5 Ways to Give Cat Treats in a Healthy Way

by Yamini Rai Consultant

We all love to pamper our pets, lavishing them with treats and affection, and while there can never be too much of a good thing, cat treats are another story. Cats can develop weight problems, just like people do. Did you know that more than 50% cats end up being overweight or obese? Here's how you can treat your feline friend, without contributing to those extra pounds.

What Makes a Cat Treat Healthy?

It is fine to feed your cat treats, but they should be a very small part of their diet---no more than 10% of the calories to their diet. The remaining 90% of your cat's calories should come from nutritionally complete food that can consist of packaged dry or wet food, and also healthy, homemade gravy for cats.

Decoding Cat Treat Labels

Learning what is in packaged cat treats can be a bit of a puzzle. Not all nutrients are listed, there's usually no calorie counts, and not all ingredients can be found even when researching pet food online. So, the best thing to do here, would be to consult your vet for recommendations. It also good if the treats are approved by organisations that set pet food manufacturing standards.

5 Tips for a Healthy Cat

1. Remember to Treat in Moderation

Like people, cats can develop a taste for treats and they might decide to avoid healthy homemade gravy for cats, in favour of the goodies they love. For this reason, keep cat treats novel by offering them no more than two or three a week.

2. Go Easy with Human Food

Food made for cats is formualted with vitamins, minerals and amino acids that a cat needs, so human food should be a minimal part of your cat's diet. For an occasional treat, you can try small bits of cheese, cooked tuna, chicken, fish or liver.

3. Avoid Toxic Foods

Raisins, grapes, onions, alcohol, salt and tea, we might love these, but all of these items and others that we love can be toxic to cats. Ensure your treat is safe, and check with the vet, before you give it to your kitty.

4. Don't Give Into Begging

When giving your cat a treat, avoid doing it at the dinner table or when the cat insists. Basically, don't reward begging.

5. Overweight Cats Need Watching

Cat treats mean more calories, plain and sijmple. But simply cutting out treats isn't going to do much for an overweight cat. Have your cat evaluated by a vet, who will develop a safe diet plan to help your cat lose weight slowly and carefully. Also, research pet food online, to find more diet conscious versions.

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Created on Feb 1st 2020 03:20. Viewed 454 times.

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