Why Cats Eat Grass

If you’re someone who thinks that only dogs eat grass, you’re wrong — cats do too. They do it for the same reasons why dogs eat grass, or because of something else? In this article, we’ll talk about why cats eat grass, a mystery that you’ll want to know the answer to. 

If you already have a cat and also a yard at home, we’re sure that you’ve caught your cat eating grass on more than one occasion. And the worst part is, you’ve seen them vomit afterward. Do cats enjoy vomiting? Why do they do it?

Reasons why cats eat grass

The fact that cats vomit after eating grass isn’t a problem, according to experts. Nor has it been proven that eating grass is harmful to their health. Actually, the opposite is true.

A cat’s body doesn’t have the ability to generate enzymes to remove unnecessary plant matter. Therefore, grass, which makes them vomit, allows them to expel any indigestible substance from their bodies.

This is very important because even if your cat is domestic, they always eat prey — either mice, birds, or cockroaches, depending on how much access they have to the outdoors. A cat doesn’t know what parts of their prey are digestible and what parts aren’t. So, they may end up eating them whole, without removing the bones or feathers. Those can create digestive obstructions and cause health problems for cats.

Vomiting caused by eating grass allows them to expel any parts that aren’t beneficial to their health, leaving their bodies clean. It makes the cat feel better.

So, you could say that cats eat grass for the same reason why dogs do: to purge.

What effect does grass have on my cat?

But why does grass do this to a feline’s body? The secret is in the grass juice. It contains folic acid, which is an essential vitamin for your cat’s body to function properly. In addition, this substance is also responsible for making hemoglobin. Hemoglobin transports oxygen to the blood. 

Grass is also believed to be a natural laxative that good for preventing digestive problems. It’s very common for a cat’s system to become obstructed by hairballs. Although they usually vomit, sometimes they can go deeper into their digestive systems. At that point they can seem impossible to expel.

In any case, they’re not impossible to expel. They just need a push. That’s what the grass can do. We don’t know how cats know that this plant will do that, but we do know that they know, because a cat will look for grass and eat it when it feels something unusual going on in their stomach.

In fact, scientists have proven that they know how to control themselves by eating only the amount of grass they need, and when it’s needed.

What if I don’t have grass at home?

After reading this, you may have realized how important grass is to your cat’s life. If you live in an apartment where it has no access to this plant, don’t worry, there’s a solution for everything. 

In pet stores, as well as in some veterinary clinics, you can get seeds that, once you spread them on the soil, will grow grass in a few days. You only need a pot to keep indoors, as long as it gets natural light.

Above all, be careful if you have a yard. You should control your cat’s access to plants, since the only thing that’s beneficial to their body is grass. Any other plant could harm thier health and make them sick.