Over 70% of cat owners reported that their cat eats grass. It’s a natural behavior for them. Eating grasses facilitates them in many ways. But can cats eat chia grass? What is a safe way to feed chia grass to your cat? Let’s explore.
Can cats eat chia grass?
Cats can and should eat chia grass and chia seed. It is highly nutritious food for your cat. It helps to boost the cat’s digestive system, immune system, bone, eye, and fur. However, to prevent any complications, one should be careful about the amount, allergic reaction, and swallowing problem.
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Chia grass originated in Central America. Because of the commercial cultivation of chia grass, it is easily available everywhere. As chia plants sprout easily, it is a great choice for indoor cat owners.
Now let’s talk about the benefits. Chia seed and grass contain vitamins, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and micronutrients. Cats don’t get any calories from the grass as they can not digest it properly.
But the fibers cats get from it play an important role in their digestive system health. Cats’ digestive tract has to work more to get nutrients out of it. It helps the cat to get rid of intestinal parasites. to
Chia grass and other grass also help to remove hairballs from their intestine. Chia seeds are hydrophobic. It creates a gel-like element with water. The gel helps the consumption.
Chia seed and grass can cause mild diarrhea if overfed.
Is Chia grass safe for cats?
Yes, chia grass is safe for cats. Usually, it does not have any side effects. Don’t worry, if your cat eats chia grass and vomits.
25% of cats occasionally vomit after eating grass. It happens when they eat something they can’t digest or have digestion issues. Chia grass helps the cats to vomit and feel better.
Chia grass is non-poisonous. Humans, cats, dogs, and other domestic animals can easily eat chia seeds and grass.
Rarely some cats can develop grass allergies during spring and summer. It’s a kind of disease that causes allergies from grasses, flowers, and pollination. Check your cat’s medical history. If your cat has a similar problem, don’t feed him chia grass in Spring and Summer months.
How much chia seed grass can I give my cat?
Provide ¼ teaspoon of chia seed for every 10 pounds of your cat’s weight. If you follow this, there should not be any problem.
What about chia grass? Prepare the same amount of chia seed for sprouting. That means if your cat is 10 pounds, you can prepare 1 teaspoon chia seed into the grass and feed ¼ of it every day.
There are different ways to feed chia seeds. Some people add milk with the seed, some grind the seed and mix it with food while some like to feed with water.
The best way to feed chia seeds depends on your cat’s habit.
What happens if cats eat too much chia seed grass?
Well, nothing serious. But overfeeding chia seeds can create some health problems for your cat. They are,
Diarrhea:
Chia seed is good for the cat’s digestion system. But too much of it can backfire. Consuming too much chia seed can create mild diarrhea.
If your cat develops diarrhea due to chia seed, stop feeding him chia seed and most importantly encourage them for water and electrolyte intake.
Lack of nutritions:
Chia grass is like medicine for your cat. It provides some essential nutrients and helps digestion but it does not contain any food value as cats can’t digest grass.
So if you overfeed chia grass for a long time, your cat can have a lack of nutrition.
Swallowing problem:
Be careful when you feed your cat water-soaked chia seeds. Chia seed expands rapidly and creates a gel-like thing. It rarely may become a stubborn object that can create blockage in your cat’s digestive system.
How do you grow chia grass for cats?
Growing chia grass for your cat is an easy process. If you have a cat grass kit, it will be better. But you can grow chia grass just fine without a cat grass kit. Follow the steps to grow chia grass,
- Take a small bowl or cat grass planter. If you have a growing mix, use 2 tablespoons.
- Spread all the seeds evenly.
- Pour ¼ cup of water into the bowl.
- Cover the bowl or grass planter with plastic. Don’t make it airtight, the cover is just to reduce water evaporating.
- You will see roots after one day but the first sprout will emerge after 3 days. Remove the cover when the sprout grows about 1″ tall.
- Usually, the sprouts will grow 1″ per day.
- If the bowl gets dry and sprouts begin to droop, add some water to it.
- Provide one hour of sunlight for faster growth. Sunlight will make it green.
- One can start harvesting at any stage of its sprouting, but 4″ is an ideal size to collect chia grass.
- If you are using just water to grow, don’t keep it for more than a week. It can grow just with water because the seed provides the necessary energy for the growth but not for long.
Is it possible for cats to be allergic to chia seed grass?
Rarely do some cats have an allergy to chia seed grass, flowers, and pollination during the spring and summer months. It is called grass allergies or hay fever in cats.
It is unlikely to cause allergies due to homegrown chia grass. But don’t take risks if your cat has allergic reactions to grass especially in the Summer and Spring months.
The allergies happen for grass pollen that gets into cats’ noses. The cat’s body finds it a foreign object and overreacts. As the cat is consuming it just after sprouting, there should not be any problem with that.
Does chia seed grass help for cat constipation?
There is no scientific evidence that proves chia seed helps for cat constipation. Although, fiber helps to clear the interstate.
Chia seed creates a gel-like liquid that can make the cat stool. But if not consumed properly, it can make the situation even worse.
However, there are a bunch of safe medicines to use while cat constipation. Consult with your vet doctor if your cat has constipation. It’s unnecessary to take risks when it comes to your pets’ health.
Can cats eat any type of grass?
There is a wide variety of ornamental grass and plants. But all of them are not safe for cats.
Arrowgrass is one of the most poisonous grass for cats, dogs, and other animals. It can cause stress, salivation, rapid breathing, or even life loss.
Ryegrass is harmful to cats. If you have a cat, never grow ryegrass in your yard.
Switchgrass and tall fescue are very harmful to horses and cattle. But it’s not usually that poisonous for cats. But you should still avoid those as those can cause stomach upset.
If you want to be hundred percent sure, a cat grass kit Is a good option. Cat grass is a combination of safe grasses of different species.
Cat grasses are better as your cat will get a variety of nutrients from different types of grasses.
What grasses are safe for cats?
There are a lot of grasses that are safe for cats. But if you aim to facilitate your cat, why not pick the best ones for him? Here are some best grass and plants you can grow for your cat.
Catnip:
It is one of the favorite plants of cats. Contains detoxifying effects.
Cat thyme:
Catnip does not work for some cats. For them, cat thyme is another detoxifying plant.
Lemongrass:
It’s easy to grow indoors and pretty healthy grass for cats.
Mint:
Cats love the smell of mint and it is easy to grow.
Licorice root:
It promotes cats’ liver and digestive system.
Can you grow cat grass on a chia pet?
Yes, you can grow cat grass in a chia pet. Some other plants grow just fine in a chia pet, such as thyme, marjoram, basil, and alfalfa.
Chia cat grass planters provide all the necessary equipment and seeds to grow. It needs 1-2 weeks to grow cat grass in a chia pet.
After your package seeds end, you can get other cat grass seeds and start growing in the same way.
Chia pets come in different shapes, sizes, and emojis. A variety of styles and interesting designs makes it a good gift choice for kids.
Final thoughts
Chia seeds and grasses provide a good amount of vitamins and minerals that can be helpful for cats’ health. As though they can eat it. Although, no food is good if overhead. Learning everything about the food you give to your cat is a good habit to avoid possible complications.