The Right Kind of Greens For Your Pet
Cats and dogs love plants! In fact, they probably love your plants much more than you would like them to — chewing and eating your herb pots and tabletop flower arrangements is not only infuriating, but can even be dangerous if the wrong things are ingested. Today the blog The Creative Cat examined the whys and hows of greenery-chewing and what steps you can take to make things safer around the house for your pet.
The main “why” of the equation: a natural instinct. In the wild, cats chew on grass “specifically to help cleanse their mouth and digestive system, and to add fiber to their primarily protein diet to aid in elimination.” As a housebound cat, the urge is still there — but since berber carpet doesn’t satisfy any cravings, your cat may seek outdoor comforts wherever she can get them. This can lead to destructive behavior, especially since indoor cats haven’t learned what is good for them and what is best left alone. “Cats aren’t necessarily particular in what they’ll nibble on,” states the article. “Generally they’ll try anything green, and some cats will completely chew down a plant that can’t have tasted very good and wasn’t very easy to chew.”
When cats attack your basil plant, the results may be extreme annoyance. When cats end up attacking plants such as lilies, tulips, poinsettias, or daffodils (to name only a few), however, the results can be much more disastrous — vomiting, extreme pain, or even death. How can you keep your cat entertained and out of your plants? One good option is to distract them with alternative greenery of their very own.
Many pet shops are now selling grass patches that could be just the thing your pet needs to satiate their cravings for tasty greens. They are simple to use, simple to maintain, and often contain a mix of things pets love:
Don’t use regular plant seeds such as grass seed because some seeds are treated and they don’t all grow well inside; instead, purchase “cat greens”, usually a mixture of wheat, oats and barley grains, all three of which are not only a pleasure for your cat, but full of nutrition. Some other commercial “cat greens” mixtures contain catnip, a sure winner, sage, parsley, chickweed, colt’s foot grass, and other herbs and wild plants that your cat would eat if left outdoors.
Most of these plants can be grown in a small container on a windowsill, and if you keep two containers growing, one available to the cat and one just sprouting, you can have a constant treat for her. These plants need a good bit of sunlight to thrive, so try to find a sunny spot that your cat can get to. It will serve two purposes: because she tends to chew when she’s gazing at the outdoors, you’ve provided exactly what she needs for her little interlude.
You may still need to work out a deterrent to keep your guy away from your other houseplants — there are bitter sprays and sticky panels to help with that. Potted grasses, however, are a great way to give your pets a healthy green snack they will truly enjoy.
