Cat Treats

Cat treat tips and advice

Doling out a handful of cat treats to an appreciative kitty that thanks you with profuse purring, exuberant meows and much leg rubbing, is one of the more joyful aspects of having a cat. It's such a simple thing, and it makes your cat deliriously happy. What could be better than that?

Why Cats Love Treats

Simply put, cats love treats because they taste good! Cats also love treats because most are fond of eating in general, and the treats are viewed as another opportunity to get some food. In addition, if you use cat treats as a reward for good behavior, or at the end of pleasant activities such as brushing or petting, they develop a positive association with the treat.

Uses for Cat Treats

Most cat treats, even so-called gourmet cat treats, don't contain all of the nutrients your cat requires to maintain optimum health. Cat treats are not generally considered food, and are meant to be used as an addition to a cat's diet rather than a meal replacement. There are, however, a handful of grain-free, natural cat treats made primarily from human-quality meat and supplemented with enough vitamins, minerals, probiotics, enzymes and other nutrients that they can occasionally be used in place of a meal.

You can also use cat treats as a reward for good behavior, such as when your cat diligently scratches on its post instead of your carpet. Give the treat immediately after your cat finishes scratching, so it will associate the behavior with the treat. Another use for treats is to placate your cat after subjecting it to something you feel is necessary but that it doesn't enjoy, like nail trimming, teeth brushing or ear cleaning.

Some treats are specially formulated and shaped to help keep your cat's teeth clean. Many pet owners and veterinarians believe these treats remove some tartar and plaque from a cat's teeth; nonetheless, they're not nearly as thorough as professional cat dental care.

Alternative and Homemade Cat Treats

Many commercial cat treats are loaded with chemicals, additives, artificial preservatives and other unsavory ingredients that have no place in a feline's diet. Because the pet food industry is not subject to the same strict regulations as human food, some of these might even be labeled as "natural cat treats," "gourmet cat treats" or "healthy cat treats." In reality, most offer relatively little nutritional value.

Far better alternatives do exist; however, you won't find them on your supermarket shelf. You might be able to find healthy cat treats in natural food stores, in local specialty pet stores that sell all-natural cat food or on websites that offer premium-quality, raw pet food diets.

How will you know the good, healthy cat treats from the not so good? Simply read the ingredients. Healthy cat treats are made from freeze-dried meat, a handful of supplements and very little else. Pass up cat treats with a long list of questionable ingredients you can't even pronounce.

Another alternative to commercial cat treats is to make your own from high-quality ingredients. Although it might seem daunting at first, homemade cat treats are not terribly difficult to make. You can find good recipes in natural cat care books, as well as "cookbooks" filled with dozens of easy recipes for homemade cat treats.

Dried bonito flakes traditionally used in Japanese cooking make excellent all-natural cat treats. With just one kitty-pleasing ingredient (paper-thin pieces of dried, smoked bonito fish), this could well be the best cat treat of the bunch!

By Julia Williams