[Gpdd] [HEALTH} cat grass

[Louise August]

Dawnda's right about true catnip - its not for piggies. Neither is cat-mint.

However, I have a package of "Cat Grass" seed - the contents says "oat, 
wheat and rye grasses". And it comes up looking just like blades a grass. 
Cat nip looks very different, not grass-like at all. I feed that 
oat-wheat-rye mix to my cats and piggies in the winter.

In the summer, I feed the piggies huge quantities of fresh "lawn greens". 
The six of them go through about three plastic grocery sacks every week. 
Its a lot, but I'm careful to increase the amount they get pretty slowly in 
the spring so as not to upset little tummies. Cuts down the food bill 
considerably and they love the stuff- in fact I don't buy lettuce and other 
greens during the summer. Of course they still get hay, pellets and plenty 
of fruit and veg.

My backyard "lawn" is mostly white clover and assorted lawn-type grasses. 
I've been working for years to eliminate the grass non-chemically so the 
lawn would only need mowing one or twice a summer and still look neat and 
green. I trim the too-tall spots with clippers. In a plastic grocery sack 
it keeps fresh for at least a week. I'm guessing the result is 50% clover, 
40% grass and 10% other assorted edible weeds (chickweed, dandelions, false 
strawberry, violets).

I'm very very cautious about anything I'm not sure of - I have several 
plant and weed identification guides, but if I'm not sure then I don't feed 
it.

Also, since its my own yard I know for sure that there's been no chemicals 
used.


best from all of us here
Louise and Phineas, Delilah, Mostly, Hilly, Panda and Neville