We're always talking about plants cats can't eat, going on and on about the dangers plants pose to cats. For example, cats can get poisoned by eating lilies, and azaleas are inedible for cats; they can cause paralysis in the limbs and even be fatal. In short, there are countless plants cats can't eat. We always keep our plants far away from our cats at home to prevent accidental poisoning. But have we ever considered what plants cats can eat? 
I. Green grass
We let our cats out for a walk, and they ran to the lawn and started munching on the grass. At this point, the owner might wonder if something is wrong with their cat, or if it has pica. Actually, there are several reasons why cats eat grass, including:
1. To expel hairballs accumulated in the stomach: Grass is beneficial to cats. It contains certain vitamins and is rich in fiber, which can act as an effective vomiting agent. The hairs on the grass leaves can stick to the cilia in the digestive tract, thus inducing vomiting and helping cats expel unwanted things such as hairballs. However, the grass must be non-toxic, and not every type of grass is suitable for cats.
2. If you accidentally ingest poisonous food or food that causes gastrointestinal discomfort, you may try to induce vomiting by eating grass to expel the harmful substances as soon as possible.
3. There may already be parasites hiding in the stomach. The cat is trying to change the pH value of its stomach juice by eating grass. If the cat has too many parasites, you will find a lot of parasites if you carefully observe the vomit.
4. Obtaining the essential nutrient "folic acid". According to research results, cats eat grass to absorb the sap in the leaves and stems so that they can produce nutrients in their bodies. Further analysis indicates that what cats really need is the "folic acid" component contained in the sap. Once cats feel the need, they will seek it out to avoid deficiency.
II. Peppermint
If cats eating grass is something they have to do out of necessity, then going looking for catnip is a spontaneous behavior. We've seen in videos that a fat cat named Fatty actually plunged headfirst into catnip jelly, completely disregarding his own safety, which shows just how attractive this plant is to cats.
Although its name includes the word "mint" and it does smell somewhat like mint, catnip is completely different from the mint we usually eat. Catnip belongs to the catnip family. Catnip and mint are similar because they both belong to the Lamiaceae family. If you carefully run your fingers over their stems, you'll find that they are not round but quadrangular, a key characteristic of Lamiaceae plants. Additionally, on these quadrangular stems, all the leaves grow in pairs. Even if the plant hasn't flowered, these two characteristics can be used to identify it as a Lamiaceae plant. Of course, the most important characteristic is its flower, which resembles open lips. This is also the origin of the name Lamiaceae.
The Lamiaceae family, comprising over 3,500 plant species, is a family of herbs, including familiar ones like mint and basil used on the dining table, lavender in the wardrobe, and scutellaria baicalensis used in herbal medicine shops. A major commonality among them is their distinctive aroma. This aroma is caused by volatile components such as menthol contained in the plants. For Lamiaceae plants, the original function of these substances was primarily defense against herbivores. However, some animals have surprisingly developed a liking for these mildly toxic components. This explains our fondness for mint and cats' obsession with catnip.
III. *Polygonum multiflorum*
Most cats will immediately become excited upon smelling, licking, or tasting the scent of catnip, drooling and rolling around on the ground, somewhat like being in heat or being affectionate. Catnip, a plant with some medicinal properties, can only be grown in cold, high-latitude countries such as Japan and Korea. The Japanese consider it a health food and use it as a condiment to boost energy. Therefore, if a cat smells catnip, it will become more energetic and active. Other similar cat grasses such as camphor grass and houttuynia cordata have the same effect.
In addition, there are some potted cat grasses, such as wheatgrass, oat grass, and barley grass. There is also a type of grass on the market nicknamed "cat salad" that contains folic acid, which cats can also eat.
