What cool cat doesn't like grass? But keeping a steady stream of the good stuff coming can be expensive if you buy kits and refills and such. There's a much cheaper way to keep your kitties happy and healthy.

Step 1: Don't Buy Grown Grass, Buy Seeds.

We've all seen the cute little patches of green grass at the pet store checkout, but growing your own cat grass is so much cheaper. Seeds are a bit harder to find but are usually hiding somewhere with the catnip and the cat toys. You can also find it easily online. Cat grass is usually a mix of wheat grass, oat grass, rye grass, and/or barley grass, so any of those would work just as well. (Know a hipster juicer type? They probably buy this stuff in bulk and will happily give you some or sell you a little on the cheap.)

Step 2: Select a Container (or Make One)

If you have a spare pot with a drain hole and a water tray, great, you're done! If not, use an food container such as a butter tub, sour cream container, yogurt cup, etc. It doesn't need to be super deep, you just want it to be food safe. Poke a few holes in the bottom to let water drain. I used a drywall screw and did this by hand.

Step 3: Add Dirt, Then Seeds, Then Top With Some More Dirt.

You'll want to select a potting soil that says somewhere on the package that it is safe to grow vegetables in - after all, your kitties will be eating stuff out of this dirt. Fill your container until it's about one inch from the rim. Pour on lots of seed until you almost can't see the dirt. Then sprinkle on enough dirt to cover up the seeds.

Step 4: Water Water Water.

Set your container into a large bowl and add water to the soil. It doesn't have to be much, just enough to get a bit of the soil moist. (This will help get the wicking effect going if your soil is extra dry like mine was.)

Add several inches of water to the bowl and let it sit for a couple of hours until the soil has absorbed as much water up as it wants to hold. Of course, let your feline overlord observe at any point to make sure you're doing this all right.

If you're using a pot with a watering tray, you may have to refill it several times before it has all the water it can absorb.

Step 5: Hide Your Grass.

Put the container onto its lid to protect whatever you're setting the container on from getting damp and stealing water away from your grass seeds. Make sure you put this somewhere out of reach of any and all cats to keep them from chomping on the grass as it spouts. I put mine up on a cabinet where I hide the food away from the cat who's on a diet.

Leave it up there until the grass has sprouted and is a few inches tall, which can take anywhere from 4-8 days in my experience. (Shorter in the summer when it's warmer and longer in the winter when it's colder.)