Best Plants to Grow For Cats

solusumbra

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I was wondering if there is a different kind of plant that I can grow in the house for my cats other then cat grass. I can never keep that stuff growing long or fast enough.
 

di and bob

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Ha! I think you'll find that with any plant you grow for them! Fresh oat grass doesn't take long and to have it young and fresh is a bonus for the cats. But the mess! I remember the first time and I left them alone with it, big mistake. They had dirt scattered from one end of the room to another because they had pulled it up and drug it everywhere. You might keep different stages of it growing, one mature, one just sprouted and one just planted. I would cut it off at the base and let them have it on the floor, though they do love to chew it off from the pot. Or think of someway to keep them from pulling it up. Maybe have it grow up through some rabbit wire that is anchored to the pot, maybe that would help. Or in some harder dirt, not potting soil. My cats absolutely love catmint too. It grows and spreads like a weed outside and I cut it off once in a while for them to chew on and roll on in the house. If you have a porch or enclosed space you can grow some in a big pot, big enough for them to crawl up on and let them go at it, cutting it off once in a while to keep it manageable.
 

LTS3

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Catnip is the only other one you can grow. There are threads here on TCS with tips on how to grow catnip and cat grass.

Cats don't need plants in their diet so it's not necessary to grow any plant for digestive or whatever purposes. Grow some on occasion as a treat if you wish.
 

ladytimedramon

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I'm sure Delilah would differ. I swear sometimes she's a vegetarian, or was one in a previous life.

I buy the little cat grass pots ready grown in containers and put it in a dish on her cat tree. If she's hungry she will nibble her cat grass to give me the cue. If she doesn't like what I give her she'll keep eating the grass. If she's annoyed at me she'll keep eating the grass instead of her food. There are a few times I had to put the grass away to make her eat her food.

Here is Delilah and her favorite cat grass.

Edit: I forgot to mention her favorite toy is fake grass on a stick made into a wand.

20200805_133147.jpg 20200805_133149.jpg
 

Azazel

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Cats chew on all kinds of things. There doesn’t always have to be an evolutionary explanation or even a reason for it. Maybe it just feels good. Or, they learn that they get a reaction out of you when they chew it.

I agree with the others that the only other plant I would grow for cats would be something in the catnip family. I also grow catmint outside and dry it for my cats. I don’t grow or give them grass because I don’t see any benefit to it and don’t really enjoy making them puke.:dunno:
 

LTS3

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Or, they learn that they get a reaction out of you when they chew it.

My cat does this. He loves eating grass but always :barf: it all back up. He probably likes watching me run to get paper towels before the vomit has a chance to completely soak into whatever it's on :rolleyes3:
 
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solusumbra

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Haha, sadly both my cats don’t like catnip tried fresh, dried and a spray without any luck. My cats don’t always vomit the grass back up. Lately I’ve been trying to take my one cat out for walks but as soon as he hits the grass the walk ends and he eats on it until I pick him up and make him go back inside.
 
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