Skip to main content

5 effective tips for a thriving cat grass garden

Cat grass has many benefits for cats, from helping soothe an upset stomach to helping prevent boredom in your indoor kitty. When you grow your own cat grass, you’ll be able to give your cat a safe source of grass to munch on. Growing cat grass is relatively easy — it grows quickly, so you’ll be able to see the results of your efforts in just a few days. Even if you’ve never done any gardening previously, you can successfully start your own garden of cat grasses with the right tips and preparation. These tips can help make your cat grass gardening experience a success.

Happy cat eating grass outside
Anna-F/Pixabay

Start with the right supplies

At the most basic, you’ll need:

  • Cat grass seed
  • Potting soil
  • A pot

You can buy these supplies separately and even use what you already have at home. Cat grass seeds are most commonly wheatgrass, oat, barley, or ryegrass seeds. You can buy these seeds at your local garden center or find plenty of retailers that sell them online.

If you want to go the organic route, then be sure to buy not only organic seeds but also organic potting soil.

Rather than buying your supplies separately, you might consider buying a cat grass growing kit. Many of these kits include all the supplies you need to get going.

Find the right spot

If you plan to grow the grass indoors, you’ll have more control over how much water it receives, and you can keep it protected from inquisitive cats who might want to munch on it before it’s ready. You’ll need to find a spot where the pot will get plenty of sunlight. Alternatively, you might grow the grass outdoors on a porch.

Give your grass the right start

To get your grass seed started, fill a pot with potting soil and then sow the seeds into the soil. Push the seeds about ¼-inch deep into the soil. Then, keep the soil moist to prompt the seeds to sprout.

Put the pot in a sunny place to help keep the grass growing. You’ll need to water the soil periodically, but definitely don’t overwater since you can kill off the grass. Use your finger to test the soil — if it’s dry and grainy, then it’s time to water.

Make watering easier

Using a small watering can give you more control as you water and can prevent you from accidentally spilling too much water into the pot. Alternatively, you can use a small spray bottle.

While your grass is still short, you can cover the pot with a layer of plastic wrap. This can help keep water from evaporating, so you don’t have to water it as often. Make sure that the plastic wrap is layered over the pot lightly since putting it on too tightly will restrict air circulation and can lead to mold.

Cat on a lawn eating grass
Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay

Care for your grass once it’s grown

Cat grass grows quickly, so you should have plenty of grass ready within about a week. Before letting your cat munch on the grass, make sure it’s free of bugs and pests.

Your cat may naturally mow down the grass, which actually encourages it to continue growing. If your cat leaves behind uneven patches, you can give the grass a quick trim with scissors to keep it all growing evenly.

The grass will need plenty of sun to stay alive, so park it in the sunniest window or move it to your sunporch or another sunny spot. Even with plenty of care, the grass will probably eventually die, so as your cat starts grazing on one pot, consider planting another pot to have plenty more grass ready.

Growing a cat grass garden takes a little time, but it can pay off with a happier, healthier cat. Cat grass may help support your cat’s digestive system, and eating grass also keeps indoor-only cats entertained. When you grow your own cat grass, you know just how it’s been cared for and exactly what you’re giving your cat. This helps eliminate the potential for your cat to ingest grass that’s been treated with pesticides, like he might come across when outside. With a few pots of cat grass at different growth stages, you can keep even your enthusiastic eater well supplied with tasty grass that’s ready for snacking at any time.

Editors' Recommendations

Paige Cerulli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Paige's work has appeared in American Veterinarian, Business Insider, Healthline, and more. When she's not writing, Paige…
How to cat-proof your balcony before the unthinkable happens
Tips to keep your kitty safe while on the balcony
Cat sitting on a sunny balcony railing

It's tempting to spend some time outside with your cat whenever the weather is nice, and taking your cat outside can give him a nice break from indoor-only life. If you love to spend time on your balcony, it's natural to consider letting your cat join you, but balconies can be dangerous for cats. In addition to the potential for a fall, balconies have several other risks that you might not be aware of. Understanding how to cat-proof a balcony can help you to make the space safer, so you and your cat can spend a little time outside together.

Will a cat jump off a balcony?
Balconies can be very dangerous for cats because of the possibility of "high-rise syndrome." Always Compassionate Veterinary Care explains that high-rise syndrome refers to the occurrence of cats falling out of high-rise buildings and needing veterinary treatment. The term originates when the Animal Medical Center in New York City treated more than 100 cats who fell out of high-rise windows. That occurred during just five months in the 1980s and highlights the fact that cats can and do fall out of high structures.

Read more
How to tell if your cat is a Maine Coon mix (and why you should care)
Should you consider a Maine Coon mix? Here's what you need to know
Closeup of a Maine Coon's face

There are plenty of big and fluffy cats out there, but one of the best-known breeds fitting this description is the Maine Coon. These cats are not only impressive in size, but they also tend to have fantastic personalities that make them beloved family pets. While purebred Maine Coons are a little more uncommon in rescues and shelters, it's possible to adopt a Maine Coon mix that still has some of the breed's distinctive characteristics.

While telling exactly which breeds your cat is can be a little tricky, it's worth doing some investigative work to better understand your feline's background and what that might mean for the care he needs during his life.
Where do Maine Coon cats come from?
You may have heard that the Maine Coon Cate originated from a fantastical cross between a feline and a raccoon. Of course, this didn't really happen, but it could be where they get the name. (Another option, from a ship's captain who brought the first of these kitties ashore.)

Read more
There’s a totally normal reason cats throw up after eating grass – here’s why
Learn about this cat behavior and if there's cause for concern
Calico cat lying on its back in a grassy yard

If your cat throws up after eating grass, there's probably no reason to be concerned. Eating grass is a natural behavior for most cats, and throwing up after eating that grass also is pretty common. There are physical reasons for why your cat throws up grass, and aside from dealing with the inconvenience of having to clean up cat vomit in the house, this behavior usually isn't a problem.

But excessive vomiting and unusual grass consumption can be a cause for concern. If your cat likes to munch grass, then it's best to familiarize yourself with what's normal and what might be a reason to worry.

Read more