On even the hottest days of summer, cat owners often find their kitties lounging in the sun. While you’re sweating in your t-shirt and shorts, your cat can be found soaking up as much warmth as possible. As much as cats seem to delight in their daily dose of sunshine, cats can overheat and even experience heatstroke.
Cats aren’t able to cool themselves as easily we humans can, so they require access to a shaded, well-ventilated area with access to clean water on hot days. In addition to providing these essentials, there are other ways you can help keep your kitty cool in the summer heat.
Frozen cat treats are easy to make at home and convenient to keep on hand for when the temperature starts to climb. Read on to learn which ingredients are best for frozen cat treats and how to make these tasty cooling snacks.
What Ingredients Can I Use in Frozen Cat Treats?
You may already know which foods you should avoid feeding your kitty, but as a quick and important reminder you should definitely avoid any chocolate, onions, and garlic. But what about yogurt or ice cream?
Cats lack the lactase enzyme that breaks down lactose, a type of sugar found in milk. Without this enzyme, consuming dairy is likely to give your cat some unpleasant digestive side effects. While traditional ice cream may be a no-go, many cats are able to tolerate yogurt. Just make sure it doesn’t contain artificial additives and isn’t overly sweetened (especially with xylitol, a natural chemical that’s often added to food products to make them more palatable for us humans).
Yogurt is a great base for frozen cat treats, but if your cat doesn’t tolerate dairy well there are still plenty of options. You can always use water, broth, or even organic goat’s milk as your base and throw in cat-friendly add-ins like flaked tuna, catnip treats, or wet cat food.
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4 Tasty Recipes for Frozen Cat Treats
Making frozen cat treats at home is quick and easy – you probably already have the ingredients for at least one of these recipes. As an alternative to making homemade cat treats, you can also try putting a lickable treat like Tiki Cat Stix or Churu in the freezer for an hour before serving it.
1. Tasty Tuna Treats
Open up a can of water-packed tuna and dump it into your food processor. Add a half cup of water then blend until it’s nice and smooth, adding more water as needed to get the desired consistency. Pour the liquid into silicone ice cube trays and freeze for a couple of hours. When the treats are frozen, pop them out of the tray and store in a freezer bag. You can also try this recipe with canned salmon.
2. Frozen Paté Cubes
Take a can of your cat’s favorite pate-style wet food and scoop it out into a mixing bowl (we like Wellness Complete Health Paté). Stir in a few of your cat’s favorite soft treats or a sprinkle of dried catnip. Spoon the mixture into small paper cups or into a silicone ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Pop the treats out the tray or peel away the paper to serve the frozen treat.
3. Frozen Goat’s Milk Treats
Goat’s milk is loaded with digestive enzymes and probiotics, making it a nourishing addition to your cat’s diet and it freezes well as a summer treat. Mix up a few packets of The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosters Instant Goat’s Milk according to the directions then pour into small silicone molds. Freeze the goat’s milk until solid then pop the treats out to serve and store the extras in a freezer bag.
4. Frozen Yogurt Drops
For cats who tolerate dairy, these frozen yogurt drops are a quick and easy treat to prepare. Take a container of Greek yogurt and stir in some smooth canned cat food (you may need to puree it in the food processor for it to work). Spoon the mixture into a plastic bag and snip off the tip. From there, just squeeze little drops of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid.
If you’re looking for a simple solution you don’t have to prepare yourself, grab a bag of Instinct Frozen Raw Bites cat food. Keep the bag in the freezer and give your cat a few bites as treats to cool down.
The next time you and your cat start to feel the heat, whip up one of these tasty recipes and settle down in the shade to cool off. If you’re lucky, your cat might even give you a bite!
