Katie, CVT, DN-CET, HABc, CPCN
Mar 1, 20213 min
Updated: Dec 14, 2023
Delightful & delicious! Your furry feline will love these little treats! They are packed with protein, flavor, and nutrition! Give your cat's health a boost by supporting their joints & digestion, immune system, and more! These treats truly are a tiny superfood!
**Note of caution: if your cat has a history of bladder stones, please consult with your veterinarian as some of the food items within this recipe are high in oxalates, which can contribute to the formation of bladder stones. For a healthy cat, an occasional treat should be perfectly fine!
While cats are considered obligate carnivores, meaning the mainly eat meat, it doesn't mean they can't benefit from a little bit of plant material. After all, their prey would naturally consume these items and the cat would therefore as well when consuming their prey.
Plants offer a variety of benefits including fiber, phytonutrients, and various vitamins and minerals!
Makes:
A lot! This recipe makes a ton of little treats! So, you can cut the recipe in half if you need.
Total Time Investment:
About an hour
Ingredients:
(1) 5oz. can of chicken. You can also use fresh chicken if you don't want to use canned. Do not drain the liquid! You may substitute tuna or turkey if you want/ need to.
1/4 cup organic spinach. I used frozen because I always have that on hand.
Filtered water
10-15 tbsp flour (I prefer gluten free)
Other supplies:
Small bowl
Fork
Blender/ food processor (I used my Magic Bullet Blender)
Measuring cups/ spoons
Cookie sheet/ baking pan
Parchment paper
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Blend the chicken and spinach together in your food processor. I added 3 tbsp of water so it wouldn't bind up on the sides & blade.
Scoop this mixture into your small bowl.
Add the egg.
BONUS: add the eggshell membrane!
That's right! Don't toss that shell! The membrane is a powerhouse of nutrients!
Elastin
Amino acids
Glucosamine
Chondroitin
.....and more!
Simply break off a piece of the eggshell carefully (the membrane is connected to it) and slowly peel it back. The membrane should peel off the inside of the shell. Detach any shell pieces and tear up the membrane into tiny pieces and put into the mixture.
Next, hydrate the Grandma Lucy's Pumpkin Pouch supplement with a tbsp of warm water (let it sit for a minute or 2) and add this to your mix and stir!
This Pumpkin Pouch contains:
Pumpkin- high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber
Beet- great for heart health, oxygenating blood, circulation, fiber, B vitamins
Kale- rich in vitamins and minerals
Apple- antioxidants, flavanoids, high fiber
Ginger- great for digestion and reducing inflammation
All of these ingredients are rich in vitamins, minerals and the ever so important fiber!
**Note of caution: if your cat has a history of bladder stones, please consult with your veterinarian on feeding these foods as beet, kale, and spinach are high in oxalates, which can contribute to the formation of bladder stones. For a healthy cat, an occasional treat should be perfectly fine!
Finally, add the flour slowly by the tbsp and stir in. Dependent on how much liquid was in your canned chicken, will determine how much flour you need. I added 1 tbsp at a time and stirred.
This mix should be close to the consistency of dough, but I left mine a bit wet and they turned out great.
Roll out the dough and cut/ shape small pieces into any form you would like for your kitty!
I used a strawberry hulling spoon to create small circles with little spiked edges. I thought it looked cool!
You can also cut the dough into tiny triangles or circles.
I'm not going to lie... making cat treats is tedious. I got tired of forming small designer looking cat treats, so I also formed marble sized balls at the end, and also made some bigger flat cookies for the dog!
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
This will get them a bit hard and crunchy. If your cat prefers softer treats, just decrease the baking time.
Let these treats cool off for a few minutes before serving.
This batch makes about 15 ounces of treats.
Toss your cat a treat! That's all!
These can be stored in a small container for a few days, or frozen in a baggie.
Enjoy!
Did you cat like these treats?
Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know how they liked them!
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