Cat grass vs food?

[ladytimedramon]

My kitty Delilah has been doing something a bit odd lately. She had been doing ok on wet twice a day and dry twice a day.

Suddenly she would rather eat her cat grass than her wet food. Usually if she's nibbling at her cat grass I know she's hungry. She will eat her dry no problem. But wet food? She'll sniff, she'll lick, if nothing is there and she's hungry enough she'll eat, but otherwise she eats her cat grass.

This is new... only last week or two.

I started putting the cat grass away when she won't eat her food. But is it OK if I let her eat her cat grass? She is at least eating her dry.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
If this were me, I'd try a different brand of canned food, maybe Merrick Backcountry, or Tiny Tiger, Red Barn et al.

 

[ladytimedramon]

Hi!
If this were me, I'd try a different brand of canned food, maybe Merrick Backcountry, or Tiny Tiger, Red Barn et al.

I've got a whole drawer full of wet food, different varieties and brands. She's preferring the cat grass.

Oh... I tried clipping some cat grass on top of the wet food. She wasn't having it.

 

[Talien]

Crush some of the dry and sprinkle it on the wet and that might get her to eat it.

You might want to consider slowly phasing out dry entirely though, it's junk no matter what brand it is.

 

[Furballsmom]

I don't know for sure but I've read that cats eat grass because it acts like an antacid or something, in other words it's possible her stomach is upset. Have you tried changing the brand of kibble?

 

[ladytimedramon]

Crush some of the dry and sprinkle it on the wet and that might get her to eat it.

You might want to consider slowly phasing out dry entirely though, it's junk no matter what brand it is.

Hard for me to do that. When school starts back up I prefer to leave her some dry, and leaving her some dry at night reduces her waking me up.

 

[ladytimedramon]

I don't know for sure but I've read that cats eat grass because it acts like an antacid or something, in other words it's possible her stomach is upset. Have you tried changing the brand of kibble?

Yes.

Before this she would nibble her cat grass from time to time, but not instead of her meal.

 

[BuddhaCat]

I’d absolutely allow her access to the cat grass if that’s what she’s craving. I grow trays of it to allow my kittie to nibble as much as they want. Sometimes they eat a little sometimes they want a lot and behave more like cows than cats when they really like the grass (sweet oat grass seems to be a fave). I’d keep trying different kinds of foods - it kind of sounds like she’s having a tummy disturbance and the grass is serving as a tonic. Have you tried any raw brands that you thaw to room temp for her to eat? If she continues refusing all food she needs a vet appointment but in the meantime I’d allow her access to her grass if that’s what she seems to be craving.

 

[ladytimedramon]

She isn't refusing dry food. Which is why its weird.

I have to take her to the vet for bloodwork to check for ovarian remnants. I can ask the vet then.

 

[Talien]

She isn't refusing dry food. Which is why its weird.

Dry food is loaded with animal digest and flavorings to make it taste good to Cats. It's like candy to them, they'll often eat it regardless of feeling ill because it's really tasty.

 

[Furballsmom]

I can ask the vet then.

In the meantime, watch and weigh her to be sure she's not losing weight. You could try interesting things like unflavored pedialyte, unseasoned boiled chicken - I know she's eating but there might be something here that helps;

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!