Homemade Cat Treats

Homemade cat treats:

I love cooking, baking in particular.  I always want to have some fresh yummy treat for the kids (and my husband too). The other day while baking my son’s birthday cake I had a thought…. Maybe I could bake treats for the cats.  As great as this thought is, I knew I’d have to research more.  I did an online course on Pet nutrition through Holly and Hugo.  I found the course to be extremely interesting.

First, off I should tell you that my cats are treat-hounds. Fang will chase them around the house if we toss them for him, the slightest crinkle of the treat bag has the cat’s running.  So making treats that they will eat is an important task.  Through the online course, I learned about how the different food groups work for different animals from Herbivores to Carnivores.  Did you know that cats are what you call an obligate carnivore, This means that their genetic digestion makeup requires them to eat a meat-based diet.  Feral cats will eat all of their prey, even bones, which provides them with all the necessary nutrients.  Since most domestic cats rely on their humans to provide food, cat food formulas have been developed to provide cats with a well-balanced diet.

Treat ingredients:

Now with the research in mind, any homemade treat should contain a high level of protein. When choosing a protein for your treats, choose one that your cat enjoys.  Also think about the type of treats your cat likes (crunchy, chewy).

One super-easy way to offer a treat to your cat is a pureed soup treat.  This I find is done best with canned tuna or salmon.  Just take the can contents and empty them into a blender or mini food processor and blend.  add water to reach the desired consistency.  a really neat thing you can do with this is to freeze it in shaped ice cube trays, and then your cat gets an ice cream treat (kind of)

I also found this recipe while researching, which sounds super easy and I can’t wait to try it Homemade tuna cat treats with 2 ingredients!

Words of Caution:

When experimenting with homemade treats for your cats please keep in mind any food sensitivities your cat may have and please consult a reputable source when determining what foods are safe for cats. In my research, I found many different lists and some were contradictory.  I would say when in doubt talk to your vet about homemade treats.