With all the talk of pet food recalls over the years, owners often ask us what we'd recommend for treating their cat or dog. We love our companions and want to make them happy, and as we all know, the way to most pets' hearts is through their stomachs. But more than half of dogs and cats in the U.S. are overweight, so it's worth making sure a kind gesture doesn't become a health problem. Below are some ways to treat your pet without adding to their waistline—and most of them are things you probably already have in the kitchen.
Two rules before we start. Treats of any kind should make up no more than about 10% of your pet's daily calories, so trim their meals a little to compensate. And introduce anything new in a small amount and see how they get on, rather than offering several new things at once.
Factor in Size
This is the point most owners underestimate. A small amount of a high-calorie food represents a far bigger share of your pet's daily intake than it does of yours—so a treat that seems trivial to you may not be trivial at all.
It helps to think in proportions. If you weigh 190 pounds and your dog weighs 38, you're five times their size, so an ounce of cheese given to your dog is roughly equivalent to you eating five ounces. A single ounce of cheddar is about 110 calories, which for a small dog can be a substantial fraction of what they should eat in a day. Do the same sum with a piece of broccoli and the answer is rather different.
So the question worth asking is simple: relative to your pet's size, is this a mouthful of something wholesome, or a plateful of something rich?
Fruits and Vegetables as Treats
Not every fruit or vegetable is safe, so it's worth knowing which to avoid. Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks are toxic to dogs and cats, in any form including powdered. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. Corn cobs and stone fruit pits cause obstructions and should never be given.
The safe options below suit dogs well. Cats are obligate carnivores and have little use for fruit and vegetables—most will simply ignore them, and there's no benefit in persuading them otherwise. If you'd like to treat a cat, skip ahead to the proteins.
Good fruits and vegetables for dogs, given plain and in small amounts:
- Carrots, raw or lightly cooked
- Green beans
- Broccoli and cauliflower, in small amounts—large quantities cause gas
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Peas
- Lettuce and other leafy greens
- Asparagus, cooked
- Plain cooked pumpkin, which can also help settle a mild upset stomach
- Sweet corn cut off the cob—never the cob itself
- Apple slices, with the seeds and core removed
- Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries—these freeze well and make a good hot-weather treat
- Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, seeds and rind removed
- Banana, in small pieces
- Pear, seeds and core removed
Keep everything plain—no butter, oil, salt, or seasoning—and cut things into pieces small enough that they can't be swallowed whole.
Proteins as Treats
Protein treats work well for both dogs and cats, and they're the better option for cats. Keep them lean, cooked, and unseasoned—and never give raw meat, raw fish, cooked bones, or macadamia nuts.
Good protein treats for cats and dogs:
- Cooked chicken, turkey, lean beef, lamb, rabbit, or venison—skinless, boneless, and plain
- Cooked fish, boneless
- Bonito flakes, which most cats find irresistible
- Cooked eggs—scrambled or boiled, with nothing added
- Peanut butter for dogs, though check the label carefully, as some brands contain xylitol, which is toxic
A word on eggs: they must be cooked. Raw eggs can carry salmonella, and raw egg white contains avidin, which binds biotin and interferes with its absorption.
Dairy is worth approaching cautiously. Most cats and many adult dogs lose the ability to digest lactose as they grow up, so cottage cheese and plain yogurt suit some pets and give others diarrhea. Try a small amount first, choose plain and unsweetened, check there's no xylitol, and skip it if it doesn't agree with them.
Starches as Treats
Starches aren't off limits, though they're calories without a great deal of nutritional benefit—so keep portions genuinely small, and skip them altogether for cats, who have no dietary need for carbohydrates.
Starches that are fine in moderation for dogs:
- Plain cooked white rice
- Plain cooked sweet potato or potato—cooked, never raw or green
- Plain air-popped popcorn, with no butter or salt, and no unpopped kernels
- Plain cooked oatmeal
If your dog needs to lose weight, vegetables are the better choice here—carrot and green beans give them something to chew for almost no calories.
A Note on Commercial Treats
Plenty of commercial treats are perfectly reasonable, and there's no need to abandon them entirely. What's worth doing is reading the label, choosing something appropriate for your pet's size, and counting them toward the daily total like anything else. Some are very calorie-dense, and a couple of large biscuits can account for a surprising share of a small dog's day.
Two things we would steer you away from: rawhide and similar hard chews, which we see cause obstructions, and cooked bones of any kind, which splinter. For dogs who like to chew, ask us about safer alternatives.
One More Thing Worth Knowing
Not every pet should be having extra food. If your pet has diabetes, kidney disease, a history of pancreatitis, a food allergy, or is on a prescription diet, please check with us before adding anything new—a well-meant treat can undo a good deal of careful management. The same applies if your pet needs to lose weight, in which case we can suggest which of the options above will work best.
Beyond that, remember that food isn't the only reward. A game, a walk somewhere new, a training session, or five minutes of undivided attention all mean a great deal to a pet—and they don't add a single calorie.
Looking for more on pet nutrition as part of your cat or dog's wellness? Contact us today.