Every time our pets do something good or are well behaved, we offer them treats. Not all treats are for all cats since those that are fed dry food rarely eat any treats.
For them to accept rewards, it is advisable to serve them foods with moisture. When you buy cat treats, you should know that they serve different purposes while some are for general use, others are used for training, and some to reward good behavior.
It is essential to understand when each treat is used. These are some of the common types of cat treats;
-
Dental Treats
It is made up of natural ingredients with added nutrients and minerals. Dental treats are designed to help clean teeth.
They are crunchy and good at preventing plaques and reducing gingivitis. If you want a treat that will help freshen your cat’s breath, choose one with chlorophyll.
However, these treats should not be used as a dental cleaning routine. Visit a veterinarian if your cat has rotten teeth or digestive problems.
-
Pill Hiding Treats
Sometimes when your feline falls sick, giving it, medicine becomes a difficult task. Hiding pills treats come in handy as they help the medicine go down.
These treats have pockets in which you can use to hide capsules and tablets. It is the best way to make your cats take medicine. It is successful on kitties that are not picky eaters.
You can hide the pills in canned cat food, plain yogurt, cream cheese, butter, and canned fish.
-
Joint Health Treats
Most old cats suffer from joint stiffness and arthritis. Stiffness limits kitties from freely moving and bouncing around. It can be challenging for pet owners to notice their kitties are in pain because they are so discrete.
To know if it is time to introduce joint supplements, you have to monitor your cat keenly. If it finds it difficult to jump around or run, a high chance is they are suffering from joint stiffness and arthritis.
It is also wise to introduce your over eight years old cats to joint supplements. The joint health treats were explicitly made for such kitties. These supplements have chondroitin and glucosamine in them.
The two properties help in maintaining strong, healthy joints. Other goodies have omega-three fatty acids, which reduce inflammation and pain.
-
Hairball Remedy Treats
These kinds of treats are especially helpful in grooming. Cats are self-groomers since they lick their paws and fur. During the grooming process, there is a possibility of them swallowing loose hair.
On most occasions, the loose fur gets out through stool, while sometimes, it gets stuck in the stomach forming hairballs. The hairballs are usually the cause of their coughing, gagging, and vomiting most times.
Hairball remedy treats help to reduce hairballs in adult cats. They have mineral oil or petroleum that acts as a lubricant for the hairball to pass out. Hairball gel or paste is not absorbed in the cat’s system.
Hairball goodies should not be given with food to avoid interfering with a regular diet. You can also provide hairball ointment as a treat. These kinds of goodies should be offered as often as possible. Read more insights here https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/most-searched-products/pet-products/cats/cat-food-delicious-treats-and-health-snacks-for-your-pet-cats/articleshow/77870697.cms?from=mdr
-
Homemade Treats
You can decide to cook treats for your clowder personally. The benefit of homemade treats is that you know and understand the ingredients available in the goodies and the number of calories.
You also get to make healthy cat food and treats, unlike those manufactured. With homemade treats, you control the amount of fat, sodium, and calories in the dish. They are easy to make and with different recipes.
You can make this by mixing bits of fish, meat, eggs, or liver. When making these goodies, it is best to ensure your cats are out of the kitchen. It helps to avoid feeding them raw meat, eggs, or even raw dough because they may result in food poisoning.
-
Calming Treats
Sometimes cats can be hyperactive or aggressive out of nervousness, anxiety, or stress from the surroundings. These treats help in calming and balancing their behaviors. The dosing of these goodies can be doubled or given in a larger quantity to achieve managing results. They take about 20 to 30 minutes before they start working. These goodies are not to be fed to pregnant cats.
-
Training Treats
You can always train your cats with sound and treats. Treats are sometimes used to motivate your cats to perform simple functions like sitting, standing, or running around when ordered. To encourage them to do these functions repetitively, we reward them.
Moreover, giving treats for fitness is a more fun way, especially for cats who are always indoors while the owner is at work, engaged, or at school. Introduce treats as part of exercising and training routines during games and outdoor activities.
Use that opportunity to trick them into exercising their brain and body. Training helps improve agility. Even though some people use wet treats, dry treats are easier and neat as you can toss them in the air and let your feline catch them.
When training, always use small treats to stop your kitty from spending time on large treats.
Conclusion
Cat treats have calories should be given in moderation as they are a great contributor to weight increase and obesity. It should not be regularly offered as it may interfere with your cat’s nutritional balance as too many treats do more harm than good. Even as you buy these goodies, ensure that they are healthy by selecting those with natural ingredients. If possible, avoid processed treats.
