Everyone loves a treat now and then. Cats are no different. Homemade cat treats give your kitty the love she deserves, while providing yummy morsels without lots of additives or high costs. You can use treats to reward your cat for good behavior and new skills, help keep her teeth clean, provide variety, bond with your cat and show your love and affection.
“Cat treats are helpful for teaching or redirecting behavior, like indoor cats trying to escape,” says Laura Linn, a pet behaviorist, vet assistant and trainer in Lynchburg, Virginia. They can also help with dental diseases and other issues. “Cat treats can be used to help with anxiety,” Linn adds. “Hiding treats can elicit and hone a normal hunt and prey drive and give [your cat] something else to think about.” If you make a treat your feline loves, you’ll strengthen the great bond you already have.
When you make cat treats at home, choose kitty’s favorite foods. “Homemade cat treats are fairly tricky in that every cat has his own individual preferences when it comes to food,” says Alana Stevenson, an animal behaviorist and pet trainer. “It’s important that cats have a lot of moisture, so too many grain or cereal based foods aren’t particularly good for them. Many store bought cat treats are heavily processed with a lot of cheap fillers and artificial colors or flavorings.”
Use cat treats to reward your cat and train him to behave, even when you’re not at home!
These 10 easy recipes offer a variety of ingredients cats love including cheese, tuna, salmon and catnip:
- Cheesy Goodness
These cheesy, gooey treats from Cowboy Way combine two varieties of cheese, yogurt, flour, cornmeal and water into easy snacks your furry friend will love. They’re firm on the outside, and chewy, gooey on the inside.
- Softies
As CDkitchen demonstrates, combine five ingredients, bake for 25 minutes and you’ll get soft, tasty morsels that will make your cat meow for joy.
- Treats With Flour
Start with flour and add a few ingredients to create chewy cookie treats with this simple recipe from The Nest.
- Tuna Special
Combine canned tuna, an egg, flour, parsley and water in a bowl (or use a food processor to mix more quickly), just as Mess For Less describes in this recipe for easy tuna cat treats.
- Catnip Crumbles
Catnip crumbles from Doggy Dessert Chef use ground beef, catnip and eggs for a concoction you can sprinkle over dry cat food or serve as a treat. Be sure to refrigerate them.
- Kitty Delights
These from Serendipity and Spice are like little thumbprint cookies for your kitties. They’re fast, easy and will make your cat come back for more.
- Tuna Hearts
Make these heart-shaped treats from Pawesomecats for Valentine’s Day or anytime you want to share the love with your furry friend. Roll the dough into balls, flatten slightly and press a heart-shaped stencil in the center of each treat.
- Chewy Bars
You might find variations of this chewy treat recipe from Joy the Baker all over the Internet. This tried and true recipe uses baby food or canned wet cat food as a base and includes parsley, rice and flour.
- Tuna Crunchers
There’s no trick to these tuna crunchers from Doggy Dessert Chef. Combine tuna, catnip, flour and an egg to make these tasty treats. Substitute chicken if your furry baby isn’t a tuna lover.
- Fish and Coconut Croutons
Your cat will flip for these crunchy croutons from The Cookie Rookie. You’ll rest easy knowing you can keep these little homemade treats in the fridge for about a week.
Share these with your fur babies and their friends. A special little treat is a great way to show love, but try to not over indulge. Too many treats make a tubby tabby. Some common human foods including grapes, raisins, onion, salt, alcohol and tea are toxic to cats, so check with your vet before you begin.
Sandy Wallace enjoys family, photography, writing and the outdoors and a variety of four-legged furry friends have been part of Sandy’s family through the years. You can follow her twitter.