[Evilstrawberry]

Hello! I’m trying to improve our cat enclosure to make it nicer for the cats and was wondering if anyone has any advice about growing cat grass or cat mint?

The enclosure is very large and has lots of places for them to climb, some toys and some plants in pots. However the floor is only dirt so I wanted to possibly grow some grass for them to sit/lounge around on, maybe eat a little and enjoy in their catty ways. Also thinking of growing a bit of catmint in a pot for them to chew on and play with too.

I was looking into it and it seems that cat grass is something that you have to keep planting out seeds for? I don’t actually live with the cats (moved away for uni and only visit at most once a month…) so I won’t be able to do this and no one else in my family would keep it up. I wanted to plant up a low raised garden bed probably about 1.5 m by 0.5m of grass. Are there any grass-type plants which would be good for this and wouldn’t need to be reseeded all the time? I was thinking of maybe planting normal lawn seeds, is there any reason this wouldn't work?

My kitties are fairly old and mainly just want to relax. Any ideas or advice would be appreciated (:

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[Shiraz49]

Have just finished my own 'cat enclosure' .. and Jag has a great time chewing on a couple of different bamboos and 'Zebra Grass' that was already growing within the enclosed pergola area.

I am similarly thinking of planting some catnip and other more normal grasses......you can purchase these in little pots for transplanting into gardens at most nurseys and places like Bunnings garden depts.

Don't know how successful mine will be as there may be too much shade.

Good luck,
Tom.

[fleabag]

The native grasses Lomandra are drought hardy ..and they tend to clump so by planting groups they form tunnels for creeping thru ,shady spots to rest and fill a reasonable space. I made a circle of bricks for cats to lay in the sun ..most of the mints will spread well..and cat mint, and even ordinary grass will work, a couple of metres of cheap stuff will work.

[AussieJarrah]

We bought our cat some cat grass and cat nip and have them in pots... They survived the week of 40 degree weather... they died off and came back with once a week watering. Both are quite high... the grass is about 10 cm tall and the nip is about 5 -7cm tall but spreads more like a clover.
We got ours from Bunnings.
You would need quite a few plants of either... perhaps go with the cat nip as it spreads more.

Our boy will every so often get up into the cat nip pot and roll in it.

[Heather Sharada]

I think you will find that if you plant the enclosure wit grass they will dig and pee on it.....you might find a better way to go is to use large concrete slabs with mondo and couch grass grown in between.......also Cat nip is great but if you don't cover it with netting they will simply roll on it until it is dead.....

[Analog6]

Our has just plain grass in it (see my thread in this area) however I have discovered that Zafira does 'go' out there - as far as I know from watching everyone else comes in and uses the litter. But a good rain shower (and we get them often here) seems to eliminate any smells.

Maybe some pavers and a garden bed, planted with grass, as you suggested.

[christinaspencer11]

You might find a better way to go is to use large concrete slabs with mondo and couch grass grown in between. But I'm thinking of planting some catnip and other more normal grasses......you can purchase these in little pots for transplanting into gardens at most places like Bunnings garden depths.


yours,
christina

[mumsy]

We have two pots with cat nip in them. My cats go crazy!!!!! They love it. I got it at bunnings and put them in two low ish pots. They eat it, roll in it.....love it!

[Heather Sharada]

But I'm thinking of planting some catnip and other more normal grasses

By all means buy it but cover it with chicken mesh until it has had a long time to establish because they will roll on it and kill it off. In fact with the cat mint/cat nip - it dies off in the summer/winter and regrows in the spring so having it behing some mesh all the time is a good idea as it will poke through the oles in the mesh.

[oriental cats]

I have catnip catmint and cat grass in a big herb pot thing, mine like th cat grass best

[Xenacatte]

I have had catgrass from the nursery planted in large pot that gets watered every day in summer-it gets eaten. Another type of grass that cats like is lemon grass-my cat liked to eat it.
Chris