Does your feline friend start paying close attention to you when you go into the kitchen? Does Fluffy invite herself to join you at the table, in the hopes that you’ll offer her a tidbit, or a chance to steal one? If you answered yes, you aren’t alone. However, there are things to keep in mind when giving your cat snacks. In this article from Armitage Animal Clinic, a local Newmarket, ON vet discusses kitty treats.
Treat Options
There are quite a few things you can offer your feline buddy. Plain, canned tuna, chicken, or salmon is fine. Shrimp and crabmeat work too. You can also give Fluffy chicken or turkey, or bits of shredded deli meat. Just make sure to only offer your pet meat that is cooked and unseasoned, with the skin, bones, and fat removed.
Buying Treats
Kitties can be finicky about store-bought treats. Fluffy may turn her cute little nose up at one brand, but absolutely love another. Be prepared for some trial and error!
Sweets
Studies have shown that cats actually cannot taste sweets. However, apparently not all of our feline friends got this memo, as many of them do enjoy cake and donuts. If your kitty seems to have a sweet tooth, appease her with blueberries, apples, or bananas.
Training
When we discuss giving dogs treats, we often suggest having Fido do a trick for his snack. Good luck getting Fluffy to do this! Actually, kitties usually train their humans. Don’t let your furry buddy meowlipulate you into overfeeding her!
Routine
As you may have noticed, cats are very much creatures of habit. Try to give Fluffy her snacks at roughly the same time every day.
Dairy
The image of a kitty lapping up milk is quite iconic, but it’s actually incorrect. In fact, many cats are lactose-intolerant. You can give Fluffy some cat milk, which you can buy in pet stores. However, you really shouldn’t give her dairy milk.
Unsafe Foods
Never give Fluffy anything that contains garlic, onions, scallions, or chives. Avocado is also unsafe, as are any fruits that contain seeds or pips. Other unsafe foods include chocolate; alcohol; caffeine; grapes, currants, and raisins; meat on the bone; raw meat, dough, or yeast; nuts; and anything that contains xylitol.
Please contact us here at Armitage Animal Clinic, your Newmarket, ON pet hospital, anytime. We’re here to help!
