One of the best parts about celebrating Thanksgiving is sharing homemade food with those you care about. Your cat is certainly no exception to this circle of love!
This is a holiday to spend with friends and family, and that includes our feline family members.
Why not show your cat how thankful you are for them by making some delicious, DIY Thanksgiving treats? Your cat will be licking their chops in thankfulness!
There are lots of fun treats you can make to let your cat feel like a part of the Thanksgiving celebration. If you plan on giving your cat some table scraps, make sure it’s something that will not cause any toxicity to your cat. CatTime has a helpful Thanksgiving food guide here.
Have you made your cat anything special for Thanksgiving before? Do you have any favorite cat treat recipes? Let us know in the comments below!
Do-It-Yourself Thanksgiving Cat Treat Recipes
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Thanksgiving Tuna Crunchers
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This recipe acts as a great appetizer for your kitty on Thanksgiving day. The recipe started as an April Fool's joke on Doggy Dessert Chef, but quickly became a favorite of many cats.
Ingredients:
- 10 ounces tuna in water (just over 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons Catnip
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit)
- Mix all of the ingredients in the bowl, adding one at a time. Start with the tuna so all of the ingredients have a base to stick to. It will turn into a dough.
- Knead the dough into ball and roll onto a floured surface. Roll the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
- Score the dough in a checkerboard pattern. Be sure not to cut all of the way through!
- Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for ten to 13 minutes. Let it cool, and then break it into pieces.
- You can keep any uneaten treats in the fridge for a couple of days, and then discard if there are any left.
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Kitty Delights
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These treats from Serendipity and Spice are so simple to make, but your cat will still be impressed!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup white cornmeal
- 5 oz can of tuna
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup water
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit)
- Mix all of the ingredients until it forms a nice ball.
- Break off tiny pieces of the ball, and roll into quarter-sized bits.
- Place the bits on a baking sheet. Gently press down with your thumb to flatten each treat.
- Bake for five minutes, and then flip the treats. Bake for an additional five minutes.
- Once these treats are cooled, they are ready for your kitty to enjoy!
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Pumpkin Smoothies
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Your cat may not be able to indulge in a glass of wine or seven, but you can make a tasty drink for your cat to enjoy on Thanksgiving! These pumpkin smoothies are simple and can be frozen to make great, chilly treats after the big day.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 can pumpkin puree (note: be sure to grab PLAIN pumpkin, as premade pumpkin pie mixes can have a lot of additional sugar and fat that can wreck havoc on your kitty's digestive system.)
- 1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
Directions:
- Blend the pumpkin and yogurt until smooth
- Serve!
- If you have extra smoothie, you can pour it into an ice tray and save as treats for later.
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Thanksgiving Tuna Turkey
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If you are in a pinch, this one is quick and easy.
Simply take a can of cat-safe tuna -- many pet stores sell cat-specific tuna -- or a small amount of unsalted tuna in water as the base for this delicious treat.
Scoop out the tuna and mix it with a few pieces of your cat's favorite dry food.
If you fancy yourself a crafty type, shape it as best as you can like a "turkey." To add to the effect, add some tiny pieces of white meat from your Thanksgiving turkey as embellishments that look like feathers.
Present it to your kitty right as you're sitting down to the table so they can enjoy the meal, too!
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Pumpkin Pie Cat Treats
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Cats like dessert, too! Make these pumpkin pie treats that won't cause any issues with your cat's digestive tract.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups rice flour (white flour can be used instead, just opt for unbleached)
- 1⁄2 cup oatmeal
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1⁄2 cup unsweetened plain applesauce
- Flour for rolling
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit)
- Blend the pumpkin, carrots, and applesauce until smooth.
- Have the flour and the oatmeal in a separate bowl. Slowly add the wet ingredient mix to the dry ingredient mix until a dough forms.
- Roll out the dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness.
- Use Thanksgiving-themed cookie cutters to cut out treats.
- Put the treats on a greased cookie sheet and bake for seven minutes. Flip and bake for an additional five minutes.
- Let cool and serve!
