Every year, the United States celebrates a little something called National Jerky Day on June 12th!
Unlike a lot of food-related hashtag holidays, it’s fairly safe for cats to take part in Jerky Day.
Let’s run through some of the most popular feline jerkies out there and highlight their health benefits.
What Types Of Jerky Are Available For Cats?
You might have noticed packets of jerky targeted at cats popping up in your local pet store or supermarket. This is no surprise and is part of the wider pet food trend towards feeding our cats healthier and less processed foodstuffs.
In the case of jerky, you’re pretty much getting a dried version of any number of meat and fish proteins.
Pet jerky is often packaged in snack-sizes: Popular flavors like beef, duck, salmon, and chicken are available in strips or even smaller treat-sized morsels.
These days, you can even pick up a packet of freeze-dried shrimp jerky treats for your cat.
What Should You Look For When Buying Jerky For Cats?
When considering trying a jerky for your cat, make sure to check the ingredients to ensure that you’re paying for actual meat and not a product that has been bulked out with fillers or contains too many preservatives.
If it doesn’t sound like something you’d eat yourself, considering passing on that particular brand of jerky for cats.
Why Is Jerky A Good Snack For Cats?
Historically, beef jerky was a way for humans to dry and preserve meat before modern refrigeration technology became available.
As cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need a diet that’s almost all protein, jerky is an excellent treat to add to their daily diet and routine.
Be sure to serve jerky made for pets. Human jerkies might contain extra spices or preservatives that could upset your feline.
Does your cat love jerky? Are you going to give them a jerky treat for National Jerky Day? Tell us about their favorite type of jerky in the comments below!
