There are many theories about why cats eat grass, including cleaning out parasites, getting essential micronutrients, and treating ailments, but the real reason remains unknown. (Image courtesy of Salima Senyavskaya via Getty Images)
You may have noticed your dog or cat occasionally snacking on grass. It may seem like an odd choice for a snack, especially for cats who are carnivores. So why do our pets eat grass?
“There’s a lot of speculation,” said Dr. Jamie Lovejoy, a veterinarian at Stack Veterinary Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y. “We see herbivory in both dogs and cats, even though those two species are technically incapable of digesting significant amounts of grass.” For example, herbivores typically have specialized gut microbes that help break down the tough cellulose in grass, and many herbivores have multi-chambered stomachs and longer digestive tracts to process plant matter.
One popular theory, Lovejoy says, is that pets eat grass to relieve an upset stomach. “Most of the time, when it comes out, it comes out pretty much unchanged, whether it's through vomiting or through a bowel movement,” she told Live Science. “And so that leads to a lot of old wives' tales.”
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Sourse: www.livescience.com
