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Did you know that most cat owners do not keep a track record of their cats’ eating habits?
Thanks to the easy maintenance of cats, they eat without hesitation once any food is put in their bowls.
On the other hand, some cats show interest in only certain types of food, such as cat treats.
It can be a nightmare for cat owners with cats that won’t eat anything apart from treats.
Vets or pet specialists do not recommend giving your cat more than 10 to 15 calories of treats per day.
Treats should not be considered a meal. Treats are only used to acknowledge or reward your pet’s good behavior.
Giving excessive amounts of treats to your cat can lead to serious health issues like; kidney failure, diabetes, obesity, and urinary tract infections.
It is essential to visit a professional veterinarian and check your pet cat if they only feed on treats.
Why should you give your cat treats?
Absolutely yes! Cat treats are important to cats.
Cat treats are used to reward, train, and appreciate cats for being good, disciplined, and attentive to household rules.
Just like treats make human beings happy, so do cat treats give cats satisfaction when given appropriate ratios.
However, it is important to understand that cat treats contain ingredients that could lead to immune disorders in cats when given in excessive amounts.
3 Effects of Excessive Cat Treats Intake
The packaging of the delicious treats might say “complete and balanced diet,” but in reality, most cat treats are junk foods.
Low Immunity
Cats should not be fed more than 10 to 15 calories per day.
Treats contain excessive calories, which can cause serious health issues for your cat.
If your cat only feeds on treats, that might lead to liver failure, diabetes, obesity, and even death in severe cases.
Sometimes, as pet owners, we forget the real purpose of treats.
Seeing our cats enjoy these treats on their excellent behavior makes us assume that “A little more won’t hurt.”
Addiction
Mainly, treats contain pleasant-tasting ingredients that are addictive and affect your cat’s eating habits.
Treats can cause your cat to reject healthy cat food, which benefits the cat’s immunity.
As a cat owner, it is your responsibility to take care of your cat’s eating habits and ensure that it is healthy.
Tooth & Gum Disease
Most cat treats damage cats’ teeth, and the gums are affected when the teeth are destroyed,
Tooth decay happens when cats are fed with treats for an extended period.
If you do not want your cat to lose its precious teeth, especially the canines, substitute all those treats with healthy cat food.
3 Essential Tips To Consider If Your Cat Is Obsessed With Treats
To bring your cat on a healthy track, try out the following tips:
Supplement Cat Treats
Feeding your extra cat treats also leads to picky eating habits, and you must cut back on treats slowly.
Try giving your cat different yummy food that is comparatively healthier, such as canned food.
You can then gradually switch on to even better, healthier food. It might take some time, but you have to be patient.
Also, ensure that there’s a specific time for giving your cat its treats and that you are the only person to carry out this operation.
Try Out Different Food Brands
It may be time to try different food brands if your cat no longer eats regular meals.
Human foods and treats should not be fed to cats since they lead to liver failure and stomach issues.
When trying different food brands for your cat, patience is vital.
Stop giving your cat the daily treats; put the new cat food in her container and place it before her.
If she still does not eat the meal, wait for some time and put food in front of her again.
With time hunger will take over, and eventually, she will have to eat the food.
Just don’t give up on her. You should visit a vet if you notice signs of lost appetite.
Add Fresh Food
Cats act finicky when the food is not fresh. Therefore, you must ensure your cat food is fresh and not expired.
Additionally, cat containers must be cleaned daily, and there shouldn’t be any dirt or grease.
Avoid the frequent change of cat food brands as this might upset the cat’s stomach.
Also, add some chicken broth to the food for extra aroma. This trick entices cats to start eating their meals again.
How do you choose Cat Treats?
Several decent treats are beneficial to cats.
However, it should be noted that due to obesity concerns, cat treats should not make up more than ten percent of your cat’s diet.
The rest has to come from traditional cat food.
Below are 5 types of recommended cat treats along with their benefits:
Dental Health Treats
Best for reducing plaque, dental health treats are handy if your cat is on a wet-food diet.
It is important to note that dental health treats use chlorophyll as an ingredient to keep a cat’s breath fresh.
These treats, however, are only meant to supplement and NOT replace your cat’s regular dental routine.
If your cat’s breath smells terrible constantly, it’s a good idea to visit the vet.
Bonita Tuna Flakes
Dried-up tuna flakes are high in protein and low in fat content, making them healthy treats to give to cats.
However, there are traces of metal in tuna, which can be hazardous to your cat’s health, so moderation of tuna treats should be considered.
Hairball Remedy Treats
Hairball formula cat food is one of the best cat treat options.
Hairball treats help minimize cat hairball formation and support healthy digestion for adult cats.
Joint Health Treats
As cats age, conditions like arthritis or degenerative joint condition are common.
Joint health treats, therefore, are a significant must-eat for any cat.
In addition to joint health treats, doses of Glucosamine and Chondroitin help increase the longevity of those joints!
Homemade Treats
Homemade treats are pretty easy to make.
Luckily, as a pet owner finding numerous types of treats you can make at home and feed to your cat is not a challenging task.
A good-tasting treat at home is an excellent way to reward your cat after an unpleasant trip to the vet involving needles or swallowing a pill.
You can even entice your cat with treats in return for eating a healthy meal!
Which Cat treats are the Best?
As mentioned above, different cat treats serve different purposes for cats.
Depending on the breed, age, and personality of your cat, it is advisable to consult a vet when choosing treats for your cat.
However, nothing beats homemade cat treats because they are made from fresh ingredients free from excess sugar and preservatives that harm the health of cats.
Lastly, homemade treats allow you to bond with your cat since you can prepare them with your cat right beside you.
Final Thoughts
Excessive intake of treats only leads to severe cat-related health issues.
No matter how much you love watching your cat enjoying its treats, it is essential to limit the amount for your cat’s immunity.
If your cat is not eating her meals, try the abovementioned techniques
Lastly, visit the vet and get your cat checked if nothing seems to be working.
Purrfect n’ Pawesome is the brainchild of Amanda, who has been into researching and writing about pets to help other pet parents in nurturing their adorable pets. Currently, she runs Purrfect n’ Pawesome along with her team of experienced and dedicated pet experts. Along with being an awesome writer and entrepreneur, Amanda is a cat mom to two innocently spoiled cats, Balanca and Scruffy.
She has been writing about pet care and nurturing and wants to share her readers’ experiences, learnings, and knowledge.
Over the years, she had the opportunity to work with various pet owners having multiple breeds, and that exposure gave her experience and the lessons of a lifetime.
Her family, her entire universe revolves around her two cats, who give her endless support and inspiration to move ahead with her objectives in life. Amanda is a live example of a balanced approach to all parenthood questions we all face in life.