 |
|
Cozy Cat Furniture.com | |||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
Home > Cat Newsletters > Putting Your Cat out to Pasture
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 What
every cat owner should know about the cat litter box
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
