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Putting Your Cat
out to Pasture
Don't let that title fool you.
This is not an article about your best friend feline getting
old and being considered feeble and useless as we sometimes
inappropriately and inaccurately assign that term to aging
horses and people. Rather, the title was constructed to provoke
your interest with a play on words, to entice you to read a
very important article regarding your pet's health.
I actually want to talk to you
about something that may help you to help your pets reach the
ripe old age you want them to reach, to remain vibrant and
healthy and not begin aging prematurely. That topic, as it
relates to the word "pasture" in the title, is grass.
That's right…grass. More specifically, I want to talk
to you about why cats (and dogs) eat grass.
All of us have seen our pets
selectively graze in our yards. More often than not, we associate
this behavior with dogs, but that is only because dogs usually
require our attendance on their trips outdoors and as a result,
we are able to observe this behavior.
The truth is, cats are as likely
to "graze" as dogs. The difference is, we do not
observe them doing so. Cats do not take to leashes well, so
we usually trust them to govern their own outdoor activities…and
since cats are stealthy in nature and therefore, more nocturnally
active, their "doings" are usually conducted in private
and under the cloak of darkness. Make no mistake, however,
cats consume grass.
In those rare moments where someone
has the opportunity to observe their cat eating grass, they
often react with concern and alarm. Sometimes it even results
in unnecessary expense as they panic and rush their best friend
off to the nearest veterinarian, only to hear him tell them
with a chuckle "he's okay, it's normal for them to eat
grass", as the receptionists writes out the office visit
bill for $45.00.
If you have not had the opportunity
to witness your cat's behavior outdoors, you may be skeptical
at the prospect of them grazing, but they do. Again, they all
do it. Yours is no exception.
Why is this? Why do our cats
eat grass, especially when we know that perhaps 20 minutes
later, they are going to regurgitate it back up. Why would
they do this? Why would they purposely do something that appears
to be so harmful to them? Is this normal or are they ill? Should
we be alarmed?
The short answer is "no,
don't panic, this is normal behavior". The more detailed
explanation is that it is not only normal, it is necessary.
The outdoors is an animal's natural world and grass is part
of that world. You and I can turn on the radio or television
and be kept up to date on what is happening in our world. For
cats, dogs and some other domestic animals, the ground is their
primary source of connection with their world.
The ground is like a giant newspaper
for them. They interpret the odors and conditions to discover
who has been visiting their turf and to know what is happening
in the world outside the house. With their heightened senses,
they "read" that another cat or dog has been in the
neighborhood, that it rained the night before or that the season
is changing.
Through their own "deposits",
they communicate to future visitors of that site who the yard
belongs to, who they are and what they are about. Sometimes
the deposit is meant as a welcome, other times a warning. It
just depends on what the news is for that day and how they
interpret it.
The role the ground plays in
our pet's lives does not end at bringing them the news, however.
Terra firma is also the local drug store. Perhaps it could
more accurately be called the local natural herb store. I don't
know how many times I have heard someone say "look at
that stupid cat eating grass" (they are not always hidden
under darkness).
The truth is, they are not stupid
at all, but are rather quite adept natural pharmacists. I think
that most people would be surprised to learn that animals know
a whole lot more about herbs than we do. In fact, their understanding
and knowledge of herbal remedies is truly awesome.
Have you ever noticed that they
don't eat just any grass…they sniff around until they
find exactly what they are looking for? Like the aisles in
a drug store, each section holds different remedies for different
ailments. For instance, certain grasses and sprouts are sought
out and taken as internal cleansers. They cause vomiting, which
we have all witnessed. This vomiting is the expected result
for your cat. They know when they eat that particular type
of grass that it will cause them to vomit. Surely you have
been a cat lover long enough to realize that cats never do
anything without considering the thing first. If it requires
effort, it must have great benefit, or they simply wouldn't
do it.
Yet, they do it with full knowledge
and consent, because they know it will cleanse their body of
bile and other items that are non-digestible. And we all know
that our kitties eat many things they may think are digestible,
but really aren't. I have had cats swallow literally yards
of yarn, a key, and a rubber mouse. Then there are the constant
hairballs that develop from exercising personal hygiene.
While it is unsettling to know
that they are not smart enough to figure out that certain objects
and habits can harm them, it is refreshing to know that they
are savvy enough to know how to neutralize or extricate those
things from their system before they becomes a problem or threat.
Continuing, other grasses and
herbs help evict worms and certain parasites from their system.
Still others provide needed minerals and nutrients that aid
and enhance digestive enzymes and acids. Uncannily, they all
seem to know what remedy is needed for exactly whatever ails
them at the moment.
Then, perhaps the biggest benefit
to them is the presence of chlorophyll in most grasses. Chlorophyll
helps to fight infection, enrich the coat and even relieves
pain such as joint aches. It can also enhance cartilage soundness
and offers a host of other benefits. I am no doctor, but all
that sounds good to me.
I know all this is a bit simplistic,
but it really is not that complicated. Our pets appear to know
more about natural remedies than you and I do and certainly
more than we would think they should know. I am not sure "how" they
know, but I suspect it is instinct rather than conscious decision.
It is enough to know that they do know, without having to know
the "why".
Modern medicine has actually
taken a step backward to develop more primitive remedies as
a result of closer study of this savvy in animals. Science
is now recognizing that many of the grass roots (pardon the
pun) remedies nature provides for our pets are as good as,
if not better than synthetic drugs. In fact, people are learning
how to cultivate and produce certain herbs and grasses in their
own homes in order to help their pets, in particular, cats,
even freezing summer crops for winter dispensing when grasses
are not in season.
This can be especially helpful
to cats and other mammals who are not allowed to venture outdoors,
but who still need to ingest some of the natural cleansing
agents found there. Some in the field of veterinarian medicine
believe many cats suffer from ailments they would otherwise
not suffer from if they were afforded trips outdoors and had
access to nature's wonders. Obviously, this is not possible
in some cases and that is where diet supplements can play a
beneficial role in the health of indoor pets.
Next time you see your cat eating
grass, don't worry about it. They are doing something to help
their health. Just give them time to allow the "process" to
culminate in regurgitation and then let them back on your carpet.
If your cat is never given an outdoor pass, talk to your veterinarian
about what type of supplements you might add to their diet
to give them the outside benefit. And happy catting.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = =
The author, Gary Kurz, helps
those grieving the loss of a pet to understand the Biblical
evidence that proves they live on. His most popular book, "Cold
Noses at the Pearly Gates" delivers the promised comfort
and hope in a gentle, yet convincing way. Visit at www.coldnosesbook.com (where
a monthly "bonus gift" is offered) or write to Gary
at petgate@aol.com.
Other useful articles:
Why
the cats scratch
How
to make your cat to scratch her scratching post
13
ways to save your furniture from cat scratching.
How
to play with your cat
Why cats
climb
What
every cat owner should know about the cat litter box
About
some Cat Disease
The
Cats and the Cold Weather
Heartworm
disease in cats
Plants
that will poison your cats
Cat
Neutering
How
to Avoid Cat Urine Spraying
How
to remove cat urine
Cat’s
Nutrition
What
you should know about Cat’s Shedding
Care
of Older Cats
Siamese
Cats
Cares
for newly born kittens
Putting
Your Cat out to Pasture
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