Pet care: Chewing on the subject of grass for cats

Sep. 1—Q: What is your view of cat grass?

Dr. Nichol: I've never used cat grass. I don't eat it, grow it, mow it, or smoke it. On the other hand, the Nichol family cat, Gaston, is rather fiendish about it, almost like catnip. But he's an adult, so I mind my own business.

From a scientific perspective, there isn't much known about cat grass. Ingested plant material tends to alkalinize the body, but veterinary internists and nutritionists don't believe most cats would eat enough to predispose them to urinary disorders like bladder crystals and stones. Consuming cat grass is most likely a harmless feline oddity.

The more interesting question is why an obligate predator would consume a vegetarian side dish in the first place. Through my many years in veterinary practice, I have known a whole lot of cats who've experienced stomach and intestinal upset. They don't all vomit, but eating grass appears to help some of them feel better.

Home remedies are popular these days, but you should never make assumptions with frequent feline hurlers in part because there is a long list of possible causes, some of them outside the GI tract. Kidney and liver disease often result in persistent puking. Pancreatic disorders and even brain lesions can be responsible. Your cat relies on you to look out for him.

Be observant; kitties are way too good at hiding their illnesses. It's not rare for them to swallow string-type foreign material, wreaking havoc on their stomach and intestinal tracts. I have surgically removed junk from many cats who would have died had their caring people not recognized their distress early. Rather than offering cat grass to a kitty with a belly ache, you should take her to see her doctor. An accurate diagnosis would allow potentially life-saving treatment.

Cats have always fascinated me. While attending a performance of "Cats" at Popejoy I noticed that not a single blade of grass was injured in the making of that musical. I've been a closet cat my whole life. I had salad that night.

For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference at drjeffnichol.com

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