Avena sativa.
Not to be confused with true catnip (Nepeta cataria), the psychoactive herb that excites cats through its volatile compound, nepetalactone. This, by contrast, is ordinary oats that cats simply enjoy nibbling.
An essential plant companion for indoor cats. Sown thickly in a small pot, oats produce tender young shoots that cats chew, tear, and swallow with visible satisfaction.
Why do cats eat grass? The question has fascinated veterinarians for years, and several explanations converge. First, it may provide folic acid: the chlorophyll in young shoots contains plenty of it, and this nutrient contributes to hemoglobin formation. Grass may also help mechanically expel hairballs, with its long plant fibres acting like an effective intestinal brush. It adds fibre to an otherwise meat-heavy diet. And, quite simply, cats probably enjoy the fresh crunch between their teeth. Outdoor cats can find grass in nature, while indoor cats depend entirely on their human gardener to provide it.
Cultivated oats (Avena sativa) are among the world's oldest grains, domesticated about 4,000 years ago in Central Asia and the Middle East. Curiously, oats were long considered a weed growing alongside wheat and barley before being selected as a crop in their own right during the late Neolithic period, especially in the cool climates of Northern Europe where wheat struggled to ripen. Their most traditional uses are found in northern and island regions—Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia, and later rural Quebec—from porridge and oatmeal to bannock and oatcakes. For cats, oats are grown not for the grain but for their young shoots, harvested before the plant forms a flower stalk.
The shoots are a vivid tender green, soft to chew, and slightly sweet. Cats immediately distinguish them from ordinary lawn grass and return regularly when a pot is available. Many cats develop an almost daily routine around their grass pot, and some even seem to favour a particular time of day—morning before breakfast or evening before a long nap.
Sower's tip: Sow thickly in a pot about 15 × 15 cm filled with ordinary potting soil; 1 tablespoon of seed is more than enough. Cat grass sprouts in 3 to 5 days and is ready to offer in 7 to 10 days, when the shoots reach 10 to 12 cm. Cats chew it down to soil level. You can then let it regrow for a modest second cutting, or sow a fresh pot and rotate them. Three pots started 5 days apart provide a continuous supply year-round. Water lightly, keeping the soil moist but never soggy, or the seeds may rot before germinating.
- Annual and self-pollinating. No risk of cross-pollination—and it is harvested before flowering anyway.
- Germination: 3 to 5 days.
- Ready to offer: 7 to 10 days after sowing.
- Harvest height: 10 to 12 cm.
- Growing medium: ordinary potting soil in a container at least 15 × 15 cm; good drainage is essential.
- Water lightly and regularly; provide bright indirect light; no fertilizer required.
- For a continuous supply, sow a new pot every 2 to 3 weeks or rotate 2 to 3 staggered pots.
