what’s the difference?
“Cat grass” and “catnip” get lumped together a lot. Both are plants marketed at cat owners, both come in little pots or trays, and both sound like variations on the same idea. They’re not. They’re different plants, cats use them in completely different ways, and they serve different purposes. Here’s the actual difference.
Cat grass: something cats chew and eat
Cat grass isn’t a single species. It’s usually a blend of wheat, oat, barley or rye grass, grown specifically to be safe for cats to chew and swallow. Cats eat grass for a handful of well-understood reasons: it may help them bring up hairballs, support normal digestion, supply trace nutrients their all-meat diet doesn’t provide, or simply because they enjoy the texture and the grazing behaviour. It’s a genuinely functional, food-safe plant, and cats eat it the way you’d expect an animal to eat something, calmly and repeatedly, over time.
Catnip: something cats respond to
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a different plant altogether, and cats don’t eat it in any meaningful sense. They smell it. Catnip contains a compound called nepetalactone, which triggers a short, intense response in roughly 50 to 70% of cats (sensitivity is genetic; some cats simply don’t react to it at all). A cat that’s sensitive will typically rub against it, roll in it, paw at it, and generally act unusually playful or relaxed for around 10 to 15 minutes, after which the effect wears off and there’s a refractory period before it works again.
Unlike grass, catnip isn’t about digestion or nutrition at all. It’s pure sensory stimulation, closer to a scent-triggered play response than anything else.
The key differences at a glance
What it’s for
Cat grass supports digestion and satisfies a grazing instinct; catnip triggers a short-lived playful or euphoric reaction.
How cats use it
Cats eat and chew cat grass; they mostly smell, rub, and roll in catnip rather than eating it.
How long the effect lasts
Cat grass can be grazed on repeatedly throughout the day with no real “effect” beyond satisfying the behaviour; catnip’s effect is intense but brief, and fades with repeated exposure until a cat’s sensitivity resets.
Does every cat respond?
Virtually all cats will eat grass given the chance; only cats with the genetic sensitivity respond to catnip at all.
Does my cat need both?
Most cats benefit from having access to safe grass, since grazing is such a widespread, natural behaviour. Catnip is more of an occasional enrichment or play tool than something with an ongoing functional purpose. It’s useful for encouraging activity or easing a cat into a new toy or scratching post, but not something a cat needs daily the way grass-grazing seems to be a recurring urge.
Separately from the chewing and grazing side of things, plenty of indoor cats also benefit from a dedicated surface to dig into, scratch at and explore, distinct from anything they eat. That’s what Purrfect Patch is for: a patch of real, soil-free, pesticide-free grass designed as a safe enrichment surface, not a food source.
FAQ
Is catnip the same as cat grass?
No. They’re different plants used in completely different ways. Cat grass is a food-safe grass that cats chew and eat; catnip is a herb cats respond to by smell, triggering a short burst of playful or relaxed behaviour rather than being eaten.
Do all cats react to catnip?
No. Sensitivity to catnip is genetic, and roughly 50 to 70% of cats respond to it. The rest show little to no reaction at all, which is completely normal.
Can cats eat catnip as well as cat grass?
In small amounts, most cats can nibble catnip without issue, but it isn’t eaten the way grass is. The main response is behavioural (rubbing, rolling, playing) rather than digestive.
Which is better for my cat, grass or catnip?
They’re not really competing for the same job. Grass supports a natural, ongoing grazing instinct that most cats have; catnip is more of an occasional play or enrichment tool. Many cat owners offer both for different reasons.
Real grass, indoors somewhere safe to dig, scratch and rest
Purrfect Patch is a patch of real, soil-free, pesticide-free grass, grown in the UK and posted to your door. £33.95.