Mystery solved: Why do cats eat grass even when it makes them sick?
While our feline friends are full of mysteries - there are some questions that should be answered for the sake of health.
Cats have a strange habit of eating grass despite it making them ill.
Researchers from the University of California’s School of Veterinary Medicine believe they have found the reason behind the odd practice.
Experts suggest feline’s ancestors would chew on roughage (comparable to grass) to get rid of intestinal parasites.
Cats would pick up parasites from eating rodents then eat the grass to flush out the worms.
Chewing on grass would provoke muscle activity in their digestive tracts.
While it is unnecessary for our furry friends to keep the habit in modern times, researchers believe it is what cats choose to do when they have an irritation.
“Given that virtually all wild carnivores carry an intestinal parasite load, instinctive plant-eating would have an adaptive role in maintaining a tolerable intestinal parasite load, whether or not the animal senses the parasites,” the statement read.