How to Grow Oats for Pets Inside a Home

Oats Growing in Pots

Indoor cats need a source of greens, and they love green oats. Oats are easy to grow in indoor containers, they do not require too much sunshine, and they sprout quickly. Cats will eat them readily, without any coaxing. Your cats will love you for providing them with a source of nutritious greens that will help with their digestion and micronutrient needs.

Things You'll Need

• A planting pot, 6" or so in diameter
• A drainage plate or saucer
• A small rock
• Potting soil
• Oat seeds (whole, not cracked)
• Water

Instructions

Growing Oats in Pots

1. Put a small rock in the drain hole of the pot, to prevent the dirt from filtering through when you water the oats. Put enough soil in your pot to take it to 1-1/2 inches from the top of the pot.

2. Tamp it down lightly with your fingers. Add more soil if necessary.

3. Add some water and let it drain through.

4. Sprinkle a handful of oats on top. They should almost cover the surface of the soil.

5. Add about 1/4" of potting soil over the oat seeds.

6. Water again and let drain.

7. Put the pot(s) in a warm, sunny location, with the drainage saucer underneath.

8. Keep the soil moist until the seeds sprout. Do not overwater, however. The soil should be moist to the touch, not soggy or wet.

9. If your house is dry, you might want to loosely cover the pot with clear plastic wrap to keep the seeds moist. Once they sprout, you must take the plastic off the pot.

10. Oats consume a lot of water. Check them daily to see if they need more; if the soil feels dry, add water. Do not overwater, however.

Tips & Warnings

• Your oats may last from a couple of weeks to a month. Keep a pot in reserve, and replant about five days before you plan on tossing out the old pot of oats.

• Put the oats in a location that is easy for your cats to access.

• Pet stores sell oats or grass seeds for cats. You can buy them in bulk from feed stores for large animals (like horses) and save a fair amount of money.

• If you do buy oat seeds in bulk, put them in a tight container. Bugs will eventually hatch from them, and could invade your entire kitchen. (I learned that the hard way. Now I buy oats in bulk, take about five pounds and leave the rest at the feed store to be given to needy horses or cows.)

• Don't buy cracked oats -- they will not sprout.