Cats are creatures of habit, but they still grow bored. The best cat treats can entice your cat to leave the bed and try different flavors without changing their meals.
Here’s how to find the greatest rewards for your pet, whether you’re trying to boost their prey drive, get them to take their medication, or just let them snack periodically.
What to Consider When Searching?
As pets become more and more cherished family members, the market is saturated with cat accessories of all shapes and sizes. Making a decision on the best healthy cat treats for your cherished kitty can seem overwhelming because there are so many options available and deft marketing that plays on pet parents’ concerns about what is healthy, similar to how the culture of human diets operates.
Most people probably associate cat snacks with dry, crunchy treats, but other options include lickable purees, cat grass, pill pockets, and home-made freeze-dried meats. Consult your veterinarian to determine what’s best if your cat has any underlying medical issues (such as diabetes or kidney problems).
After you are aware of your pet’s dietary needs and any components to avoid, take into account your cat’s age, level of activity, and interests. You should include goodies in play sessions and perhaps even attempt teaching your cat some tricks because cats need a lot of attention and stimulation as part of a healthy existence. Even the pickiest cats are likely to enjoy one of the many different treats available on the market, and you’ll enjoy giving them to them.
Crunchy Cat Treats Are Great For Puzzles And Play
Cats require many opportunities to play when they can exhibit their prowess as apex predators without really causing harm to live birds, mice, or your fingers. Yet when your cat won’t do anything more than bat around idly before slinking off for another sleep, trying to amuse a cat with toys may occasionally be a difficult exercise. Yet, if your cat is motivated by food, rewards may start to factor into the game.
Dry and crunchy sweets are the mess-free alternative to purees thanks to their consistency. To encourage your cat to hunt, tuck these treats inside interactive puzzle toys or dispensers shaped like mice and hide them throughout your home. You can also throw the treats one at a time down a corridor to encourage your cat to run and pounce.
Despite the fact that these treats seem small, it’s crucial to consider how many calories they contain in relation to your cat’s overall calorie consumption. Treats are intended to be an occasional tasty pleasure, not a meal replacement, just like potato chips or sweets are for people. When reviewing ingredients, keep an eye out for trends in pet food that aren’t supported by research, like the grain-free trend, which the veterinary blog Pet MD describes as a continuation of the low-carb craze among humans. The best source of guidance on ingredients that satisfy your cat’s particular health demands is always your veterinarian.
The Best Cat Treats
Best Crunchy Cat Treats: Wellness Kittles Grain-Free Salmon & Cranberries Recipe
Each of these Wellness Kittles, which come in heart, star, or triangle shapes, has fewer than two calories and is safe for both kittens and adult cats. You can shake the resealable bag containing the chicken, salmon, and tuna flavors to encourage your cat to go into the kitchen.
Lickable Cat Treats Are Delectable For All Ages
Every cat needs to stay hydrated, but getting them to drink from a conventional water bowl can be difficult. Cat-specific fountains can entice certain felines, while others like to stick their heads under the kitchen sink faucet. Wet food can assist in meeting your cat’s hydration demands, as it has a superior moisture level, even if dry food is easier for pet parents to serve because we can keep it for longer.
Giving your cat lickable cat snacks is a lot of fun since they are more wet than dry treats. Squeezing the tube causes a small bit of food to emerge at the top, much like kids’ squeezable applesauce pouches do.
You will have to do all the gripping and squeezing because your cat lacks opposable thumbs, which can be messy. But, the distinctive texture and delicious flavor can make it easier to give medication to a cat that would otherwise be resistant. This kind of treat is also suitable for older cats with dental problems that make eating dry food difficult.
Pill Pockets Can Make Medicine More Tolerable
Caring for our furry best companions when they become unwell is one of the most challenging aspects of cat ownership. Even though having a professional examination is essential for diagnosis and treatment, it can be difficult to watch your kitten or adult cat go through the trauma of a vet visit when they aren’t feeling well.
Cat owners must give their cats the proper dose at the right time if their veterinarian has prescribed medication, even if this might be difficult for some. Instead of having to pry open your cat’s mouth or try to cover the taste of liquid medication in a bowl of food, pill pocket treats (like Greenies for cats) are a brilliant solution that appeals to food-motivated animals.
This style of cat treat has a small inside hollow where a pill can tuck, as well as a moldable outside that can compress shut. Consider using pill pockets to cover up medicine odors if your cat has a keen sense of smell and won’t eat food that has medication mixed in.
Final Thoughts On The Best Cat Treats
The best cat treats are more than simply an occasional snack to beat boredom; they are a component of creating pawsitive experiences.
There are several opportunities to explore new flavors and textures, as well as to create games that have delicious prizes as incentives because there is such a wide range to pick from, including treats for adults and cats.
Even if you could consistently train your cat to give you a high five in return for a treat, you presumably already own a dog.
