In the material, we looked at why treats for cats are needed, their types and the rules for treating an animal. You will also learn which ready-made treats are included in the best rating, and how to prepare treats with your own hands.
Cats are funny creatures. They evoke affection in their owners. Owners often cannot resist them, so they feed the animal with various delicacies. But treats can lead to health problems for your cat. We will tell you what you can feed your cat, as well as how to prepare your own treats.
Treats are foods that animals love very much. They cheer up pets and also relieve stress. Treats come in different flavors and shapes. They can be both beneficial and harmful. Sometimes treats are necessary. The owner needs to know when they can cause harm and when not.
Treats for cats
Why give treats?
Treat cats on different occasions.
- The owners feed the cat treats to pamper it. Animals love them because they relieve stress and improve their mood.
- Food helps distract the cat. When he needs his nails trimmed, bathed, or vaccinated, his owners give him a piece of cheese, meat, or fish. The animal’s positive reaction is reinforced, and it is less afraid of stressful procedures.
- Sweets develop the hunting instinct. They become prey. The owner lures the cat with a piece of food so that it tries to grab the prey.
- When teaching tricks, they often take pieces of meat and fish so that the cat listens to the owner.
Treats are used in training
However, a cat's favorite treat is not always healthy.
How else can you explain your craving for sweets?
It really seems strange. If their bodies suffer so much from desserts, why do they make so much effort to find and eat sweets? Experts in the field of animal nutrition note the following points:
- The reason is the flavorings that awaken the appetite.
- They may like the consistency of the sweet dish.
- If your pet's diet is unbalanced, this leads to a carbohydrate deficiency. Of course, sweets are the easiest way to make up for their lack.
- Vitamin deficiency is another condition in which a cat tries different foods to make up for the deficiency.
- Some cats love to eat from their owner's hands so much that they will beg for anything.
As you can see, there are quite a few reasons. But the answer to the question of whether a cat can have sweets or not remains the same. No, the predator has no use for it at all.
What types of treats are there for cats?
Treats come in different forms. There is a wide selection of cat treats. Manufacturers produce them in different shapes and flavors.
They are divided into three groups:
- Soft (natural pieces of fish or meat)
Natural pieces of meat
- Dry (biscuits and snacks)
- Chewable (sausages and dried meat)
Dried sausages
Depending on the purpose of the treat, there are:
- For benefit
These include sausages, sticks, enriched with vitamins, minerals, and all necessary nutrients. The delicacy will help the cat get the necessary nutrients.
- For encouragement
Such food is not always healthy for your pet. Many treats include sugar and artificial colors and flavors. But sometimes an animal can be pampered with such a tasty treat. When your pet is stressed, you can treat him with marmalade or a piece of meat. The main thing is to observe moderation.
- For disease prevention
Manufacturers produce special lines that help get rid of many problems, such as gastritis, constipation, and tartar.
- Nutritious food
Dry food, for example, contains all the necessary nutrients. This product is a balanced diet for the animal. It does not require additional additives.
Utility
Manufacturers often add artificial colors and flavors that are harmful to the cat's body. Also, such food has a high calorie content, which can cause an overdose of vitamins.
Healthy cat delicacy
However, cat treats can be beneficial. It is important to choose food of good composition. Natural meat should come first. The composition may also include vegetables, egg whites, and cereals.
Good quality products can have a positive effect on your pet's health. Healthy treats:
- Replenishes the lack of vitamins, minerals, micro-, macroelements
- Strengthen immunity, improve pet health
- Relieve stress and improve your mood
- Promotes hunting instinct
- Help in teaching commands
Release form
Manufacturers of finished cat products produce sticks, pads, and pieces. They can be dry, soft, crispy.
What is the release form?
- The pieces are made from meat by-products. Meat or poultry is finely chopped and served to the pet. Products of this form are produced by manufacturers Dezzie, Almo Nature, TITBit, Wanpycat.
Pieces of meat by-products
- Sausages are soft, moist products made from meat, poultry, fish, offal, as well as vegetables and grains. Sausages are produced by Almo nature, Edel Cat, Bilanx Best Friend.
Meat sausages for cats
- Sandwiches and rolls are portioned soft, moist products in the form of curly pieces. Brit, Delipet, Wanpycat produce treats in the form of sandwiches and rolls.
- Sticks are dry and crispy sausages. Mnyams, Vitacraft, Gimpet produce sausage sticks.
- Dry food is a balanced diet for cats. It is made from meat, vegetables, eggs, and grains. It is worth choosing premium, super-premium and holistic food. Manufacturers: Origen, Bosh.
Dry cat food
- The pads are made in round, square, and shaped shapes. They consist of meat, dairy products, vegetables, and grains. They also include all the essential minerals, vitamins and other nutrients.
- Pasta is a good treat for your cat. It consists of meat and dairy products. This is a tasty addition to your pet's diet.
- Marmalade is jelly made from fish, meat, and offal. It has an interesting appearance, so it attracts the pet's attention. A cat can be easily trained using marmalade. However, treats are not healthy, so it is not recommended to give them to your cat often.
- Cream soup is a homogeneous mixture of meat and fish products.
- Dried grass pieces are a catnip supplement that can be used in training.
Dry grass pieces for cats
Health
Siamese cats most often have problems with the bronchi. This must be taken into account and the cat must be kept dry and warm at all times.
This breed is predisposed to mammary cancer.
Early neutering helps reduce the risk of this disease.
A very common defect is animal strabismus. A large number of babies are born cross-eyed. For some, it goes away on its own within a year, while for others it lasts a lifetime. This defect does not in any way affect the cat’s quality of life, but she will no longer be able to participate in exhibitions.
Another defect that does not cause much discomfort to the cat is a broken tail. Previously, this was treated as the norm, considering it a characteristic feature of the Thais. Today this is a reason for disqualification.
One legend says that the princess hid her jewels in a bundle and tied them to the tail of a cat in an attempt to protect them from theft. This was the reason for the appearance of such an unusual shape in the animal’s tail.
In general, the Siamese cat breed is healthy and successfully lives up to 20 years of age.
When and how to treat your cat with “goodies”?
Not all goodies are healthy. Many contain artificial colors and flavors. Store-bought products also have a high calorie content. Excessive consumption may result in a nutrient overdose. The main thing is to know when to stop.
You can give your cat a treat in the following cases:
- When your pet is stressed. A piece of fish, meat, or poultry will cheer him up.
- When teaching tricks, you can use marmalade, which will attract your pet's attention.
- While bathing or trimming nails, you can distract your pet with sausage so that the pet calms down.
- To prevent gastritis, tartar, and constipation, you can give a special feed that eliminates these diseases.
When choosing a treat, it is important to choose products with a good composition so as not to harm your pet.
Expert advice
- Don't feed your cat only cereal. Still, cereals are not the natural food of predators. You should always ensure that your cat does not receive more carbohydrates than necessary.
- When preparing porridge, make it a little liquid. This will make it easier for your pet’s gastrointestinal tract to absorb the product.
- Veterinarians advise using unpolished rice in the cat's menu - it contains more vitamins.
- When preparing porridge, do not use spices or salt under any circumstances. Any flavoring additives cause addiction in cats, and salt leads to the development of urolithiasis.
- If for some reason you switch your cat from dry or wet store-bought food to natural food, introduce porridge a little at a time; individual cereals can provoke an allergic reaction.
Are kittens allowed?
In the first weeks of life, kittens need a balanced diet. Their bodies are still developing. He needs vitamins and minerals. Treats for growing kittens do not contain the necessary nutrients. Treats are high in calories, which can cause your kitten to bloat.
Can the kitten have a treat?
It is important not to mix natural food with finished products. Dry food is complete nutrition for a kitten. You can buy treats from the same line as the food. But you don’t need to feed it often so as not to harm your pet’s health.
Customer Reviews
Konstantin, munchkin owner:
For work, from time to time I go on business trips for 2-3 days. Of course, special cat nurses look after the cat, but he still misses me very much. When I return, he defiantly sulks at me - he turns away, avoids stroking. But I have a secret weapon against his resentment - a few Dreamies pillows remind Marsik that I miss him too and still love him very much!
Evgenia, owner of three cats:
I picked up my Shani on the street, skinny and dirty. Upon examination by the veterinarian, it was discovered that she was pregnant. So I became a cat mom and almost immediately a cat grandmother. Shani gave birth to twins, and the birth was a difficult experience for both of us. In addition to special food for pregnant and lactating cats, I gave her 3-4 Dreamies catnip pads just to make her feel like I was there to take care of her. She purred so funny, licking herself after the treat! And then, with the help of Dreamies, I trained a couple of two-month-old bandits to use a litter box and dry food - for some reason they like salmon better, while mom prefers duck. But Dreamies are quite affordable in price, so my tailed team will not be left without treats.
Review of major cat treat brands
There is a large selection of cat treats. In order not to harm the cat’s health, you need to understand the composition. Manufacturers often produce low quality products.
Overview of the main brands that produce good quality healthy treats:
- Gimpet is a German brand that produces low-lactose cat treats. The company also produces hair removal puddings. The disadvantages of the product are the sugar content, which is harmful to cats. The products contain a lot of products from meat processing, which has a negative effect on the health of the animal.
Gimpet cat treat
AlmoNature is an Italian company that produces a premium product. Some foods contain sugar and salt, so check the ingredients before purchasing.
Almo Nature cat treat
BoschSanabelle is a premium German product. Manufacturers produce lines for different ages. The food contains natural ingredients. The disadvantage is the high cost. The product contains allergens, so you need to know the specific conditions of your pet.
Bosch Sanabelle cat treat
- Dezzie is a Russian manufacturer that produces delicacies based on tuna, duck, and chicken. The composition includes natural products. But there is a drawback: the method of processing raw materials is not written, and the quantitative ratio of vitamins and minerals is not indicated.
- TITBIT is a Russian brand that produces treats from natural products. Dried delicacies include seasonings in the form of oregano, thyme, and dill. There are no thickeners, sugars or preservatives. The downside is that the basis is by-products.
- Applaws is an English company. Products include mackerel fillets and tuna. The brand is excellent for cat nutrition due to its natural composition and the absence of harmful ingredients.
Applaws cat treats
- Origen - food that is produced in Canada. Products are of good quality, because... includes only fresh meat. The food does not contain by-products.
Origen cat treats
- Molina is an Austrian delicacy in which the meat content exceeds 95%. The assortment includes food with tuna, beef, and shrimp.
When buying treats, don't skimp. The health of the animal depends on the quality of nutrition.
Rating of the best treats for pets
Place 1 – Origen .
Origen cat delicacy
The products contain only natural fresh meat, as well as healthy ingredients without additives. This is a high protein, low carbohydrate diet with 40% animal protein and 19% carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits.
Favorite cat foods are Wild Boar, Tundra, Ranch Raised Lamb, Original.
Place 2 – Applaws .
Applaws cat delicacy
English products include natural, environmentally friendly products. Delicacies include sausages with tuna, mackerel, and tuna in fish sauce.
Pets love this delicacy very much and are easy to train.
Place 3 – Country delicacies.
Cat delicacy Country delicacies
This line is made from selected meat without dyes, flavor enhancers or preservatives. Treats are popular among cats.
Place 4 – Dezzie .
This is a natural, hypoallergenic, environmentally friendly product. The assortment includes duck, chicken, and tuna slices. Contains chicken fillet and duck fillet.
Place 5 – TITBIT .
Cat delicacy TITBIT
Pets love the jerky treats that TITBIT produces. The ingredients include chicken fillet, beef intestines, liver, lung, and heart. The composition also includes seasonings (thyme, nettle, dill, St. John's wort). Treats are enriched with beneficial nutrients.
The owner can choose treats that suit him in terms of price, composition, etc.
Super premium food
“Innova Evo” (“Innova Evo”) is rightfully considered the best among soft food for cats.
Theoretically, even humans can consume it, such high-quality products are used to make it. The basis of this food is tender dietary meat. There are no dyes or preservatives, which makes Innova Evo food especially useful for animals prone to allergies. In addition, studies have shown that this food can prevent the occurrence of urolithiasis in cats, a serious disease that causes a lot of suffering to the animal. The only drawback of this food is its high price, which makes it difficult to find in a regular pet store. It is much easier to find and order it online.
Next in the ranking is “Eukanuba” - a high-quality food that belongs to the super premium class. Among the products of the company that produces this type of food, you can find one that is suitable for a small kitten, an adult cat, an animal that requires dietary nutrition for medical reasons, and neutered cats. The balanced composition of this type of food with a high meat content and sufficient amounts of proteins and fats completely covers the cat's needs for the substances necessary for its body.
Soft food "Eukanuba" can be combined with dry food.
Bozita is another super premium food produced in Sweden. This food smells delicious, is made from the best quality meat or fish, contains no dyes or preservatives and is enriched with taurine, which is so necessary for every cat. Due to the fact that after opening the packaging of this food can be hermetically sealed, its shelf life is longer than that of other foods.
The only thing you need to pay attention to is the animal’s reaction during the first time after eating the food. Sometimes a cat's body may not accept this type of food.
DIY treat recipes
Good quality products cost a lot. But there is a way out: you can make the treats yourself. The advantage of homemade products is that you are confident in the composition of the food.
Recipe 1 – Bones.
DIY recipe
You will need beef/veal/turkey. You need to boil the broth on the bones, and then soak the meat in it for two hours. Cut the meat into pieces and place in the oven for an hour and a half.
Recipe 2 – Cookies.
You need 200g chicken or beef liver, 150g oatmeal, 1 chicken egg, 1-3 teaspoons butter.
Grind the liver into puree, mix with other ingredients. You need to make a cookie shape from the dough, and then put it in the oven for 20 minutes.
Recipe 3 – Straws made from offal.
Cut the beef or chicken heart, liver and lung into strips, put in the oven for an hour and a half.
DIY by-product straws
Take care of yourself
The love for their skin and claws is inherent in representatives of the cat family at the genetic level and was noticed by our distant ancestors. A cat will definitely do its own toileting for a couple of hours a day. She tidies up the claws and fur between the toes, and pulls out matted hair on the sides and chest. Help your pets with this, because hygiene procedures sometimes require the intervention of the owner.
Even elderly or sick animals are licked. In this way, the cat quickly calms down and, to some extent, receives moral satisfaction. In addition, it preserves its own smell, and in the wild this is extremely necessary.
By the way, it has been noticed that female cats spend significantly more time on grooming themselves than adult cats. There is no explanation for this yet; perhaps members of the opposite sex are just a little lazy.
Veterinarians' opinion
Veterinarians' opinions on treats
Veterinarians recommend consulting a doctor. When choosing a treat, you need to take into account the individual characteristics of the cat, its age and weight.
If your cat is overweight, you should consult your veterinarian. It is also important to consider the cat’s diet type. If your pet eats store-bought products, you need to find out whether the treats and food are compatible.
Tasty, but not always healthy, treats are suitable for learning. Marmalade will attract the animal's attention and interest.
Water quality is equally important
And finally, a few words about water. The structure of the feline excretory system is such that urine accumulates quite slowly and is very concentrated. But this does not mean that a cat can go without fluid for a long time.
The animal must have constant access to clean, fresh water
At the same time, the quality of water should be given no less attention than the quality of food. If water from a tap (or well) can be safely used for cooking (that is, it is transparent, does not have a pronounced taste or smell, including bleach), it is also suitable for pets
In other cases, it is advisable to use bottled water (from trusted manufacturers) or filtered using household purification devices.
Appearance (standards)
Coat and color (types of color)
Siamese cats are considered shorthaired. In the photo you can see that their fur is very shiny. It fits quite tightly to the animal's body. There is no undercoat.
There are quite a large number of animal colors:
- blue point. Another name for it is blue. This color is white with a bluish tint;
- seal point. Dark brown color;
- Lilac Point. Pink or purple;
- chocolate point. Markings range from chocolate to black;
- tabby point. Includes brindle or striped;
- red point. Red color or shades of apricot;
In addition to these colors, there are others.
The first 4 colors were recognized by the Americans, while the Europeans increased their number to 18.
Eyes and nose
Looking at a photo of a Siamese cat, one simply cannot help but notice its extraordinary eyes. In addition to their sky blue color, they also attract with their almond-shaped shape.
Representatives of the Siamese breed are often born with strabismus.
Features of the Siamese cat
It is difficult to confuse this breed with any other, it is so remarkable and memorable. Its distinctive feature is its specific color, in which the body of the animal has one, lighter color. The points, that is, the muzzle, tail and paws, have a different, darker or even black color.
Siamese cats give birth to completely white kittens. Only after some time their color begins to become darker.
Siamese have a specific, very interesting character and are very intelligent. This is an animal that knows its worth.
Why cats love persimmons
Persimmon is a very tasty fruit with a sweet taste and juicy pulp. Sometimes owners are surprised to say that their cats love to eat persimmons even more than meat and cannot understand the reasons for such a love for the exotic fruit. In fact, everything is simple, cats, like other predators, also need to eat plant foods, which is why animals often eat indoor plants. Manufacturers of high-quality food, in addition to meat, also add stewed vegetables so that pets receive the full range of necessary minerals and vitamins.
If a cat eats persimmon, it means that its body does not have enough vitamins and minerals, and since the fruit is a real storehouse of vitamin C, beta-carotene, iodine, magnesium and iron, it is not surprising that the animal will like it, given that the fruit is very juicy .
