Cat Grass vs Catnip

Cat grass is typically grown from rye, barley, oat or wheat seeds. All you need to do is plant seeds in earth, water it and give it sunlight and voila you have cat grass!

Why do we suggest cat grass? Carlo Siracusa, and animal behaviorist at University of PA. School of Vet. Medicine, states “In the wild, cats eat grass after they have eaten their prey. In many cases, the grass causes the cat to vomit. We believe this is nature's way of helping the cat expel the parts of their prey that are indigestible."

Even for our indoor cats that don't hunt, it is fiber source that will help your furry friend throw up those pesky fur balls or by digesting them by acting as a laxative. It also can offer certain nutrients and vitamins that you cat may be lacking depending on his/her diet. Cats also love it and who doesn't want an indoor garden in their home?

Catnip on the other hand is from the mint family and is used more as a calming agent. Only 70-90%of cats are affected by cat nip, which is an inherited trait. Not only house cats find it fun but even big cats like tigers and lynx can have fun rolling in it. Catnip really helps calm cats down, reducing effects of stress, anxiety and depression. The effects usually only lasts around 10 min and is recommended to be used only a couple of times a week or cats can build a tolerance to it. Kitten under 6 months of age are generally not affected by it and only develop a liking to it after they reach maturity.

Common uses for Catnip include:

1. To encourage the use of a scratching post
2. To encourage active play and exercise with particular rewarding toys. Great for those kitties that need to lose some extra weight.
3. Keeping cats active can help keep them fit and healthy and reduce anxiety
4. To encourage shy cats in a new environment or help cat-to-cat introductions go smoothly.
5. Reduce anxiety, or at least induce a sedative state during car rides (especially to the vets!)

We have toys infused with catnip, as well as a catnip spray that can be applied onto toys at our Boutique Pawville, as well as pre-bagged cat grass that just needs to be grown. Come by and give your cat some greens!