The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [63]
Pass the Greens, Please
Q I swear my cat must be part cow! Maggie is a black-and-white cat, about three years old, whom I’ve had since she was a kitten. She mostly lives indoors, but does go outside, especially when I’m in the backyard. Maggie makes a beeline right for the lawn and starts munching away. Sometimes, she eats a lot only to vomit up the blades of grass later on. Is she okay and why does she seem to like grass?
A Your Maggie, though a true carnivore, digs greens. Eating grass is actually a fairly common activity among felines. They have a natural instinct to eat grass and other plants to supplement their dietary needs. Veterinary nutritionists report that an all-meat diet does not provide certain vitamins and minerals that cats seem to know are found in grass and greens.
A second possible reason Maggie heads for the lawn is because the blades of grass serve to help oust hairballs and settle upset stomachs. Yes, the result is a gross puddle (preferably in your yard and not in your house), but Maggie understands the power of Mother Nature.
I caution you to steer Maggie away from the lawn if you use any kind of chemicals or pesticides. Instead, treat Maggie to an indoor patch of organically grown lawn in your house. Grass is easy to grow and it sprouts quickly. Better yet, grow fresh catnip for Maggie. This hardy herb is easy to grow from seeds. Just set the pot in a dark, damp area to allow the seeds to sprout and then relocate the pot to a sunny spot. I recommend a place where Maggie likes to sun herself, perhaps near a window in the living room.
You can also consult your veterinarian about providing Maggie with a commercial hairball preventative. In addition, regular wet-hand grooming can help oust dead hairs in Maggie’s coat and may reduce her hairball episodes.
Finicky Feeder
Q I’ve had cats all my life and have always been able to fill a bowl, walk away, and watch them eat. Easy, right? Not any more. I recently brought in a stray cat. I’m guessing she is about three years old. I thought she would be grateful to have a home, but she is quite picky about what she eats. My other two cats eat their dry food without any problem. This new cat, Gabby, does love salmon and tuna, but I can’t keep catering to her expensive tastes.
A While cats have long been branded with a reputation as picky eaters, I prefer to regard them more as discriminating eaters. You need to assess what’s going on. Is Gabby really being a picky eater or is something else at play? Grab a notepad and write down Gabby’s eating habits over the next few days. There are several possible explanations why Gabby doesn’t gobble her kibble. She may be satisfied with treats and table scraps such as those pieces of delicious salmon and tuna you hand out. Or the other two cats may be blocking her from the food bowl. Try setting out another one to lessen the competition. Speaking of bowls, some cats don’t like their whiskers touching the sides of food bowls and will walk away from their kibble if the bowl doesn’t “fit.” Gabby may need a larger or shallower bowl.
The location may also be a turnoff, especially if the food bowl is in a noisy, high-traffic area like the kitchen. Some cats like to dine without a lot of hoopla around them.
Does Gabby spend any time outside? She may have charmed a neighbor into giving her tasty treats or she may be filling up on gophers and sparrows.
Finally, do not rule out a possible medical condition. Gabby may have tender gums or missing teeth that make chewing a challenge.
Cats like routines. If you feed your cats a variety of commercial dry food, Gabby may be holding out in hopes of something tastier than the current kibble. It’s better to stick with one brand consistently. You may spice it up a bit by pouring a little broth over the kibble, but once you find a quality cat food Gabby seems to like, stay with it. If her health needs change, switch her gradually to another type of