
7 Tips for Buying Healthy Cat Treats
People simply love to pamper their pets and a part of this pampering process is lavishing them with not just affection but with treats as well. Although you can give them an abundance of affection, the same cannot be said when it comes to cat treats. Just like human beings, cats can also develop weight problems. The key to feeding your cats treats that they enjoy in moderation. Treats should only make a very small part of your feline’s diet. Here are a few tips that you could follow to ensure that you are buying healthy treats for your pet cat:
- Avoid foods that are toxic to your cat: There are some foods that we as humans may love but can be quite toxic to cats. Some of these foods that can prove to be toxic to felines include onions, salt, tea, raisins, alcohol, and grapes. If you are in any case unsure of whether a snack is unsafe for your cat, it is simply best to avoid it until you talk to your veterinarian about it.
- Ease up on human food: Foods that are made exclusively for cats contain all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that are essential for the cat’s good health. So if you as a pet owner are in the practice of feeding your feline “people food,” you need to make sure that it does not form most of your cat’s diet. People’s food should form just a minimal part of your feline’s diet. You can occasionally feed your cat cooked tuna, chicken, fish, or liver. Although you can give your cat a tablespoon or two of milk, in case your pet is lactose intolerant, milk may cause diarrhea.
- Go green: Treats like catnip and cat grass which is actually a cereal grass like wheat or oats are really easy to grow and cats love them. You can easily find both the dried and fresh versions of these greens in the pet store. Before you offer any kind of plant to your cat to eat, make sure that it is safe and will not cause any problem to your feline.
- Freeze-dried treats: These are healthy treats that you can give to your feline and they come in different flavors like beef and fish. Freeze- dried treats are packed with protein and are hence good for the growth of your cat.
- Fish flakes: These literally look like the flakes of a fish and be served as is or it can be mixed along with wet food and offered to your feline to eat.
- Paw-breakers: Cats love these treats as they are hard on the outside but soft and meaty on the inside. They are just catnip rolled up into hard balls.
- Snacks that have low calories: While buying treats for your feline, you need to keep in mind that the ones that have lower calories are always better for your pet. Treats are an easy way for cats to put on the extra weight and hence treats with low calories are the way to go.