For our discussion today, there are two applicable definitions of the word “treat” offered by the sages at Merriam-Webster: 1) To provide with free food, drink, or entertainment, or 2) to provide with enjoyment or gratification. By melting both meanings into one, we land on the exact type of treating relevant to training or bonding with a cat! Whether it’s a tasty reward for learning a new behavior or a savory snack to enhance the connection between you and your feline companion, let’s examine all things treating when it comes to your cat.
For Training
Cat parents, particularly those consuming content from RAWZ, generally know their felines fairly well; they know their dietary likes and how motivated by food their cat tends to be. By selecting a bit of food that is highly valued, a behavior can be either encouraged or discouraged through food rewards during training. Here are some important things to keep in mind when using treats as training tools:
- Treating to train will be more effective with cats who aren’t free-fed since having unlimited access to food will reduce a cat's food drive and make it less clear that the treat is a reward for a certain behavior or task completion.
- Picking a high-value reward is essential to the effectiveness of using treats for training or behavior modification.
- With various studies finding that today, 50% of cats are overweight and an alarming 40% are classified as obese, calories from treats must be considered in a cat’s daily caloric intake. If treating with pieces of food, simply take portions away from the measured daily allotment, or be sure to adjust the quantity fed at mealtime to account for calories gained from treats.
When Bonding
One of the beautiful things about a cat’s relationship with their two-legged parent is the bond created between two unique species. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few ways treating can help strengthen the connection between you and your feline companion:
- Feeding high-quality, nutritious treats is a great way to foster a bond with your cat by offering the treat by hand, enhancing the effect. In fact, cats who are free-fed or have treats left for them can miss the bond-fostering feelings of receiving a treat from their human companion (not to mention the boost us humans get from it)!
- In addition to strengthening the bond with their primary human, treating can also foster comfort around people, improve confidence, and diminish fear and anxiety.
Healthy Treating with RAWZ Freeze Dried Treats!
Whether it’s with the intention of improving training or boosting the connection you have with your cat, rewarding your feline with a tasty treat can be the best strategy. Fortunately, RAWZ has recently expanded our pet nutrition line with four different Raw Freeze Dried Cat Treats. In a single-ingredient Minnow recipe, along with our Wild Caught Salmon, Rabbit, or Venison recipes featuring Goat’s Milk & Green Mussels, your cat will love the goodness of RAWZ’s treats for cats! Find your nearest authorized RAWZ retailer here…
