Homemade Cat Treat Recipe

Do you see the spark in your cat's eyes when you open the "pet" draw in your kitchen or the door to the cupboard? "It's cat munchies time!" Interestingly, as soon you open that draw/door, your cats mysteriously appear – sometimes even running to the sound in their sleep.

Cat treats are a great way to enliven your cat's day and although they don't do tricks for them like dogs, you definitely win their hearts over for that moment. Stores have a great variety of treats available for cats. Some cats are very finicky and if you don't buy their favorite treats, they'll walk away disappointed. Most cats prefer crunchy treats, but soft treats are a hit as well. Unfortunately some of these store bought treats are not as healthy as they should be - many of them contain BHA/BHT, a commonly known carcinogen (used as a preservative). Organic or “healthy” treats can often be expensive due to the cost of quality ingredients and for some reason most cats prefer the junkie stuff (just like their human counterparts).

Here are some easy, tasty, and cost-efective recipes to try at home. These recipes are preservative and "bad" ingredients free, you can use organic or just regular high quality ingredients to make them. Give it a try!

Chicken/Turkey treats

1-1/2 cups cooked chicken or turkey
1 large egg
2 Tbl. 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.