Alternative treats

Hi again-
I just had lunch with my friend and gave her a bunch of info to help her with her cat grooming problems, including a printout of these posts. She is quite interested in doing some behavior shaping using food rewards. However, she says that Zhivago is an extremely finicky eater, and she has thrown away countless bags of treats because he simply won't even look at them. Part of the problem is that he is missing part of his jaw, although to everyone's surprise he will only eat dry kibble and occasionally a bit of wet.
Are there some other ideas for treats to use as food rewards other than the usual commercial ones? Something that no cat can resist?
Thanks,
Russ

Cat Cookies


Yield: 1 Batch

1 c Whole wheat flour
1/4 c Soy flour
1 ts Catnip
1 Egg
1/3 c Milk
2 tb Wheat germ
1/3 c Powdered milk
1 tb Unsulphured molasses
2 tb Butter or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses, egg, oil and milk. Roll out flat onto oiled cookie sheet and cut into small, cat bite-sized pieces. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and store in tightly sealed container.

(Recipe from the Massachusetts SPCA from Best Friends March 1995)


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Eggstacy

1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1/4 cup grated cheese

Serves one

Put the oil in a small frying pan and place over a low heat. Beat the egg and milk together. Once the oil looks medium-hot, slowly pour in the mixture, then gently agitate with a wooden spoon, ensuring the mixture doesn't start to fry. Add the grated cheese to the mixture, and fold over the edges when firm. Cook until quite hard, cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.


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Sardine Soup

2 canned sardines
pat of butter
1 cup water
few stalks of watercress
fish sauce (optional)


Serves one


Put the sardines and the pat of butter into a heavy-based frying-pan and place on a medium heat. As the pan warms and the butter melts, mash the sardines into it. When the butter has completely melted, pour in the water and stir as it comes to a boil. Thoroughly shred the watercress and toss into the pan. Remove the pan fron the heat and allow to cool. Puree, and add a dash of fish sauce.


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Mouseburger Bites

3 oz sausage meat or finely ground beef
2 tbsp oatmeal
1 egg, to bind
whisker of catnip, finely chopped

Serves one

Knead the ingredients together very thoroughly and form into a flat oval. Broil under a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, turning frequently, until the outside is crisp. Wait until cool, then slice into bite-sized chunks.


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Cheese Please

1/2 cup grated cheese
2 tbsp plain yogurt or sour cream
a little oatmeal
2 tbsp margarine or low-fat spread


Serves one


Mash all of the ingredients together, adding them in the order indicated above, and serve cold. No cooking is required for this dish. Some cats will not take to this dish as it is not meat based: others will love it.


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Crispy Trout Pieces

Serves Two

1 egg yolk
1 small trout fillet
3 tbsp oatmeal
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Beat the egg, dip the fish in it, and then coat it with oatmeal. Put the oil in a small baking pan and lay the fillet in it, turning it over once or twice. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over, bake for 15 minutes more. Remove the fish to a dish, allow to cool and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Serving suggestion: if it looks a little dry, add a dash of cream.


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Homemade cat treats

Serves one

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken or turkey
1 large egg
2 T. chicken broth
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

In a blender or processor whirl chicken, egg and broth until smooth. Scrape into bowl. Add cornmeal and 1/2 cup flour, stir until moistened. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 2 hrs. Then roll out 1/4 in thick on lightly floured board. Cut into 1/2 in squares or triangles. Scatter on 3 greased 12 x 15 baking sheets. Bake at 350 until golden (about 15 min.) Remove from oven, stir in pans and let cool. Refrigerate airtight up to 2 weeks, freeze for longer storage. Makes about 3 cups. (thanks, candy)


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Mackerel Magic

serves two

2 slices of unsmoked bacon, broiled
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 tsp soy sauce, Worcestershire or fish sause
1 fresh mackerel, headed, tailed, cleaned and scaled

Chop the bacon up small and mix with the rice, adding the sauce in dashes as you go. Broil the mackerel on both sides until crispy brown. Allow to cool, then split it along the somach and gently open it out. Bone, working from the head to tail. Fill with the rice and bacon mixture, close over the sides of the mackerel and serve.


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Kipper Suprême

Serves Two

4oz cooked kipper
1 cup leftover cooked root vegetables
2 eggs
a little milk
1/2 cup grated cheese

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. Mash together the fish and vegetables. Put the mixture into an oiled baking pan. Beat the eggs, milk and cheese together, and pour on top of the fish mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the outside is firm but the inside is reasonably soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.


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Kedgeree

Serves one

1/3 cup white rice
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp margarine or low-fat spread
3oz canned tuna or smoked mackerel, skinned and boned
1/2 hard-boiled egg, shelled and finely chopped
yolk of 1 egg
1/2 tbsp pouring cream

Cook and drain the rice. While the rice is cooking, gently fry the chopped tomato in the margarine until soft. Add the fish and the egg and continue cooking, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. Mix the rice, still over the heat, and stir everything seems steamy hot. Blend in the egg yolk, then the cream. After a last few stirs, tip onto a plate and allow to cool.


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Chicken Cheeseburger

Serves Two

2oz finely ground beef
2oz finely ground chicken
1 tbsp canned thick chicken soup
2oz whole grain bread crumbs or oatmeal
1 baby carrot, cooked until soft
1 egg
1/2 cup grated cheese

Mash the meat and chicken with the soup, then add the bread crumbs or oatmeal, mushy carrot and egg. Make into two small burgers and broil (leaving much rarer than you would for yourself). Sprinkle with grated cheese and broil again until the cheese is melted. Allow to cool until warm to the touch, and serve.


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Chicken with a Sardine Crust

Serves Two

1 can sardines in olive oil
1/4 cup whole grain bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp brewer's yeast
2 cooked chicken drumsticks,
bones removed


Drain the sardines, reserving the olive oil, and mash. Mix in the bread crumbs, egg and yeast to an even, gooey consistency. Coat the chicken drumsticks evenly in the mixture. Heat the reserved olive oil in a frying pan, then add the coated drumsticks and fry, turning frequently, until brown. Remove from the heat, and cool before serving.


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Organ Duet

Serves one

1 chicken liver, finely chopped
1/2 lamb's kidney, finely chopped
2 strips of bacon, finely chopped
1 baby carrot, cooked
1 tbsp whole grain bread crumbs or oatmeal

Put the meat into boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain off the water, then blend the meat with the carrot and bread crumbs or oatmeal for a few seconds (leave some texture), or mash the mixture together with a fork. Cool until warm to the touch. Serve up with a sprig of parsley.


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Salmon Mousse

Serves one

4 oz cooked salmon, skin and bones removed
1/2 cup skimmed milk
1 tbsp margarine, softened or low fat spread, creamed
1 drop red food coloring
several cooked, shelled shrimp
up to 1/2 cup prepared gelatin

Mash the cooked salmon and gradually add the milk; alternatively put the cooked salmon and the milk in a blender or food prodessor and process until creamy. Stir in the margarine or low-fat spread, add the food coloring, and beat vigorously until stiff. Put in a glass bowl or a mold so that the mixture fills it by three-quarters. Chill for 20 minutes, then decorated with the cooked shrimp, and pour on just enough heated gelatin to cover them. Once this layer has set, add further gelatin to taste and leave for an hour in a cool place or the fridge. To serve, turn the mousse out onto a plate and divide into portions.


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Fabulous Fishballs

serves eight

3 baby carrots, cooked until soft
8-16oz canned tuna in olive oil, drained
2 oz cooked herring, skin removed
2 tbsp whole grain bread crumbs or oatmeal
2-3 tbsp grated cheese
2 tsp brewer's yeast
several pinches of chopped catnip
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp tomato paste (not ketchup)

Preheat the oven to 350 Farenheit. Mash the carrots with the fish, bread crumbs or oatmeal, cheese, brewer's yeast, catnip, egg and tomato paste to an even paste. Mold into small balls and put on a greased baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking frequently: the fishballs should be golden brown and feel firm. Cool thoroughly.



These were taken off the website Fun With Felines- hope they help!

Wow Hissy! Lots of recipes!

My kitties don't care for treats. Spidey goes nuts for little bits of turkey or chicken, even salmon at times. Poppy won't even touch those. Maybe some cats just don't like treats!

Jorin won't touch turkey or chicken-even fresh real stuff. But he likes broccoli, mushrooms, and cucumber.

Oh how could I forget! The one and only thing Poppy will touch, besides her own food, is Wellness Wellbars - the Apple Banana kind. They are dog biscuits, but have stuff that is ok for cats, and Poppy loves little crumbles off these. They smell good enough for people too.

I bet you've tried one haven't you? I had one of our cats biscuits, mmm crunchy.

Wow, cool recipes! I never knew you could make your own cat treats. Are they even edible for humans? They must be if Bunn has eaten them LOL!

I think I may give those recipes a try, I can just see Richard's face as he comes home to a tasty smell coming from the kitchen, only to be told that I am cooking cat treats

I think cats get more interesting food than us, I was shopping the other day when I saw I can of sardines in salmon mousse, I got some strange looks when I was reading the label, going "Mmmmmmm"

Marie

You guys are funny:laughing:
My friend Louise and Zhivago the wonder cat both want to thank you for the recipes that you just happened to have laying around. She is going to cook some up and see what happens.
And thanks from me too.
Russ

Originally posted by -BuNN-
I bet you've tried one haven't you? I had one of our cats biscuits, mmm crunchy.

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Actually yes. They remind me of the crunchy natural granola bars, but are a bit dry for me. Maybe with a glass of juice? LOL

I bet you've tried one haven't you? I had one of our cats biscuits, mmm crunchy.

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I've never tried cat food (unless I ate it when I was a baby and can't remember), but I HAVE tried dog food. I worked at a vet's when I was in high school, and we sold Science Diet prescription food. Have you ever seen the wet canine K/D (I'm pretty sure it was K/D)? It is chicken and rice. That's it. One slow day, I and several of the vet techs tasted it, because it looked so good. It was bland, but I've had worse human food.