Why Do Cats Eat Grass?

If you thought only dogs ate grass, you were wrong: cats do too. Will it be for the same reasons as dogs or are there others? In this article we will talk about why these felines eat grass, an unknown factor that you cannot miss. 

If you have a cat and a garden, we are sure you have caught your cat eating grass more than once. And worst of all, then you saw him throw up. Could it be a beneficial practice for cats? Why do they do it?

Reasons why cats eat grass

Cats throwing up after eating grass isn’t a problem according to experts. Eating weed hasn’t even been shown to be harmful to their health, quite the opposite.

A cat’s body is unable to produce the enzymes it needs to eliminate the plant matter it needs. The herb, therefore, which makes them vomit, allows them to expel non-digestible substances from the body.

This is very important because, even if your cat is tame, it always eats some prey, mice, birds or cockroaches, depending on the outdoor access it has. The cat cannot differentiate which parts of its prey are digestible or not, so it eats them whole, without discarding bones or feathers. These can cause digestive obstructions and lead to health problems.

The vomiting induced by the herb allows all these parts not beneficial to their health to be expelled,  leaving the body clean and making them feel better.

It could be said, therefore, that cats eat grass for the same reason as dogs: to purge themselves.

What effect does grass have on the cat?

Why does grass cause this effect on the feline organism? The secret lies in the liquid it contains. It has folic acid, an essential vitamin for the cat’s body to function properly. Furthermore, this substance is responsible for generating hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen to the blood.

The herb also acts as a natural laxative, avoiding digestive problems. In cats it is common for the digestive tracts to become blocked due to the famous hairballs. Although most of the time they vomit them, sometimes some of them manage to enter the digestive system and make it seem impossible to expel them.

However, this is not the case; they just need a little push, given by the grass itself. We don’t know how cats know this vegetable will help them, but anyway, they go looking for grass and when they eat it, they feel something strange happening in their stomach.

In fact, it has been proven that they can control themselves by eating only the amount of weed they need and when they need it.

What if you don’t have weed at home?

Seeing this, you will have realized how important grass is for your cat. If you live in an apartment, in which you will hardly find this vegetable, do not worry: there is a solution for everything.

In pet stores, as well as some veterinary clinics, you can buy some seeds to plant to grow weed in a few days. You will only need a vase to keep indoors, but only if there is natural light.

Be careful if you have a garden. You need to control your cat’s access to plants, as the only beneficial thing for her body is grass. Others could compromise their health and cause them discomfort.