How to Choose Healthy Cat Treats

Cat treats are a great way to reward your cats good behavior, supplement her current diet, or even teach her to do tricks. However, as with human treats like pizza, ice cream and soda theyre best used in moderation. Its also important to keep quality in mind when picking out cat treats for your furry feline friend. Cat treats packed with preservatives or low quality ingredients may do more harm than good for your cat.

Many different types of commercial cat treats are available to meet the demands of todays cat owners. Theyre convenient, affordable and healthy, as they contain the essential vitamins and minerals cats need for growth and development. However, you should also keep in mind that they may also contain artificial chemicals and preservatives that arent good for your cat and they certainly arent replacements for regular cat foods your cat still needs to receive nutrients from natural sources, just like humans.

Typically, commercial cat treats contain animal and plant ingredients, and are enhanced with various vitamins and minerals that your cat needs for energy. However, to find a high quality commercially-prepared cat treat, youll need to read the ingredients. Ideally, the first ingredient should be a protein source, like chicken, fish or egg. You should also see a grain product such as wheat germ that provides the basis for the treat. Look for whole vegetable sources, instead of vitamins and minerals derived from chemicals. Finally, check for any words you dont understand. Although some preservatives are necessary to keep the treats fresh over time, a label thats full of unintelligible words probably isnt the best choice for you and your cat.

However, commercial cat treats arent your only option. For busy cat owners, commercial cat treats are perfect, but cat owners with more time on their hands can put together some cheap and easy homemade cat treats. Search online for recipes and be prepared to try a few until you find one that your cat likes. Most homemade cat treat recipes contain chunks of fish or chicken, a grain binding agent and seasonings like parsley. In most cases, youll bake the treats to remove moisture, which will help them to stay fresher longer. Just dont overdo it with the treats. Just like in humans, obesity in cats can also predispose them to sicknesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

When feeding your cat, its important to ensure that she gets adequate nutrition, but not so much that she winds up overweight or obese. As a cat owner, its your responsibility to control your cats diet. If your cat tends to overeat, you may need to regulate her mealtimes instead of allowing her to free feed. In addition, regular checkups with a veterinarian are necessary to be sure shes receiving the proper nutrition. Any unusual weight loss or gain could be indicative of a serious health problem, so err on the side of caution and get her checked out as soon as possible.