Which plant do burrs come from ?

[Gilli]

I recently acquired 2 long-ish haired cats from the Cat Home, and unfortunately, each time they come in their fur is covered in all sorts - bits of grass, leaves, cobwebs etc. That's ok - and pretty predictable, and easy to brush out, but worse than that, they get covered in those little sticky burrs, which, when I pull them out, inevitably bring a load of fur with them.

I have 3 shorthaired cats too - and they only occasionally pick up burrs - 1 or 2 every so often ..... not 20 to 30 each time they go out.

I was wondering which plant they come from .... I live by the edge of a field, with hedgrows, and bordered one side by a small wood. The cats don't go far, so am guessing they come from plants found amongst the "weed" type which grow by the side of the path, but can't for the life of me think what. It must be common, and growing nearby ...... and obviously it's in seed at the moment. Hopefully once summer's finished it won't be such a problem.

Does anyone know ?

[gen2]

The plant is Gallium aparine. This is a very common weed and is found on most waste ground.  Not only the seeds, but also the leaves and stems have tiny hooks to catch on passing animals.

Its common names are Goose Grass, Cleavers, and up here in Fife it is called Sticky Willies

[gen2]

Correction.  I put an extra L in the plant genus.  It should be Galium aparine

[gen2]

This is what it looks like 

Click the above link for a picture and a description.

[Robinia]

 Gilli I often have some at the bottom of my garden & my little spaniel comes in with them stuck in his loppy ears!

There's a picture here 

[Robinia]

oops - posted at the same time gen2

[mycatis]

gen2 we always called them sticky willies when we were kids, that was in Perth so maybe it's a scottish thing

[Gilli]

Thanks everyone ..... I've seen that weed about all over the place but didn't realise that burrs were its seeds.

[cat woman]

My cats get the littl balls on their fur, thankfully mine are short haired, I come from the North East Durham, we called the weed Stick-a-Back.  When we were youngsters we used to throw it at each other & it was a night mare trying to get it out your hair.  :-)

[netibiza]

It must the Invasion of the burrs as I live in Spain and this summer particularly my cats are bringing home excessive amounts of them.  I admit my garden is a jungle with dried up plants and weeds due to not being able to afford the water to water them with, but cannot notice any burr plants.  They are getting everywhere.

[missmooncat]

Im from north west we call them sticky bobs