Giving Your Cat Treats

Does your kitty like treats? Or does Fluffy turn her cute little nose up at them? If your pet falls into the latter category, you may want to try again. Kitties can be finicky, but, just like people, most of them do have a few favorite snacks. Here, a Thorold, ON veterinarian offers some advice on giving Fluffy treats. 



Ingredients

When shopping for your feline pal, take a look at the label. Avoid products with ingredient lists that read like chemical experiments. The best treats have limited ingredients, and should contain mostly meat, chicken, and/or fish. 

People Foods

While many of the things in your fridge and cupboards are dangerous to Fluffy, there are some people foods she can have. Any type of plain, cooked meat, fish, or chicken is generally safe. Just make sure there are no bones or fat. Deli meat is also okay.

Sweets

You may have read that Fluffy can’t really taste sweets. However, some kitties apparently missed that memo. Some cats will eat things like cake or donuts. Most likely, these furballs like the taste of the fats in these foods. Don’t indulge your pet’s sweet tooth! Many baked goods are made with xylitol, which is toxic to our feline pals. 

Unsafe Foods

Sweets aren’t the only things that are dangerous for Fluffy. You’ll also want to avoid giving her anything that contains garlic, onions, scallions, or chives; avocado; chocolate; grapes, currants, and raisins. Meat on the bone is also unsafe, as are raw dough and yeast.

Dairy

Did you know that those iconic images of cats happily lapping up milk are incorrect? Once weaned, kitties become lactose intolerant, and can’t really digest dairy. Raw milk may be easier for them to digest, as some dairy farmers can attest, but it’s not great for Fluffy. Some cats can ingest a small amount of milk. We recommend playing it safe and skipping dairy altogether. 

Portions 

Fluffy is very, very good at getting us to spoil her. If you discover a treat your cat likes, you may find her demanding snacks all the time. Our feline pals can be very convincing, but don’t fall for that meow! Kitties can gain weight very quickly, so even a few extra calories a day can make your pet chubby.

Do you have questions about Fluffy’s health or care? Contact us, your Thorold, ON veterinary clinic!