Why do cats like treats more than cat food? You may have this question in your mind when offering them both, but they just go for the former one.
You are not alone, and your kitty is not the only exception. Indeed, most of our pets are attracted by the smell and taste of the treats. And what’s more? Scroll down for more interesting information!
What Is Inside Cat Treats?
Before getting to know the reasons for your pet’s preference, let’s see what the main ingredients inside the products are!
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates make up 25-50% of the crunchy cat treats that are not essential to your pet’s diet.
This huge amount of carbs will break down into sugar, harming their bodies. The excessive sugar will stay in the form of fat, raise the insulin level, and lead to diabetes and unnecessary weight gain.
Mystery Meats
Mystery meats or another name: 4-D meats (meats are from dead, diseased, dying, and disabled animals). Though they are unhealthy, it’s allowed to be used for pets as long as they are heated and pressurized to kill bacteria and living germs.
However, if you think that sounds fine, you’re wrong. Bacteria can be destroyed, but not euthanasia drugs.
There are cases where people found these harmful drugs in products for pets and need to recall them.
Plant-based Protein
Protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins are essential for cats. However, the point is cats can’t convert plant materials into nutrition.
The plant-based protein is just there to combine with other ingredients to make a sense that they’re healthy to eat, but in reality, it has almost zero benefits for your pets.
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Why Do Cats Like Treats More Than Cat Food?
The flavor enhancers in the pocket-shaped treats make them more palatable, and almost no cat can escape from this trap. They tend to want more of this kind of dish.
Since the products contain high-carb and low-meat-based protein, your pets can gain unnecessary weight due to overeating.
Cats are not grain-eaters or carb-eaters by choice. They naturally prefer raw and fresh meat in their diet.
However, the enhancers usually sprayed on their treats attract them more. Your fluffy friends easily get addicted to this food and go for it rather than cat food.
Why Do Cat Treats Taste Better Than Cat Food?
When you compare these two products, it’s like you compare your dinner with your snacks. The former is designed to be nutritionally balanced for your pet’s diet, while the latter is a tasty snack you should give in moderation.
It’s not difficult to understand why snacks are always more tempting. Besides the three main ingredients (carbohydrates, mystery meats, and plant-based protein) mentioned above, the treats include other elements such as flavor enhancers, animal digestion, and preservatives.
Flavor enhancers make your furry friend obsessed with the products. They can’t stop craving it and hinting that they want more.
The products come in a wide range of flavors, such as beef, chicken, tuna, turkey, lobster, crab, creamy dairy, etc. Cats sense this attractive smell and beg for a serve.
In addition, these treats are composed of muscles, liver, and soft tissues that have been through chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis. The amino acid created after the process gives the products a better taste.
Cat treats taste better for its flavor enhancers
What Is The Proper Way To Give Cat Treats?
How?
Knowing how to balance this kind of snack with other diet food is important, as you don’t want your kitty to consume less water than it should. For example, the pate-style food is more gravy, so apart from reading the food instructions, you need to consider how dry and wet your pet consumes daily.
Ideally, the treats should not take up more than 5% of the whole diet. When you want to reduce the quantity, do it slowly. You may see results after a couple of weeks.
Plus, you should know what cat food is killing cats. Don’t give your pet too much human food. You can find alternatives in catnip or cat grass. These greens are easy to grow and low in calories.
If your feline is suffering from being overweight, consult with the vet to see what else you can do along with removing the snacks. You should properly cut down the calories to ensure your kitty has no other health issues.
When?
It’s not recommended to give your pet free access to what they want. There are some times during the day you can give them their favorite food.
It can be used as encouragement when your pet does agility exercises or learns new tricks. You can also reward them after grooming or after medication.
Remember, you should not say yes to their begging for treats, as it will form a bad habit. Spend time with your pet rather than give them this kind of food as a replacement.
What To Do If Your Cat Is Addicted To Cat Treats?
Signs Of Addiction
You should have your answer by now, but is your kitty addicted to the products? Let’s look at some signs below!
The first and easiest-to-see sign of dependency is their meowing and demanding for the products to become more often. They can be increasingly upset if you don’t make them satisfied.
You’ll see your kitten keeps pawing at where you store the snacks and will not let go or give up easily.
Moreover, your pet may do things to get your attention, such as jumping on the counter or sofa. You may even notice some kinds of agitating or irritating actions sometimes.
The worst sign is that your furry friend doesn’t take any other food except his favorite ones.
Solutions
You definitely don’t want your pet to lack comprehensive nutrition and gain weight unhealthily. No matter how much your kitten loves the treats, you should take some actions to help him less depending on the product.
First, you can try to find other snacks with lower calories and less attractive flavors for your kitty. Switching to a small piece of cooked salmon or chicken is also a good idea. Learn how cat food is made to choose the healthy one for your pet.
Next, reduce the frequency of giving treats per day and only offer the products as a reward for certain behavior or encouragement to take medication. Avoid repeating the action every day, as it will build up a bad habit.
Kittens can be addicted to cat treats
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When you restrict the snacks, you may want to feed your pet more often and in small amounts throughout the day to fill his stomach and quench his hunger. Remember to give him a small portion each time, regardless of what you give, so he will not gain extra calories.
Decrease the amounts of treats every meal and gradually replace them with regular food. Place the treat toy and dry food where used to be the snacks. Your pet can lose calories by playing with the toy and getting nutritious food.
Conclusion
Why do cats like treats more than cat food? Due to the presence of flavor enhancers, your cat is more excited about eating treats than his regular food.
Giving the products within limitations helps avoid the risk of addiction and protects your pet’s health. Once your kitty depends on it too much, it might take some time to change his habit and set new boundaries, so be patient and do it slowly with care and love.
