As every cat lover knows, when you are owned by your cats, spoiling them is your only choice. Zealously demanding that belly rub right when you are heading out the door, sharing your workspace to securely stash their favorite toy and making themselves cozy on your brand new comforter, all these are decisions your cats make. They certainly do not wait for your approval. However, what you feed them in between meal times as a snack or to encourage a particular good behavior is your decision. Listed below are a few tips for buying healthy cat treats that might interest you and excite them.

How old should cats be to have treats?
As soon as kittens wean, approximately when they are eight weeks old, it would be ideal to start giving them treats. It is when they can have solid food, and it is also the best time to start training them. So treats are useful for rewarding good behavior. Choose soft to chew treats that are tasty too. Similarly, when you have senior cats whose teeth are not in the best condition, do not stop offering them their favorite treats. Only make the right choice and get them squishy ones that they will be able to enjoy.

Read the label before buying treats.
Read the label on the pack of the cat treat, carefully, to determine what goes inside the treat. Your cat might find the treats tasty, but it is up to you to decide whether they are healthy and non-toxic.

Check to see if the treat has added vitamins or minerals.
Cat treats that have added vitamins, minerals, and taurine are better for your furry friends than those without them. If the little snack foods can be nourishing and deliciously mouthwatering at the same time for your puss, then it is a good thing they have this dual function.

Remember that cat treats are not a replacement for their diet
Your cats might show frenzied excitement about the treat you are giving them, and it might delight you to see such appetency, but remember cat treats are just that. They are goodies to give occasionally, not as a replacement for their food. Even when your cats refuse to have their regular diet, do not yield. Cat treats are not complete or balanced; it is meant to be only a small part of their daily diet.

Are cat treats low in calories and suitable for their gut?
Irrespective of whether you have an indoor-outdoor cat or a house cat, your feline pets are bound to have some digestive issue or the other sometimes. Apart from providing them a nutritious diet, see to it that their treats are healthy too. You could buy a small pack, give them the treat for a few days, and notice how their body reacts to it. You can then decide whether to go back to the store to get the snack in a larger size. Cat treats tend to put on weight in your pets. So give them only a small quantity of the treat every day.

What are your options for cat treats?
Cat treats come in a variety of flavors, sizes, and importantly different forms too. There are raw cat treats for the wild ones you are rearing and freeze-dried ones that are most convenient to both store and feed. There are moist cat treats for young kittens, older cats, and sick ones who do not have very strong or sharp teeth, and then there are special GI-tract, and dental-friendly cat treats, and grain-free ones too for sensitive, allergy-prone kitties.