Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cats

Are cat treats healthy?

PawTracks
By

Every cat owner loves and adores their furry feline friends, so they want the absolute best for them. Cat owners want to buy their cats the best toys, beds, grooming tools, and of course, treats. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult to choose from the vast array of delicious treats designed for your cat’s enjoyment. And sometimes, certain treats contain preservatives and additives that may affect your cat negatively. There are certain ingredients, textures, and sizes that you want to look out for when it comes to treating your feline companion.

Cat eating treat
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Choosing the best treats for your furry friend will make them happy and give you long-lasting peace of mind that they are enjoying the best ingredients.

Recommended Videos

All good things in moderation

As with any treat, moderation is key. Cat treats can be a great way to show your best friend how much you love them. Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to resist those big, adorable eyes, and giving them only a couple can seem impossible. It is important, though, to practice restraint for both you and your cat. Treats should be a very small portion of your cat’s diet. They are called treats for a reason and should be a “treat” given out of the normal feeding. Treats typically don’t add much more other than calories to your cat’s diet. If your cat is overweight, it is especially important to monitor diet and give very few treats. Regardless of your cat’s weight or feeding schedule, treats should remain a fun, infrequent part of their day.

Related

Check out the labels

Woman feeding cat a treat
Benjamin Torode/Getty Images

Sometimes, looking at the labels on your cat’s favorite treats can seem like a puzzle. It is important to look at ingredients and serving sizes depending on your cat’s weight. You should only give your cat treats that have clear nutrition and ingredient labels. It is important to skip treats that include sugars, artificial colors, or carbohydrates. Look for treats that promote their ingredients. Cat-treat brands that encourage and promote the inspection of their ingredients are typically providing a good product. Search for treats that are made of high-quality ingredients that your cat will love like chicken, liver, beef, salmon, or other natural ingredients.

Look out for toxic treats

You may think giving your cat pure, natural foods, or “human foods,” are the safest and best options to ensure a healthy treat. It can be a great way to provide your cat with the best products, but only if they aren’t toxic to your cat. Some foods that are toxic to your cat are raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate, eggs, or mushrooms. It is important to research any snacks before treating your feline friend. There are many great, natural options that you can give to your cat to like pumpkin, cheese, apples, blueberries, and more. Regardless of what delectable snacks you want to give to your cat, it is always important to do your research to ensure it is safe to ingest.

Make your own

Making special treats for your best, furry friend can be the greatest way to show them how much you love them. Thanks to the internet, there are thousands of recipes available to you. You can buy organic fish or other meat to create delicious, healthy, and organic treats that your cat will love. Incorporating fish like salmon or tuna into baked oatmeal treats is a great way to ensure you know all of the ingredients that go into each treat. This way, you can easily calculate calories that will help with maintaining or decreasing your cat’s weight.

Man feeding cat a treat
Elizabeth Livermore/Getty Images

Regardless of whether you choose to buy or make treats for your cat, it is important to always know every ingredient that goes into them. Your cat depends on you for love, nurturing, and food. You depend on your cat for a loving, furry companion to enjoy for years to come. Help ensure that your cat lives a long, healthy lifestyle with the best treats available to them. You can make extremely nutritious, organic treats from organic meats or healthy, filling oatmeal treats from delicious oats. Either way, you will see the immense difference in energy levels, coat health, and overall happiness when you provide your feisty feline with the best ingredients that they desire.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
PawTracks
PawTracks
How to help cats inside car engines … before it’s too late
Use these tricks to prevent your cat from getting into a car engine
Cat hiding in engine compartment of car.

Overdrive was only a 2-month-old kitten when he hid inside the engine compartment of a car parked at a rest stop in Arizona. The unsuspecting tourists who owned the car were alarmed when 200 miles later, they stopped at a restaurant in Utah and heard desperate meows coming from under the hood of their car. The tiny buff-colored tabby was successfully rescued and taken to the nearby Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Although traumatized by the experience, he miraculously didn’t sustain any injuries. He's just one of numerous cats in car engines that have survived.

Every year, there are stories of cats getting trapped in vehicle engine compartments. Once a car engine starts, things can quickly take a turn for the worse for a cat hiding under the hood, say veterinary experts at the Chastain Veterinary Medical Group in Texas. The sudden vibration and roar of the car’s engine can cause a stowaway cat to jump or fall into the fan or fan belt and pulleys. The results are often disastrous for the cat, causing trauma, lacerations, and on occasion, death.

Read more
How to cat-proof your balcony before the unthinkable happens
Tips to keep your kitty safe while on the balcony
Cat sitting on a sunny balcony railing

It's tempting to spend some time outside with your cat whenever the weather is nice, and taking your cat outside can give him a nice break from indoor-only life. If you love to spend time on your balcony, it's natural to consider letting your cat join you, but balconies can be dangerous for cats. In addition to the potential for a fall, balconies have several other risks that you might not be aware of. Understanding how to cat-proof a balcony can help you to make the space safer, so you and your cat can spend a little time outside together.

Will a cat jump off a balcony?
Balconies can be very dangerous for cats because of the possibility of "high-rise syndrome." Always Compassionate Veterinary Care explains that high-rise syndrome refers to the occurrence of cats falling out of high-rise buildings and needing veterinary treatment. The term originates when the Animal Medical Center in New York City treated more than 100 cats who fell out of high-rise windows. That occurred during just five months in the 1980s and highlights the fact that cats can and do fall out of high structures.

Read more
How to tell if your cat is a Maine Coon mix (and why you should care)
Should you consider a Maine Coon mix? Here's what you need to know
Closeup of a Maine Coon's face

There are plenty of big and fluffy cats out there, but one of the best-known breeds fitting this description is the Maine Coon. These cats are not only impressive in size, but they also tend to have fantastic personalities that make them beloved family pets. While purebred Maine Coons are a little more uncommon in rescues and shelters, it's possible to adopt a Maine Coon mix that still has some of the breed's distinctive characteristics.

While telling exactly which breeds your cat is can be a little tricky, it's worth doing some investigative work to better understand your feline's background and what that might mean for the care he needs during his life.
Where do Maine Coon cats come from?
You may have heard that the Maine Coon Cate originated from a fantastical cross between a feline and a raccoon. Of course, this didn't really happen, but it could be where they get the name. (Another option, from a ship's captain who brought the first of these kitties ashore.)

Read more