Grow a snack for Kitty

 We had such a gorgeous, sunshiny day today! I thought it was the perfect time to reseed our cat's little 'salad' pot. She enjoys chewing on oat grass: it is a outdoor treat she can indulge in while staying safe indoors. 

   Oat grass seed is easily found at stores like Petsmart and Petco. All you need to grow it is some potting soil in a well drained planter or pot. 

Fill the pot 3/4 full of soil, then water. Sprinkle several tablespoons of oat grass seed on the dampened surface, then cover seeds with 1/4" more soil. Lightly water. Keep moistened until seeds sprout in a few days. Kitty will be delighted! 

 Another treat for kitty is cat mint, or catnip. You can usually find seedlings at home and garden stores...just look in the Herb section of the Gardening areas.

 Weather permitting, we take our kitty outside to sample the oat grass & cat mint but only while wearing her harness & leash...yep! You would be surprised how most cats easily adjust to wearing a harness. Both of our cats quickly learned that putting on their harness/leashes meant they got to explore the backyard & get some sun, and we adopted them as adults. Make putting on the harness and leash a good thing by offering a yummy treat, and be patient. I started by jingling the leash & harness when I opened our screened back door. The cats would immediately come to the screen to look out, and I gently introduced them to the leash. Indoor cats  live much longer  than cats allowed to roam free. Traffic, other animals, poisonous plants & products, pests and illnesses contribute to a remarkably shorter lifespan for 'outdoor' cats... as much as 10 years difference! We have coyotes and snakes in our area, not to mention opposums.

We discovered that the wild rabbits that visit our backyard also love the oat grass...so I will keep kitty's grass out of reach~