When thinking about how to be healthy, a lot of times we don’t pay attention to the snacks we’re eating as much as our meals. But, treats and snacks should ideally be healthy and nutritious, too, right?! The same goes for your cats! Since my 5 fur babies eat grain free food, and I really try to pay attention to the extra ingredients in their food, I really don’t want to be inadvertently feeding them a bunch of things that aren’t healthy for them when giving them treats. I’ve done some searching for the cleanest treats out there that also have some additional health benefits for specific health conditions, and so far, I like these 3 cat treat options!
1.
Everest, one of my Lynx Point Siamese kitties, has suffered from a urinary tract infection and another injury that required him to be on antibiotics two different times. Knowing that antibiotics just destroy good gut flora, I wanted to find a treat for him that would incorporate probiotics AND other supplements to help prevent future UTIs. These VetriScience UT Strength feline treats combine N-Acetyl-Glucosamine, D-Mannose, Cranberry Powder, Bromelain, and Bacillus coagulans probiotic strains to help support his urinary tract health and repopulate some of the good flora lost to antibiotics. He loves the flavor and gets so excited when I pull them out, so that makes me happy, too 🙂
2.
A big concern with dogs and cats is periodontal health, and it’s an especially challenging issue because they can’t exactly brush their own teeth! This issue has been big on my radar since my oldest cat, Bailey, who recently passed away, suffered from a lot of oral health problems. According to his vet, certain cat breeds just have more issues than others. I bought each of my 5 kitties tooth brushes and intend to keep their chompers healthy by getting them used to regular teeth-brushing, but I couldn’t help but wonder what I could do between brushings. I did some research and found that treats can be helpful in combatting plaque build up on teeth while freshening breath, a win-win! These Perio Plus Feline Bites state that they contain probiotics and CoQ10 to control plaque and support healthy gum, and spirulina (hello, chlorophyll!) and healthy bacteria freshen breath. Kelvin loves these treats, and Everest is almost equally interested!
3.
Cat grass can be many types of grass, including wheat, rye, barley, and oat, and these have been selected because they are non-toxic and ok for cats to eat! Since all of my kitties are strictly indoors, I wanted a way to give them a little taste of the outdoors and to get some greens in their system. Cat grass provides fiber as well as more of that chlorophyll stuff that’s good for digestion and detoxification, yay! Not to mention, it seems like they have such a fun time grazing, haha! My advice is to start them on this SLOWLY, especially if they’re indoor only and aren’t used to greens! In the beginning, I would often trim the cat grass into small pieces and put a little in each of their dishes with dinner, and then worked up to letting them graze. I still keep it to a minimum so they don’t over-do it! I couldn’t find the exact brand of wheat grass seeds on Amazon that I previously bought, but pretty much any seeds labeled cat grass, or wheat grass are perfect, just make sure they’re organic and that the potting soil you grow them in is also organic and non-toxic to pets! I’ll do a post soon about growing cat grass, so you’ll be able to check that out if you need a little help getting started – I think your fur babies will thank you!
If you end up trying any of these with your kitties, please let me know what you think! And if you have other suggestions for yummy, healthy cat treats, I’d love to hear about them! Thanks for reading!
Be Well,
Stacy
** I am NOT a veterinarian, so please consult your pet’s health care provider before using these products, especially if your pet has underlying health conditions. These are NOT substitutes for medical treatment if needed. I AM, however, a pet owner and I’m figuring all of this out along with you! 🙂
One Comment
SRM
I liked your post. Our cat Matty would never chow down on cat grass or treats. He’s guilty pleasure was always a glass of ‘fresh water’. In his later years he gained an affinity for dried catnip but only if served with water in a people glass (which became known as Matty glasses).