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My cat eats hay!

post #1 of 7
6/20/11 at 10:54am
Thread Starter 
I was going to post this in my previous thread, but it is a bit funny on it's own.
I have 6 rabbits, and Wyatt my cat LOVES to eat their timothy hay. I mean loves it. So far I haven't seen any problems with it.

My friend who also owns cats/bunnies says sometimes her cats will throw it up..or poop it out 0__0

He also likes to eat the rabbit pellets (pretty much more hay)

Aside from the throwing up part (which he hasn't done), could this cause serious harm? There really is no way to separate the hay from the cat. Someone once told me they thought it actually might be nutritional!

(Ignore the poops..my Chewy isn't potty trained!)
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post #2 of 7
6/20/11 at 2:53pm
Nope, its not toxic, and many cats and dogs nibble on grass for example which really just stimulates them to throw up.

However, its definitely 100% nutritionally empty though, so the question would just be how much kitty is eating.

If its a tiny nibble here and there, big deal, will either get barfed or pooped up. If its a lot, then I'd see if perhaps kitty would benefit from more smaller meals throughout the day and do my best to keep kitty away from it. Simply put, you don't want to be filling up on completely empty calories like that.
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post #3 of 7
6/20/11 at 4:25pm
My cats eat the rabbits' and tortoises' hay, too. But they usually yak it up on the carpet somewhere . As long as he's not eating too much it should be fine. I think too much could cause a blockage, though, since cats can't digest plant matter the way rabbits can. They don't have the necessary enzymes to derive any nutritional benefit from plants.
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post #4 of 7
6/20/11 at 4:54pm
Thread Starter 
I don't think he actually eats it..I think he might just chew on it? he has never gagged or pooped it up. I wouldn't say he eats hay all the time, just when I set fresh hay out (twice a day) he goes and mouths it (you can kinda see what I mean in the photo)
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post #5 of 7
6/20/11 at 5:37pm
Oh nah, chewing is no big deal then.
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post #6 of 7
6/22/11 at 7:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Myia09 View Post
I don't think he actually eats it..I think he might just chew on it? he has never gagged or pooped it up. I wouldn't say he eats hay all the time, just when I set fresh hay out (twice a day) he goes and mouths it (you can kinda see what I mean in the photo)
Chewing on it should be just fine. Now and then I'll have a stray piece or 2 stuck in my boots or jeans when I get home from the stables. The cats will gnaw on it but don't eat it. Never had any issues with it myself
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post #7 of 7
6/23/11 at 11:44am
I have two barn cats and they enjoy nibbling on the hay.. they don't truly eat it more just use it as a rawhide equivalent lol
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