Hello, I have a domestic medium hair cat. She has hairball issue occasionally. Sometimes I find human hair in the litter. I am wondering if I can let her eat tiny amount of oat grass every other day to help her fur come out from the other end? Are oat grass safe for long term?
Hi @Fluffy Snow,
'Cat grass', including oat grass, is safe for cats* to eat and may be an important enrichment point often missed in homes. However, the 'point' of eating grass is unknown and doesn't appear to help with expelling hairballs.
*assuming it is a known 'safe' plant, and hasn't been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides
Whilst it should be perfectly fine for your cat to snack on some oat grass if you'd like to provide some, for the purposes of hairball management I would stick to either a diet designed to help with hairballs (these are high in protein and omega-3s to reduce shedding, and high in fiber to help with movement of the hairball through the gut), or a small amount of a feline-safe laxative recommended by your hands-on veterinarian. You could also help her out by grooming her more regularly so she isn't ingesting as much hair. If she's resistant to grooming, stroking her with a slightly wet or sweaty hand is a good way to get some of the old hair out and reduce the amount she ends up eating.
I hope that helps, but please let me know if you have any more questions!