We love seeing our beloved pets happy and few things can get them as excited as knowing they’re about to receive a treat.
As soon as your cat sees you pull out that bag of treats, he/she probably runs circles around your legs and meows constantly at you. It can honestly be the cutest thing!
In a perfect world, we can just give our cats all the treats so that they are always happy and full. You probably already know that doing so is not a good idea though. Giving your cat some treats is fine, but spoiling them is a different matter.
You don’t have to stop giving treats altogether though. In this article, you can learn more about certain guidelines that will ensure that you’re not going overboard when it comes to treating your pet cat.
Treats Should Not Be a Significant Part of the Diet
They’re called treats for a reason and that’s because they are supposed to be special items provided occasionally, not all the time.
Speaking to WebMD, Maria J. McGeorge, DVM, said that treats should only account for a “very small part of the diet” because they mostly provide empty calories.
At most, your cat’s diet should only consist of 10 percent treats and that’s still pushing it.
Use a Treat as a Reward
So, how exactly do you reserve treats for special occasions? Well, one way to do so is to utilize them as rewards.
Play around with your cat so that he/she is able to get some exercise. If he/she responds to it, you can provide a treat after.
It’s also not a bad idea to use treats as peace offerings of some kind after giving your cat a bath or a brush. He/she may even start looking forward to those if he/she knows that treats are coming later on.
Bond with Your Cat with the Help of Treats
If you’re giving your cat a special treat, you might as well get something out of it too. Lure your cat in with the treat and use it to get some precious bonding time.
Your cat may even be more receptive to some belly scratches and pets while he/she is receiving the treat. Opportunities like those are precious, so make the most of them.
The temptation to spoil your cat with treats is often hard to resist, but you need to do exactly that. If you want your cat to stay healthy and happy, learning when and when not to provide treats is crucial.
TAILored Cat Services will ensure that your beloved cat receives the right amount of treats whenever we’re watching them. Tell us exactly how you want the treats to be provided and we’ll follow those rules to a tee during the cat sitting session. Learn more about how we care for cats by calling us at 425-923-7791 or by browsing our website.
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