Cat almost always pukes after eating grass

One of my cats is so addicted to grass, since the day I got him he craves and eagerly devours grass. I have bought pre grown cat grass and since its nice out im growing my own outside from a kit. I never use chemicals or fertilizer ever so its very safe for him. But 99% of the time after eating the grass within a minute he pukes, sometimes its just saliva with grass, other times it's undigested food with the grass.

My other cat doesnt crave grass, but she will eat it once in a while. She almost never pukes after eating grass, ill see it in her stools a day or two later.

Why does one of my cats crave grass so badly and always puke after? Is there something wrong with him because my vet said nothing about it other than to avoid grass treated with chemicals, but it seems very odd to me how he wants it so bad all the time.

You do NOT have a sick cat. Grass is VERY well-known for causing stomach upset and vomiting in cats. It does not matter where you get it from. The grass does NOT belong in your cat's mouth.

If you want to give your cat ba safe plant to chew on, buy the one most cats love - catnip.

Talk about ironic, I was always told a cat eats grass because they already had a sick stomach and they feel better by puking, hence why I have allowed my cat to eat it because he has a habit of eating his food very fast and I thought that gave him a stomach ache.

I also give him fresh catnip he loves, but with that ive even been told is bad for cats, I guess I see how easily some things are mixed up.

I know you said grass is bad, but why does my other cat not get sick from it then? I dont understand if its bad then shouldnt all cats react the same to it and get sick?
 

I think it's because of the cat, not the grass; some cats are more prone to vomiting than others.  Some cats have more sensitive stomachs than others.

Ritz loves cat grass, always has in the two years since I've rescued/adopted her. She will occasionally throw up cat grass + undigested breakfast, regardless of how I obtained the cat grass (pre-grown; grown from kits; grown from soil + organic cat grass seeds.)

I limit her access to the cat grass, especially right before I feed her, if she throws up more than two times a week.

FWIW:  Ritz lived on the streets for the first 4 to 6 months of her life, and obtained some food from the dumpster.  I don't know if this has anything to do with her stomach.  Also, I feed her 100% raw; within 15 to 30 minutes after she throws up, she wants more food.

It's not like the grass is actually bad for the cat. It's just that this particular cat is eating way too much of it. Throwing up that much isn't good for anybody.

Just don't let them eat grass that's been sprayed with pesticide, fertilizer, or similar. That IS bad for them. (And also so obvious I probably didn't need to mention it.)

Callista said:

It's not like the grass is actually bad for the cat. It's just that this particular cat is eating way too much of it. Throwing up that much isn't good for anybody.

Just don't let them eat grass that's been sprayed with pesticide, fertilizer, or similar. That IS bad for them. (And also so obvious I probably didn't need to mention it.)

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In other words it is like I have to drink apple juice in moderation because if I drink a lot of it, I will get cankersores. That does not make it a bad drink.

I have also seen the opposite happen. Patricia ate the Christmas tree every year except the two years I did not have white pine, but never felt sick. I asked a vet if white pine needles are poisonous. She said it can cause stomach upset, but Patricia never vomited any of them.

But I wonder why cats like to eat grass because they are obligate carnivores. In the wild the only plants they eat are stomach contents of their prey.

EmilyMayWilcha said:

In other words it is like I have to drink apple juice in moderation because if I drink a lot of it, I will get cankersores. That does not make it a bad drink.

I have also seen the opposite happen. Patricia ate the Christmas tree every year except the two years I did not have white pine, but never felt sick. I asked a vet if white pine needles are poisonous. She said it can cause stomach upset, but Patricia never vomited any of them.

But I wonder why cats like to eat grass because they are obligate carnivores. In the wild the only plants they eat are stomach contents of their prey.

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I buy my cats the cat grass at Petsmart and give them some of it a couple of times a week.  I have no idea why they like it so much but they do.  I don't let them over eat it though because one of them will most certainly vomit it back up if she gets too much of it.  I researched cat grass a long time ago.  There is no nutritional value to it that I could find and no firm explanation as to why my cats are so drawn to it.  Maybe it's a cat *thing*   I have extensive gardens but can not bring a single plant or flower indoors either.  They will eat anything I put in a vase or pot.  As far as outdoor lawn type grass goes;  I would never allow mine to eat any of it because of the possible contaminants but my cats are all indoor only cats.  Not much help but that has been my experience.

We chew sugarless gum and it's got no nutritional value for us... so maybe this is the kitty version?

Callista said:

We chew sugarless gum and it's got no nutritional value for us... so maybe this is the kitty version?

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LOL Callista!  It's possible I suppose.  My cats will almost fight over cat grass.  I probably eat a lot of things that are void of nutritional value