What Cat Treats Should You Buy and Which to Avoid?

Are you a pet owner who loves showering your furry friend with treats and affection? If so, then having the right cat treat options is essential for keeping them healthy and happy.

Whether it’s kitty-approved snacks or food for training, understanding what treats are best for your cat is key to their overall health and well-being.

With this blog post, we want to provide helpful advice about which types of treats are the most beneficial for cats. So if you’re looking for a go-to guide when it comes time to pick out cat treats, this blog post will have all the information you need!

What is a Good Treat for Cats?

There are lots of different types of cat treats on the market. These include:

• Freeze dried
• Dehydrated
• Liver
• Dental
• Soft and chewy
• Lickable and wet
• Broths
• Catnip

What Treats do Cats like the Most?

Cats are picky eaters so finding something your furry friend likes can be a process. You may need to try multiple treat types and flavours until you find something your cat goes crazy for!

The most popular types are crunchy freeze dried treats and soft chews.

Treat flavours that most cats find delicious include fish (especially tuna and salmon), chicken, beef and cheese.

Do Cats Really Need Treats?

Owners may wonder if pets really need treats or if the expense and extra calories are worth the reward. The truth is cats do not require treats to survive but the occasional treat can be part of a balanced diet.

The key benefits of feeding your cat treats include:

• Bonding – Feeding your pet is a great way to bond and show it affection. It helps it feel like part of the family!
• Dental Health – Some treats are designed to help clean your cat’s teeth, remove tartar and improve their dental health.
• Training – Food is an excellent tool for training pets or teaching them tricks. The treat acts as a reward and helps with positive reinforcement.
• Nutrition – Many cat treats are formulated with additional vitamins and minerals that can help supplement your cat’s diet in between meals.
• Medication Administration – If your cat needs to take medication, hiding it in a treat can make the process easier and less stressful for both you and your cat.
• Joy – Treats make your cat happy! Your cat deserves to be spoiled.

What Happens if I Give my Cat Too Many Treats?

Feeding your cat treats can be a fun and rewarding experience. But giving your cat too many treats can be harmful to their health and lead to serious medical consequences.

Too many treats in your cat’s diet can result in weight gain and obesity. This can lead to health issues, such as joint pain, diabetes and shortened life expectancy. If you suspect your cat is overweight, your pet’s condition deteriorates, or are unsure how much you should be feeding it, seek veterinary advice.

Over indulging a cat with food can lead to nutritional deficiencies since the caloric intake from treats can replace the natural diet of healthy proteins and fats from regular meals.

Too many wet or sugary treats in a cat’s diet can also cause a dental problem known as periodontal disease. Symptoms include bad breath, discoloured teeth, receding gums, and avoiding hard foods. If you notice these symptoms, seek immediate veterinary advice. Your vet will likely put your cat under general anesthetic to be examined, for teeth cleaning, and possible removal.

Aside from physical health risks, giving your cat too many treats can create behavioral problems. You cat may begin begging for treats aggressively, resulting in the cat scratching or biting humans as a way of demanding to be fed. Your cat may also develop an unhealthy over-attachment to the people who feed it the most.

What Treats Should Cats Avoid?

Focus on Nutrition

Always try to buy your cat healthy treats. When buying cat treats, check the ingredients list.

Cats are carnivores so the ingredients should primarily be meat.

Avoid grain based fillers like wheat, corn and rice – these are a cheap way for manufacturers to fill up space but have no nutritional value. Many cats also have trouble digesting grains, leading to upset tummies and allergic reactions such as rashes.

Avoid treats containing artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. These are usually represented on the ingredients list by numbers and codes. Artificial additives can be difficult to digest, leading to constipation and vitamin deficiencies.

Toxic Foods

The following human foods are also toxic to cats and should be avoided completely: chocolate, grapes, onion, garlic, uncooked potatoes, avocado, and yeast dough.

Contrary to popular belief, many cats become lactose intolerant as they age. If you want to feed your cat milk or cheese, give it a very small amount as a test. If your cat experiences stomach upset, do not feed it dairy anymore.

Be cautious allowing your cat access to eat wild rodents. While rare, the rodents can pass roundworms onto your cat. If your cat eats several rodents that have been poisoned this can be dangerous.

Seek immediate veterinary advice if your cat is experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, fever, dehydration or lethargy.

Healthy Cat Treats

A good treat for cats should be something they not only enjoy, but something that is nutritious.

Healthy cat treats will be primarily made up of meat or fish. They should contain minimal cheap fillers, such as grains, cereals or rice. They should also contain no artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives.

When shopping for treats, check the packaging for the nutritional content. A healthy treat will be high in protein, iron, taurine and vitamin B.

Salmon and tuna based cat treats will be high in Omega 3, helping to keep your cat’s skin and coat healthy.

Healthy cat treats should contain between 20-50% protein. They will also contain 10-25% fat. Dietary requirements can vary depending on your cats age, size, breed and activity level. Book an appointment with your local veterinarian to confirm your cat’s nutritional needs.

If your cat has digestive issues or allergies, you may need to buy treats that are grain free or gluten free.

When your cat is eating treats, always make sure it has access to water.

Treats for Kittens

Kittens have very specific dietary needs to support their rapid growth. Making sure they get the proper amount of nutrients is critical to their overall health and development.

Kitten formulated treats are higher in calories, protein and fat. This helps support their growth and high activity levels.

Kitten treats will typically come in smaller pieces, to fit in their tiny mouths and avoid choking. If you are feeding your kitty treats designed for adult cats, make sure to break them into tiny bite-sized pieces first.

It is not harmful for a kitten to eat adult cat treats and visa versa. However, they will not be nutritionally balanced and may negatively impact their weight.

Catnip

Catnip is an herb with a unique effect on cats.

Most cats (around 70-80%) react to catnip. The effects usually last about 10 minutes.

When effected, cats can become excited, playful, and even hyperactive. Other cats may experience an opposite reaction and appear to be more relaxed or drowsy. In rare cases, some cats will become aggressive and stressed out when exposed to catnip.

To get a reaction, cats can either smell or eat catnip.

For convenience, many companies now produce catnip cat treats that are available to purchase. Or if you’re feeling crafty, you and your family can try baking some special treats for your feline pal at home.

What Human Food is a Treat for Cats?

Treating your cat to human food can be a great way to introduce variety and help keep them occupied while they eat. However, it is important that you feed in moderation. It is easy to accidentally overdo it!

Too much human food can lead to an unbalanced diet, with excessive calories and an improper nutrient ratio.

Cats can eat the following human foods in moderation:

Animal Products

• Cooked eggs
• Cooked chicken
• Cooked turkey
• Cooked salmon
• Canned tuna

Always remove skin and bones.

Fruits

• Banana
• Blueberries
• Seedless watermelon
• Rock melon
• Peeled apples

Vegetables

• Cucumber
• Carrot
• Peas
• Cooked broccoli
• Spinach

Buy Cat Treats Online

Shopping for cat treats online can be a great way to pamper your kitty.

You can buy pet food online from many different companies. They may require you to sign up to their website before purchasing. Once you log into an existing account, shopping online becomes easy.

There are so many different treat categories and brands available to choose from; you won’t need to worry about being limited in the range of options! The best way to pick the perfect treats for your cat is to first decide on the type of treat you would like.

Freeze Dried

Freeze dried treats are made by freezing raw proteins then drying them out in a vacuum, removing 95% of water.

This means freeze dried treats have the nutrition benefits of a raw diet, are easy to digest, and are hypoallergenic.

Cats love freeze dried treats because they are delicious and full of flavour!

Raw Salmon Belly – Freeze Dry Australia

These Freeze Dried Raw Salmon Belly treats are high in omega 3, protein and essential vitamins and minerals.

They only have one ingredient so they are easy to digest and hypoallergenic. You don’t have to worry about nasty artificial additives or excess salt.

Freeze Dry Australia stock a wide range of proteins to bring your furry friends joy, including sardines, green lip mussels and chicken.

Shop here

Dental

Dental treats are hard, chewy treats. As your cat chews on them, plaque and tartar are scraped off the teeth. It is like brushing your cat’s teeth as it eats!

Incorporating dental treats into your cat’s diet can help to prevent periodontal disease.

Shark Cartilage – DoggieBalm

DoggieBalm Shark Cartilage is suitable for both cats and dogs. It is made from 100% shark cartilage that is sustainable caught in Australia.

The hard texture will scrape your cat’s teeth clean as it eats, helping to keep its break fresh and mouth healthy.

Single Protein

Single protein cat treats only contain one protein, such as chicken, tuna or beef.

A single protein diet can help cats with sensitive stomachs as their diet doesn’t vary too much from meal to meal. It is also beneficial for cats with food allergies, as it is easier for owners to manage and eliminate sources that trigger allergic reactions.

SPT Nibbles Chicken Cat Treats – Prime100

SPT Nibbles Chicken Cat Treats are a hypoallergenic snack for your felines.

They are Australian made from human grade chicken. They contain no cheap fillers or artificial additives to help keep your pet healthy.