Why it happens
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An inborn habit
Wild cats chew grass, and so do indoor cats that have never been outside, even perfectly healthy ones. It is thought to be a habit from their ancestors that helped them get rid of gut parasites.
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Hairballs
A cat swallows fur as it grooms. Grass may help move it along: with the grass, the cat sometimes brings up a hairball too.
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Texture and taste
Some cats simply like crisp young blades of grass or swaying leaves that are fun to bite into. Others chew out of curiosity.
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Boredom
An indoor cat with too little to do chews anything that moves and smells new: the bouquet on the table and the palm in its pot alike.
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Feeling sick
Sometimes a cat goes for grass when it feels queasy. If the grass eating started suddenly and the cat is also vomiting, watch it more closely.
What helps
- Cat grass in a pot Sow oats, wheat or barley, sold as cat grass, and put the pot where the cat can reach it. The shoots come up within a few days; when they turn yellow, sow a fresh batch.
- Check your houseplants Lilies are deadly to cats, even their pollen or the water from the vase. Go through the list of toxic plants and take dangerous ones out of the home or keep them where the cat truly cannot reach.
- Untreated grass only In the yard or on the balcony a cat may chew grass that has had fertiliser or weed and pest sprays on it. Let it chew only grass you have grown yourself.
- Regular brushing A brushed cat swallows less fur, especially during the spring and autumn moult. The brushing guide shows how to do it.
- Activity instead of houseplants Toys, puzzle feeders and daily play draw a bored cat away from the plants. Keep any plants it still chews in a room it does not go into.
When it is a question for a vet
See a vet if the cat vomits several times a day or several days in a row, if there is blood in the vomit, it stops eating, has diarrhoea or becomes lethargic, if you see thread or plastic in the vomit, or if it has chewed a lily or another toxic plant, in which case do not wait for any signs.