Why Does Your Cat Eat Grass, And When Should You Worry?

If you own a cat, you might ― despite loving them ― wonder why they act that way. 

We’ve shared before how the noises and litter tray habits they partake in can reveal a lot more than you think about their inner lives, and even revealed how much they like it when you slow-blink at them. 

But another of their “weird” but common habits – eating grass – might genuinely lead you to worry about their health, as many believe it’s a sign of digestive issues. 

Is that true, though? And how can you tell when to worry or not? 

There are many reasons why cats eat grass 

Animal charity Blue Cross writes that most of the time, it’s “perfectly safe” for your feline friend to consume grass. 

Though they often do seem to do it to help digestive issues ― it may alleviate constipation, clear hairballs, and could have historically kept parasites at bay ― they may also simply enjoy the taste. 

Grass might also offer folic acid to their diet, Blue Cross says.

But though it might address digestive issues, you might want to think of cats eating grass as a bit like us going harder on our fibre intake.

“Don’t assume your cat is under the weather if they seek out some grass to chew on,” PetMD writes, even though “Cats are carnivores and cannot digest fibrous grass like cows and horses can, so it does frequently end up in their vomit and stool.” 

When should I worry? 

Some very long grass can cause an intestinal blockage, and you should keep your cat well away from grass treated with pesticides, fertilisers, and herbicides.

“If you notice that your cat frequently eats and then vomits grass, it may be an indication of a gastrointestinal disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease or even parasites,” PetMD says. 

Blue Cross adds that you should remove all toxic plants, like lillies, foxgloves, tulips, and more from your cat’s grazing area as they can be tempted to chow down on these alongside the grass. 

They add that it might be worth adding a tray of grass indoors, so your cat can eat blades you know haven’t been sprayed or contaminated. 

And if you’re still worried about your cat’s behaviour and grass consumption, speak to your vet.