The benefits of cat treats
While it's common practice to give dogs treats, cats are also entitled to a little treat from time to time! Greedy by nature, felines rarely refuse the food offered to them and can, just like their canine friends/enemies, enjoy treats to combine usefulness and pleasure. After all, offering snacks to your cat has many advantages beyond simply giving your cat pleasure. If you're still wondering about the various benefits of cat treats, we'll tell you all about them!
Giving your cat treats to strengthen the bond: the pleasure treat
As you can imagine, the first reason you should give your cat treats is to give him pleasure! The little treat a master gives to his four-legged friend is a gift, the special little moment of the day that creates a certain bond between you and your cat. Let's be honest, from a psychological point of view, this little gesture actually gives you as much pleasure as it does your pet! So when you give your cat a treat, you're not only strengthening the bond between you, you're also enjoying a playful moment that brings joy and relaxation to both you and your pet.
Giving your cat treats to educate it: the reward treat
When you become the owner of a kitten or an adult cat, treats can be used to encourage your cat to learn new rules and serve as a reward. Of course, you shouldn't expect to train your cat in the same way as you might train a dog (the traditional 'sit' and 'down' are less likely to work, for example), as felines are known to be more stubborn and independent. Nevertheless, by offering treats, your pet will be more receptive to learning the rules that are essential in your home, especially the most important being cleanliness. Your cat will then be more receptive to encouragement rather than punishment: the treat will serve as a positive reinforcement, a reward, for appropriate behaviour such as doing his business in his litter box.
Giving your cat treats to stimulate it: the exercise treat
To stay in shape, cats need to be stimulated, both physically and intellectually. It is therefore entirely possible to use treats during games or exercises to keep your cat's abilities up. For example, there are accessories such as food dispensers that can be operated, or toys with holes that can hold and hide treats. These are specially designed for cats to play with, to exercise and to think about how to get the little treats inside. You can participate in the game and throw the ball to your cat to share a moment of complicity together, or even leave it to your cat while you are away: it's a guarantee of physical and intellectual activity until your cat retrieves all the hidden treats!
Treating your cat to keep it healthy: the useful treat
Finally, cat treats also have another very useful purpose - to keep your pet healthy! They are specially designed to be attractive in taste, so that they are more enjoyable than traditional cat meals. This makes it easier for your pet to consume them and it is possible to use the attractiveness of these treats in a more medical context, to maintain your cat's health in different ways:
-
Cat treats for dental health
Some cat treats are designed in a chewable format. This is a natural, mechanical action that helps to fight the formation of plaque and tartar, which are often the cause of diseases such as gingivitis, which leads to inflammation, or bad breath.
-
Cat treats to aid digestion
Cats' digestion is sometimes made difficult by the hairballs they ingest while grooming. Some treats are enriched with malt, a cereal known to aid digestion. Other treats containing various natural elements also help cats to digest. For example, Marly & Dan's tender cat bites contain ginger, an anti-nausea ingredient that promotes healthy metabolism and provides a solid foundation for the digestive system.
It is therefore recommended that you give your cat this type of treat, especially during the moulting period, in order to limit digestive problems.
-
Cat treats to balance nutrient intake
Some felines will experience deficiencies at certain times of the year or in their lives. There are treats rich in protein, fat, vitamins and minerals that can provide the necessary nutrients that a cat may be lacking. Some will also be useful for supplementing kittens as they grow.
-
Cat treats to regain appetite
In the case of senior cats, for example, they may lose their appetite at some point and become more fussy about food. Treats can help them regain their appetite and continue to eat. However, treats should never replace a normal meal!
-
Cat treats to help with medication
If you're a lucky cat owner, you know how complicated it can be to administer medication to your favourite fur ball... Thanks to their keen sense of smell, cats are very quick to spot medicinal substances and will immediately refuse to ingest whatever you want to give them to treat them. However, treats can easily be used as a hiding place for the medication. Because of the smell and taste, cats will not notice the medicine inside and will ingest it straight away!
