Cat Grass ( Dactylis glomerata ) is a perennial grass that is native to Great Britain and gets its common name because of its attraction for cats. Cats naturally chew on grass in the wild and there are many potential reasons or theories of why they do this. Research suggests that it is possible that cats ingest grass to aid in digestion, being carnivores they often eat parts of their prey that are not easily digestible, like feathers for example. It is believed that grasses can help them to vomit up anything that cannot be digested and also as a laxative to move things along in the opposite direction.
This species of grass is quite attractive to cats and preferred over lawn grass for health reasons. Cat Grass also provides vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to cats and can aid in circulation and pain relief. It also has the added bonus of freshening their breath.
Growing Cat Grass is a great idea, especially if you have indoor cats. Completely indoor cats can benefit from having a pot of cat grass indoors as they do not have access to grasses otherwise.
Growth
Dactylis glomerata is a cool climate grass that grows in tufts that can get up to 1 metre tall, this may come as a surprise to many cat lovers because the grass can be lucky to get past a couple of inches once it is supplied to the cat/s. Another fact that may surprise some is that this grass can live for well over a decade, the exact potential age if unknown due to harvesting.
Cat Grass can be grown in pots and containers and is usually ready to give to your furry family members from about 2 weeks after sowing.
Other common names for this species are Cock’s Foot and Orchard Grass.
FAMILY:
Poaceae
CLIMATE:
Cold to Tropical
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
-30 to 35°C / -22 to 95°F
SOIL TYPE:
Well draining soil.
LOCATION:
Full sun – Shade
HEIGHT:
Up to 1.5 metres (5 foot)
WIDTH:
Up to 35 cm’s (1 foot)
pH:
6.0-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Perennial
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Light – somewhat drought tolerant.
POLLINATION:
Pollinated by insects, bisexual flower
MATURITY:
Average 2-3 months
GERMINATION RATES:
90-95%
GERMINATION TIME:
2-7 days
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 1700
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Yes
WEED POTENTIAL:
Yes, this species is classed as invasive in Chile and both Lord Howe & Norfolk Islands.
FACTS ABOUT DACTYLIS GLOMERATA (Cat Grass)
Dactylis glomerata is handy to have around the home if you are both an indoor plant and indoor cat lover. This can assist in keeping the cat focused on cat grass instead of choosing your other plants. Some cat’s seem to love nibbling on plants and many indoor plants are very toxic to cats (we recommend these being out of your cats reach, if you must have both).
Grass contains folic acid, fibre, niacin and vitamins A, B & D. It also contains a substance called Chlorophyll that can aid in pain relief and infection but also helps to freshen breath.
