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One of my two cats, Beaker reminds me of a cow.  Why you ask?  She grazes.  Her favorite plant to eat, so far, is pansy.  Currently, they are out of season in our neck of the woods, but when I can, I bring her home a nice potted pansy.  She sticks her whole head into the plant first and then begins to selectively bite and chew her way through the leaves and flowers.  My other cat will occasionally bite at the leaves, but she doesn’t enjoy it nearly as much as Beaker.

Since I couldn’t find any pansies recently I bought some pet grass from the supermarket.  It is really just wheat grass, which happens to be quite good for people.  It is an excellent ingredient in homemade juices and adds a punch of vitamins.  Anyway, cats like it too, and Beaker is nearly as happy as a clam.

Most cats will eat grass or some other type of greenery for two possible reasons.  First, even carnivores need some greens.  Cats are meat eaters, but meat does not supply all the necessary nutrients.  Another reason cats graze is because it can help with loosening up hair balls.  This can be quite gross for the cat owner, as the grass will come up later in a green, hairy ball.

But, hair balls will come up anyway, so it is not a bad idea to encourage your cat to eat green.  Provide your cat with grass, catnip, or pansies, so that he will refrain from eating toxic plants or grass from your lawn, which may contain pesticides and fertilizers.  Check the ASPCA’s website for a very complete list of plants that are poisonous to pets to make sure you provide your kitty with only the best grazing.