1y ago

My cats 1st birthday is coming up, what kind of treat should I get him?

I was thinking about some raw fish or something like that, he seems to really like salmon. Any suggestions or things to watch out for?

36 comments

So… I would suggest steaming the fish unless you can get very fresh seafood. Alternatively, baking it on some parchment.
I’m not sure that raw fish is particularly dangerous on its own- but do check for bones and such. Especially the pin bones. Fish can be an allergen, but if you’ve served it before it should be fine.
I’d say go with whatever they beg for when you’re doing your thing in the kitchen.
Also give the birthday kitty some scritches for me!
- I haven't served raw/fresh salmon yet, but his dry food is salmon and his favorite snacks are as well. His wet food is a mix of basically anything, but also sometimes salmon. So I don't think he's allergic.
  Thanks for the heads up regarding the bones!
  He wants to try basically anything I eat. Even when I scratch my skin in my face hes like "huh?! What you got there??" so it's hard to tell what hes really craving.
  Scritches delivered!
  
  They make freeze dried raw salmon treats for dogs and cats. Mine go crazy for them!
  
  saw this list of recipes
  The beef and carrots amused me- my “time share” kitty- he’s an escape artist that used to get into my greenhouse and steal carrots. not that he was eating them- didn’t show up in his poo; what he was doing with them is a mystery.
  A word of caution… cats probably won’t care if it’s super expensive “sushi grade” or whatever, and certainly not more than you would.
- My cat loves butter. Just saying
  
  So do I.
  Doesn’t mean it’s good for either of us.

If you want to be extra safe, stick with stuff specifically intended for cats. My local pet store carries these small, cooked fish fillets that have only 1 ingredient.
https://applaws.com/us/products/salmon-filet-treat/
- My cat loves these so much. He just walked into the room and I assume it's because he sensed the image of these treats being displayed on my phone.
- That sounds good! I'll see if my local pet store carries any treats like this.

Maybe get him some nice wooden chess pieces.

My kitty also likes salmon! I get him some birthday salmon from Whole Foods
- Do you serve it raw or cook it one way or another as the other comment suggested?
  
  With raw meat you always have to be careful. If it's super fresh cats can eat fish/chicken raw. However if you're not sure about how fresh it is I'd definitely steam it because salmonella is a thing.
  There's special raw meat (chicken mainly) sold as food quality for cats l where I live and that one I'm feeding to my cats raw: They adore it.
  However when I just buy chicken in the supermarket I'm always steaming it before chopping off some pieces for my cats because I can't be sure about there maybe being bacteria or so that really should be heated to death first. There's differences in how much the stores and such have to pay attention when labeling something "food quality in raw" vs "food quality after properly heating up".
  
  I cook it! No seasoning or anything. He loves it

The same thing I'd want if I were a cat. Nip.
- I do have some catnip that came with the cardboard scratching board he has 🤔 I'll probably put it out for him that day.
  
  FYI, the catnip that comes with scratching toys is often pretty shit quality. If you really want to treat him to the nip, get some high quality stuff. From the Field and Yeowww! are two brands that seem to usually be pretty high quality, and silvervine is a related plant that may be even more potent for some cats.
  https://www.fromthefieldpet.com/ https://yeowww.com/our-products/catnip/
- I'd want to chase birds all over rooftops and run across roads and through the woods.
  And that would probably kill me...

I get my cat tuna sashimi. She goes bananas for it.
- I have a tuxedo lady that only eats her dry food and don't like anything else... beaides Tuna sashimi and Ham. She'll come runing for it

Chicken filet plain cooked and shredded into thin strips. I make it for Surinam Bami and always give the cat some. When I make bami he is always close on the lookout for his share. It is gone in seconds, eats like a hungry dog.
Also chicken livers cooked and finely chopped or puréed.
Normally he eats BARF…hehe.