How often to feed greens

[spirit3]

I've been growing potted grasses from seed: barley and such from "cat grasses" and my cats love them but they tend to flip the pots over while trying to eat the grass. I came up w/trimming bits into their moist food @ lunchtime a la scallion garnishes for them-is there a "best" amount or frequency? I've just been going w/a couple times a week and each cat gets appr 1/8-1/4 teaspoon each of the little grass trimmings i make for them. (My cats are somewhat spoiled!) i don't want to inadvertently overdo it since they aren't eating it at their own discretion.

[FurballsMom]

I looked up the Latin name you provided.  The advantage of the Latin or scientific names comes in the situation that you find yourself in in here where English is your second language.  I simply Googled the Latin name you provided and found out that in English the common name is "orchard grass".  Here is the article I just found.  You will have to look up the "fact sheet".  Basically, this is simply the grass that most of us here are familiar with if we have ever come across a meadow of wild grasses or a place that was once developed that has started to regrow wild native grasses.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=DAGL

Be careful with this one.  If it is not a native to Brazil, you don't want to plant it outside in your yard at all.  It can and does become invasive.

[margypops]

Thtas what I always thought I know my dogs would eat grass to throw up ..anyway Tweety goes out eating grass in my front yard where I have attempted a 'lawn'I think I will pick some up tomorrow as I will know no other cats has been peeing on it LOL thanks guys ,so much as always great info , I am becoming a kitty expert and all due to you ....

[AppleBr]

Just got one bag of "CAT GRASS" from a place that sell most commom enveloped seeds( herbs, flowers and co)
Plant is " Dactylis glomerata" - I still have to check what is this in plain portuguese -and/or english cos I still remeber lots of scientific names but not that... The name Cat grass do not explaim much!
Instructions say "it provoke vomits" but not explain if it happens only if need ou will happen everytime my cat eat those
Dont want my baby throwing up after her salad, Im not having fur ball problems...
Do you have this problem when you cat eat greens?

Btw I guess I can get some wheat seed at the natural food shop.They dont have barley, in fact I found it there but it was already peeled off and not suitable for planting

[spirit3]

The grasses I'm using are Cosmic Kitty Herbs and the ingredients read: barley, 39.66% oats, 39.66%, wheat, 19.83 % (all varieties not stated) pure seed 99.15 % other crop seed 056%, weed seed .01% inert matter .28%, germination 91%. This is a 4 oz bag and I've gotten quite a few small pots of grass out of it and have about 1/3 of the seed left still. The cats try and get the grass out of the pot even though Iput some ( ithink i just heard a pot hit the floor, in fact) in their lunch every other day or so. They really seem to like it! Butters doesn't throw up as much hair balls either. (I brush him daily but he still chucks and refuses hairball remedy). The grass is super simple to grow-once it germinates it grows almost before your eyes, I keep pots in rotation in stages of growth.

[AppleBr]

The fair is "FESTA DAS FLORES E MORANGOS DE ATIBAIA" and this is not spam - I'm not a producer... :-)

[AppleBr]

I was sure you wont get the meaning of "alpiste" but I was/am without time to check  it in a dictionary bu I guess you call it "birdseeds" - cos we use that for small birds
And sorry, my city has LOTS of fruits, flowers ,ornamental plants and even mushrooms producers,but I m afraid not grains ones, specially the one you told.Every september there s a show called "Flowers and Strawberries Fair' -you can check on line this year if you want
When it cames to grains would be easier find Soy plantations,Corn sugar cane etc  - not in my city but in my country .Probably they plant Wheat somewhere in Brazil but I know nothing about - country is too big...

[FurballsMom]

Yes, you can.  Some grocery stores even sell wheat grass for people in produce departments.  I think it's less available because so many people are finding it necessary to go gluten free.  The big chain pet stores often have "cat grass" somewhere near the check out.  The Petco I usually go to has live wheat grass and live catnip near the check out.  You can grow your own, too, though.  All you need is a flat enough pot that you can allow Tweety to crawl on if she wants to, or one of the cheap plastic pots that nurseries sell their ready to plant flowers and such in.  In fact, you can save money by buying live cat nip at a nursery instead of the pet store.  Then, just look for a place you can buy whole wheat berries or whole barley berries (seeds).  Since it doesn't take much to plant the stuff for your pets, a little bit goes a long way.  You can buy less than half a pound of the seeds.

[margypops]

I didnt know that you fed cats grasses ,can I get it from any store? I know Tweety does seek out grass in the garden to nibble on, interesting, maybe I will do some research aswell .I have always thought like dogs they eat grass to make themselves throw up kind of medicinal, she has a some hair balls due to licking more .

[opus88]

I'm not sure what alpiste is Apple?? two grasses that are very good for cats are Wheat and Barley...the seeds can be bought from pet stores or much cheaper from grain farmers...do you have any grain farmers in your area? sorry I'm kinda dumb about whether or not Brazil does any farming or of what types of crops.
many cats like the dried form of plants, my Sami will eat dried cat nip even chew on dried leaves and twigs when we go for our walk in the yard...its a way of settling an upset tummy or inducing vomit to clear out a hair ball.
glad the girls are well♥

[AppleBr]

Could you please tell me more about "barley and such ?'
What are the possibilities suitable/good for cats?
I grow potted " alpiste " grass for Loreena , since the seeds for cats mix found at pet shops is a little expensive and my girl spoiled.
I had seem her looking for expontaneus and almost dead grass on the backyard and decided she was needing some.
The plant grow up fast and really pretty but she ignored it.Now the plant is getting ugly because its a lot hot here - and NOW she decided for grabbing some..
Is my cat fond of dryed plants? She grabs and bites dry leaves and sticks, but didnt eat those :-)

[spirit3]

Great-thanks! And your opinion on saying "who wants salad bowl ♪" while trimming them in? (hee hee) Seriously-thank you! I'll stay at that amt.