is particularly suitable for cat grass?
The choice of soil depends on which cat grass you buy.
• Umbrella papyrus: Mix of potting soil and sand, keep permanently moist
• Spider plant: Humus-rich houseplant soil, water regularly
• Grain shoots: Soil for cultivation, keep permanently moist
Umbrella papyrus and spider plants are available as ready-made plants. You can easily grow grain shoots yourself from the seeds. Important information: Don't fertilise the plants, regardless of which type you choose.
Where should you put cat grass?
There are two factors to consider when choosing a spot: easy accessibility for your cat and good growth conditions for the plants. Accessibility is a given for all spots on the ground. However, you can also put cat grass in a scratching tree if there is a sufficiently large storage area and the possibility to securely attach the pot. Umbrella papyrus and spider plants like brightness without direct sunlight and thrive at normal room temperature. Temperatures around 15ºC are sufficient in winter. You should also keep wheatgrass and other grain shoots in a bright spot, but not in full sun.
