Cat grass raises a lot of questions. Do cats only eat it when they're ill? Is it basically catnip? Do you have to grow it yourself on a windowsill and hope for the best? These come up often, and they deserve straight answers.
So we looked at the research. The research on cats and plants is smaller than you might expect, and much of it is surveys and observation rather than controlled trials. That's worth knowing, because it means the honest answer to many questions is "we don't know yet". But there's enough to answer the most common questions, and to say clearly what a box of grass is and what nobody has shown either way. Here are the five we hear most often, and what the evidence says about each one.
Do cats only eat grass when they're feeling unwell?
This is the big one, and it's understandable. Many people have seen a cat eat grass and bring it back up a little later, so the two get linked. It's an easy story to tell: the cat feels sick, eats grass, and feels better. The trouble is that the research doesn't back it up.
In a survey of more than 1,000 cat owners published in 2021, 725 of 1,021 cats had been seen eating plants at least six times, and only 112 had never been seen doing it. Owners reported that their cat had seemed unwell beforehand in only about 6% to 9% of cases across the two surveys. Bringing plants back up was reported more often than that, but most plant-eating cats were not seen to be ill first. These are owner reports from a selected group, not a perfect count of every cat, and they don't explain why cats do it. What they do show is that eating plants is a common, everyday behavior for cats. If your cat vomits often, or seems unwell, talk to your vet.
Are cat grass and catnip the same thing?
If you've ever stood in a pet shop wondering which green thing to buy, you've probably asked this yourself. The names sound alike, both are plants, and both are sold for cats. But they are different plants, with different jobs, and cats respond to them in very different ways.
What cat grass is: Cat grass is young cereal grass, usually wheat, oat or barley, grown for cats to nibble every day. Ours is organic, grown hydroponically in the UAE, pesticide-free and non-GMO, and harvested the morning it's delivered. Cats chew it, sniff it, come back to it and, in some homes, lie on it. Each of our grasses has its own character: wheat is a daily ritual for cats prone to stress, oat is crisp grass for cats who are particular about what they eat, and barley has broad leaves for adult and senior cats.
All three help with hairballs. In a small 2025 study of two cats and six samples, cat hair was found tangled in the tiny hairs and edges of plant leaves in regurgitated hairballs. It's a small study, with no comparison group, but it is one of the few direct looks at the question. Cat grass is there for everyday nibbling.
What catnip is: Catnip, Nepeta cataria, is a herb from the mint family. In many cats it sets off a short burst of play: rolling, rubbing, a few minutes of chaos, then a nap. Scientists have studied the scent compounds behind responses to catnip and to a related plant, silver vine, and those findings belong to those plants, not to cat grass. One small study even found cats' responses to some of these aromatic plants faded with repeated exposure. Cat grass works differently: it's there to be chewed, at your cat's own pace. Plenty of homes keep both.
Do you have to grow cat grass yourself and wait a week for it?
For a long time, this one was true by default. If you wanted cat grass, you bought a packet of seeds or a DIY kit, put it on a windowsill and waited. Our founder did exactly that for his cat, KAT, after their vet recommended adding fresh cat grass to her routine. He kept growing it for years.
He also noticed what most people find out the hard way: DIY kits took over a week, and the results were hit or miss. Pet store options were inconsistent. That's why Sprouties exists.
Every box arrives fully grown and ready to nibble, so there's nothing to plant and no waiting. We harvest the morning your box is delivered, and it reaches you the same day, fresh and chilled. Order today and your box arrives the next day, across all seven emirates. Saturday orders arrive on Monday, and there is no delivery on Sundays or UAE public holidays. We don't sell seeds or kits at all.
Does one grass suit every cat?
Cats are individuals, and grass is no exception. We grow three: wheat, oat and barley. Wheat is soft and fine, and it's our most popular grass. Oat is crisp, for cats who are particular about what they eat. Barley has broad leaves with more in every bite, for adult and senior cats who nibble at their own pace. All three help with hairballs, so the choice really comes down to your cat.
And the science doesn't name a winner. No study has shown that cats in general prefer one cereal grass over another. One widely shared taste study tested grass extracts with an electronic sensor and no cats at all. So the best guide is your cat. Our grass quiz can help you pick a starting grass, and if your cat doesn't take to it, subscribers can try another grass under the Happy Cats Guarantee.
Does a box of grass last for weeks?
We wish. Fresh grass is fresh, and fresh things have a time. A box stays good for about 7 days from harvest. In a home with several cats, a box is usually finished in two to three days, simply because it gets eaten faster.
You can help a box through its week. Add a little water at the base of the box, never on the grass, starting two days after it arrives. Keep the box out of direct sun. In the UAE summer, the fridge works well, though it won't stretch a box past its week. When the grass yellows or wilts later in the week, it has reached the end of its time and can go in the compost. That's when a plan earns its keep: a fresh box arrives on schedule, and you can skip, pause or cancel any time.
And if your cat finishes a box in a day or two, that doesn't mean anything is wrong with the box. In a home with several cats, a box is usually finished in two to three days. If your cat eats a lot at once and brings it back up often, offer the box for 10 to 15 minutes at a time instead. If you keep running out before the next delivery, Build Your Plan brings 1 to 4 boxes per delivery, weekly or every 10 days, so there's always some within reach. Every box stays good for about 7 days from harvest.
Does it matter? Choosing the right grass for your cat
Whether you have your heart set on wheat, oat or barley, the best way to choose is to let your cat try. Wheat is soft and fine, a daily ritual for cats prone to stress. Oat is crisp grass for cats who are particular about what they eat. Barley has broad leaves, for adult and senior cats who nibble at their own pace. All three help with hairballs. Not sure? The Complete Wellness Bundle brings all three, a box every 10 days.
A box of grass is a small part of your cat's day, but it's worth getting the facts right, and these questions come up more often than you might think. If your cat has allergies or a health condition, check with your vet before adding anything new, grass included. For more about fresh cat grass, keep an eye on our blog for new guides.
