Cat treats are a fun and addictive snack for most kitties but that doesn't mean they have to be "junk food." There are many brands producing natural cat treats that are healthy and beneficial for your cat. These treats are also free of dangerous artificial ingredients and fillers, making them a great addition to your cat's diet.
But how do you know if a cat treat is natural? And which natural cat treats are best? We have all the information you need right here to get your cat snacking smartly in no time!
What Type of Cat Treats Are Considered Natural?
Natural cat treats are becoming more and more popular as cat owners start to better understand what ingredients are important to their cat's overall well-being and health. Many leading household cat brands contain only 4% meat, which has cat lovers confused over what else their cat is consuming.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has stated that food can only use the term "natural" if there is nothing artificial or synthetic included in the ingredients, including color additives. These can cause allergies and impact mental health. Artificial additives can even lead to sickness in some instances, which makes it concerning that a pet food manufacturer would include them in their cat food and treats. Natural cat treats are healthy and tasty alternatives for the feline friend in our life.
Ingredients To Look For
If you're looking for healthy cat treats that are safe and beneficial for your cat, the first place to look is the ingredients list. Here are good ingredients to keep an eye out for:
- Meat: Meat should be the first listed ingredient, including salmon, chicken, and other popular delicacies. Make sure the first ingredient isn't "chicken meal" or "chicken flavor."
- Taurine: Taurine is an amino acid found in animal-based proteins. It is critical for normal vision, digestion, heart muscle function, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
- CBD: Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a natural compound found in the hemp plant that provides many mental and physical benefits for your cat.
- Organic cat treat ingredients: You'll sometimes see organic peas, rice, barley, and other ingredients that are free of preservatives and chemicals.
- Fish oil: This is great for your cat's heart health. It also promotes healthy skin and coat.
- Vitamins: It never hurts to give your cat vitamins and minerals.
- Natural chicken and salmon flavor: While the first ingredient should be a real meat source, some treats will add more flavor to the mix!
Ingredients in Cat Treats to Avoid
If you're unsure if a cat treat is good for your kitty or not, you can easily rule out cat treats that have certain potentially harmful and unhealthy ingredients. Here are ingredients to avoid in cat treats:
- Corn: Cats don't digest carbs very well. Corn also has a lot of sugar, which can lead to a number of health problems. Avoid "corn gluten meal" and other similar ingredients.
- Grain: This is often seen as a useless filler. Plants don't have taurine and a lack of taurine will often lead your cat to develop heart diseases and other serious problems. Look for grain! Free cat treats whenever possible.
- Added sugar: Cats don't need sugar and unhealthy cat treats will lead to weight gain.
- Additives: Unnecessary additives will often be flavors, colors, and preservatives. These can be unhealthy for your cat.
- Meat byproducts: If the cat treats have meat byproducts, meal, or bone instead of a legitimate, natural meat source, avoid them.
When Should I Give My Cat Treats?
When it comes to dog treats, it almost seems like treats have a purpose. They help train your dog to walk, to do tricks, to perform tasks. But what is the purpose of cat treats aside from being tasty and fun? You'll be surprised to learn that cat treats can also have some specific uses for your kitty!
- For training: Cats can also be trained to do tricks! My cat has learned how to sit for treats. A cat treat is a pretty big motivator for most kitties. Train your cat to sit, come, or give you their paw!
- For good behavior: Cats don't respond well to punishment. They often won't understand why you are yelling. Instead, give your cat treats when you see them doing something you like (sitting on a chair instead of on the table, for example, or using their scratching post).
- For comfort: Give your kitty some tasty cat treats when you clip their nails or need to get them in their carrier. This can help them have a better experience during these situations and make it easier next time.
- For fun: Sometimes it can be rewarding just to see your cat happy!
How Often Can I Give Natural Treats to My Cat?
If you're giving your kitty a cat treat when they are doing something good or just for fun, you may start wondering if you are giving your cat snacks a bit too often. Even healthy cat treats have their limit, right? Cat treats should be limited to 10% of your cat's daily calories. You may have to ask a veterinarian for that information. But it's definitely safe to give your cat three to four cat treats a day, especially if they are natural, healthy grain-free cat treats with wellness benefits.
You can also give your cat treats whenever you want throughout the day. Just remember that cats are creatures of habit. For example, my cat rushes to the kitchen whenever he hears a drawer open since he thinks it might be a treat for him.
Which Natural Cat Treats Are Best?
If you're looking for a healthy and beneficial cat treat, you're in the right place. HolistaPet's salmon-flavored CBD cat treats are not only irresistible, but are helpful for maintaining your cat's overall well-being.
One of the active ingredients in HolistaPet's CBD cat treats is CBD (of course!). CBD is a natural compound found in hemp plants that interacts with your cat's endocannabinoid receptors. These, in turn, support your cat's endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system is responsible for ensuring that your cat's digestive, immune, and nervous systems (and more), remain stable and balanced.
CBD cat treats are soothing, and may also help your cat feel calm and relaxed. Give your cat these cat treats 30 minutes before exposure to environmental stressors to help ease worried or skittish behavior.
These healthy cat treats are also non-GMO, contain no gluten or dairy, and have no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Ingredients include salmon, chicken, potato starch, peas, citric acid, potassium chloride, and natural flavor.
Where Can I Find Natural Cat Treats?
HolistaPet! From our crunchy treats to soft chews, our cat treats are some of the best options for healthy cats. We only utilize CBD from locally grown hemp plants. More so, here at HolistaPet we have a vet advisory board that ensures all of our CBD cat treats are as high-quality as we aim for them to be.
We aim to be a brand you can trust, with consistent, quality products, fast delivery, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. So many pets have had their lives changed by the beneficial power of HolistaPet. That is why we are so passionate about CBD cat treats — we see not only a cat's life change, but their owners's lives too.
Final Thoughts — Natural Cat Treats
Sometimes we just grab the cheapest cat treats off the shelf and think to ourselves, "they're only eating them here and there anyway. It's just a special snack for them." But unhealthy cat treats can actually be a serious threat to your cat's health and well-being. That's why you should give your cat natural cat treats instead!
Give your cat natural treats when they do something good or to teach them a new trick. Or, just give your cat some snacks just because you feel like it! Just remember to give your cat the correct amount of treats daily to keep their diet balanced.
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