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Why does a cat eat grass? Helps the digestive system

Ferenczi Deborah

2022. November 22 - Photos: Getty Images Hungary

Although cats are basically predators, they often eat grass. This may seem strange at first, because as a carnivorous animal, the mechanism is not clear. Even though it is not your main food, it contributes significantly to your health.

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Eating grass can be unusual for cats, especially because they often vomit it up almost immediately after eating it. But then why do they eat grass? Here is the answer.

Significantly helps their digestion

Since grass is high in fibre and vitamins, it is both an excellent nutrient and a powerful emetic, with a slight laxative effect. This helps significantly in emptying the stomach and intestines of anything that the animal is unable to digest. This is usually just fur in the case of house cats, while in free-ranging, hunting individuals it can be bones, hairs and feathers. In addition, cats are also very fond of playing with grass. So consuming it is not a bad habit, but a natural behaviour. There is no need to wean your pet off this activity. However, great care should be taken to ensure that the animal does not substitute eating houseplants for eating grass, as the vast majority of these are toxic to the animal.

Has a vomiting effect

In a survey researchers surveyed more than 1,000 cat owners about their cats’ grassing habits. The result shows that this is a common habit among animals. 71% of cats have been observed at least six times in their lifetime, compared to only 11% of cats who have never experienced this.
Most likely the cats
They eat grass mainly for its emetic effects. However, the observations showed that only a third of the animals vomited after consumption, and 91% showed no signs of illness before. Researchers believe that vomiting is not the purpose of eating pot, but a side effect.

An instinctive act

Another explanation for this habit may be that eating plants is an instinctive act, which has evolutionary advantages for felines. According to a theory based on studies of chimpanzees and other wild animals, eating grass by increasing the muscular activity of the digestive system can help animals get rid of parasites living inside them. However, in domesticated cats, these parasites are no longer present, but the instinctive behaviour is likely to remain. Based on the above, experts advise that you may want to buy cat grass. This is an excellent alternative, as it gives them the opportunity to act on their inner instincts without the risk of poisoning.

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