1. What is cat grass? What is the difference between cat grass, catnip, and polygonum?
(1) What is cat grass?
Cat grass does not just refer to one kind of plant. It is actually a collective name for all grass plants that are edible for cats. Common wheat seedlings, oat seedlings, foxtail grass, etc. on the market can all be called cat grass.
Sometimes owners will find that their cats eat all the vegetables they buy home or the potted plants they grow at home. Don’t take it lightly just because your cat eats it with gusto. Not all plants are safe for cats to eat. If your cat eats plants that are harmful to them, they may suffer from mental illness, vomiting and diarrhea; some plants may even just float away. The floral fragrance and pollen in the air may have a negative impact on the cat’s body.
In order to prevent yourself from exposing cats to danger in an ignorant state, it is recommended that before taking plants home, you must remember to find out whether these plants are harmful to cats to ensure their life safety.
(2) What is the difference between cat grass, catnip and Polygonum multiflorum?
Many owners refer to cat grass, catnip and polygonum multiflorum as the three most commonly eaten plants by their cats, but they are in fact completely different plants and their effects are not quite the same.
Cat grass
Cat grass is a general term for all grass plants that cats can eat. Common wheat and barley seedlings, oat seedlings, and dogtail grass on the market can all be called cat grass.
Catnip
Catnip, also known as catnip, is a plant with a mint-like appearance. Its composition contains a compound called “thujaplicinolide” that can stimulate a cat’s Philo receptors, and because cats will show different reactions such as relaxation or excitement when they eat it, catnip is also jokingly called marijuana in the cat world.
Polygonum multiflorum
Also known as kudzu and kudzu macaques, the trunk and fruit of Polygonum multiflorum has the ability to excite cats. In addition to the dried trunk and fruit of Polygonum multiflorum, it is also often added to cat toys and snacks to make cats happier; in addition, if you find that your cat is suffering from poor energy and appetite, you can also add a little Polygonum multiflorum extract to the cat’s food and water, to increase the appetite and water consumption of the cat. This will increase your cat’s desire to eat and drink.
However, not all cats are interested in Polygonum officinale. Kittens under 6 months of age will not react as strongly to Polygonum officinale as adult cats, and some cats will not react to it no matter how hard they try it. If this is the case, owners can only buy a few more brands for their cats to try, and if this is not possible, they can also let their cats consume catnip that has similar effects.
2. Why do cats eat grass? What is the benefits of cat grass?
Many cat lovers wonder why cat grass, unlike catnip, can be pleasurable and relaxing for cats, so why do cats, who are carnivores, still go for grass? What are the benefits of cat grass?
Since cats can’t achieve a balanced diet by eating meat alone, cat grass can make up for the lack of nutrients in their staple food. Therefore, when cats feel that their bodies are deficient in folic acid and vitamins, they will take the initiative to consume cat grass to replenish the nutrients they need, and the rich fiber in the plant can also help cats to reduce the chances of diarrhea and constipation.
In addition to being a salad-like supplement of vitamins, minerals and folic acid, cat grass can also be used as a natural emetic for cats. When a cat eats too much hair due to grooming, it will eat cat grass to promote gastrointestinal motility. Therefore, owners should not be too worried if their cats vomit after eating cat grass, as this is actually a normal behavior of cats to expel waste hair from their bodies!
3. How to feed cat grass? Cat Grass Feeding Methods and Frequently Asked Questions
(1) How to feed cat grass? How often should cat grass be eaten?
If you have planted cat grass at home, you can place the potted plant in a place where your cat can reach it, so that your cat can nibble on it at any time. However, some active cats are prone to uprooting the entire pot of cat grass in the process of eating it. If you are worried about making a mess in your home, you can either use scissors to harvest the grass or chop it up and add it to canned cat food before giving it to your cat.
The cat owner would like to remind everyone that although cat grass is not harmful to your cat’s health, cats are carnivores after all, so it is not recommended to feed them every day. It is recommended that they be given 1-2 times a week, and if they are self-serve, cat lovers should pay special attention to how often they are consumed, and put the potted plants away as appropriate.
(2) Q&A on cat grass feeding
Q. Can kittens eat cat grass?
Kittens do not have as much hair as adult cats, so the amount of waste hair eaten during grooming will not be too much. In addition, their intestines and digestive systems are still developing, so in order to avoid burdening the kitten’s intestines, it is recommended that you wait until the kitten grows up before attempting to feed it.
Q. How old can I feed my cat grass?
Once your cat reaches 6 months of age, you can gradually provide cat grass to your kitten. Owners can cut up the cat grass and place it in the bowl or on the surface of the feed for your cat to get used to the taste and to observe if your cat has any gastrointestinal discomfort.
Q. What should I do if my cat does not eat cat grass?
Cat grass is a natural emetic for cats. If your cat does not like to eat cat grass, you can also replace it with hair gel, which can soften the waste hairballs in your cat’s body, and after softening, the waste hair can be excreted more smoothly.
4. How to plant cat grass? DIY Cat Grass Planting Tutorial
Many owners are worried that buying cat grass frequently will increase extra expenses. Don’t worry, cat grass is a very easy plant to grow, and the cat owner will teach you how to grow cat grass at home.
STEP 1. Prepare the tools
Before planting, you need to prepare cat grass seeds, soil and pots. Where can you get cat grass seeds? Usually a packet of seeds costs only a few dozen dollars. Combined with cultivation soil and a simple pot, you can grow enough cat grass for your cat to eat for a whole year with only a few hundred dollars.
STEP 2. Soak the seeds
With all the tools in place, we can begin to learn how to grow cat grass. Here’s a tip: Before burying the seeds in the soil, you can soak the seeds in water for 4-6 hours to increase the chance of germination, but if you don’t want to go through all the trouble, you can skip this step.
STEP 3. Bury the seeds
After soaking, you can put the seeds into the prepared pots. Remember to fill the pots with about 3/4 of the soil, sprinkle the seeds evenly on the surface and then gently fill them in. Be careful not to press the soil too tightly to avoid affecting the drainage function of the soil.
STEP 4. Sunlight and watering
Finally, we just need to place the cat grass plants in a sunny place and remember to water them once in the morning and once in the evening. Fresh cat grass can be harvested in about a week. Usually the same batch of cat grass can be harvested 2-3 times. When the cat grass dies, just pull out the old cat grass by the roots and replant it according to the above steps, and you will have fresh cat grass continuously.
5. Where can I buy cat grass?
Although it is not difficult to grow cat grass, there are still cases that cat grass will not germinate no matter how well you take care of it. If you are a hard worker, then buying ready-made cat grass plants is not a bad choice. So where can you get fresh cat grass? If you go to a flower market during the holidays, you will be able to find cat grass.
At the end of this article, we’ve compiled a list of information about the Shuangbei Flower Market for your reference.
Shuangbei Flower Market Information
Jianguo Holiday Flower Market
Address: Section 1, Jianguo South Road, Daan District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Business Hours: 9:00-18:00 every weekend.
Tel： 02-2702-6493
Taipei Flower Market
Address：No.28, Xinhu 3rd Road, Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan
Business Hours: Monday through Saturday 4:00-12:00
Tel： 02-2790-9729
Taipei Flower and Tree Wholesale Market
Address：No.15, Sec.1, Xinglong Road, Wenshan Dist.
Business Hour：Daily 9：00-17：00
Tel：02-8663-3565
Fuhe Flower Market
Address：No.1, Sec.1, Chenggong Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Business Hours：Every weekend 8：00-18：00
Sanshia Flower Market
Address：No.166, Sec.3, Jieshou Road, Sanshia Dist.
Business Hours：Daily 8：00-9：00
Tel：02-8676-4188
Xindian Flower Market
Address：No.251, Sec.2, Anhe Rd., Xindian Dist.
Business Hours：Tuesday-Sunday 9：00-18：00
Tel：0918-075-859
Taishan Zhonggang Flower Market
Address：No.2, Lane 120, Zhonggang West Road, Taishan Dist.
Business Hours：Tuesday-Sunday 9：00-17：00
Tel：02-2296-6727
Banqiao Flower Market
Address：Intersection of Minsheng Rd. Sec. 2 and Wenhua Rd.
Business Hours: Every weekend 9:00-18:00
Tel：02-2968-6911