What Kinds of Cat Treats Are Good for My Cat?

Smokey has her owner Kathy trained to feed her store-bought cat treats in lieu of actual food. “It’s the only thing she’ll eat,” Kathy says. They have protein and added vitamins, she reasons. The package says made from natural ingredients, she adds.

Unfortunately, Kathy doesn’t realize that cat treats are not formulated to provide the proper daily nutrients. Having a cat that was already finicky, Kathy has now made her duty of feeding a healthy diet more difficult by allowing treats (and Smokey!) to take control over the daily menu.

Unlike cat treats, commercial and premium prepackaged cat foods must meet federal requirements issued by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). And, even more unfortunately, cat treats often contain ingredients that are not healthy for cats including salt and sugar, as well as other forms of sugar like corn syrup and sucrose. Plus, even though the front label may say “with natural ingredients,” the ingredient label could tell a different story. One cat treat says “made with real yogurt” but has three different forms of sugar on the ingredient label. Adding the yogurt doesn’t make these treats healthy because of all the sugar!

Richard Pitcairn, DVM, author of “Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats,” Rodale, warns that pets should not rule their owner’s lives. By constantly feeding treats, Kathy has created a situation in which her cat never really feels hungry and therefore never really develops an appetite enough to eat her real food.

Dr. Pitcairn says that cats can be fed once a day, but people often prefer to feed twice a day. He says that food should be available for no longer than 20 minutes at each feeding. He says that cats who are allowed to free feed (or cats who may be getting treats all day long) may be at risk for bladder stones and bladder inflammation. He says that carnivores, by nature, need time between meals to digest their food and effectively eliminate toxins.

What Kathy can do is start feeding Smokey healthy premium food right away! If Smokey doesn’t take to the new food, Kathy can insert a few of the usual treats in the food for familiar smell and taste, gradually reducing the number of treats and increasing the food with each feeding.

If Kathy insists on continuing to feed Smokey treats, she must find healthy, premium cat treats that do not have artificial chemical additives or added sugar and salt.

If Smokey is resistant, Kathy can offer some wholesome, unspiced and unseasoned people food like boiled chicken or ground beef. Some cats even like fruits and vegetables. In fact, Martin Goldstein, DVM, author of “The Nature of Animal Healing,” Knopf, says one of his cats came running for cantaloupe.

Next article: Different Type Of Cat Treats