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My cats 1st birthday is coming up, what kind of treat should I get him? (lemmy.world)

submitted 6 months ago by meekah@lemmy.world to c/cat@lemmy.world

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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?

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[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 24 points 6 months ago

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!

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 10 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

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!

[-] GiantChickDicks@lemmy.ml 4 points 6 months ago

They make freeze dried raw salmon treats for dogs and cats. Mine go crazy for them!

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

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.

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

Thanks for that link! I might try to cook one of these meals.

Your time share kitty sounds like a very cute rascal!

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Yup. What’s fun is when you offer him a carrot. He looks at it like… “wtf am I going to do with that?!”

Torties, amirite?

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

I thought he liked apples for a short while. I kept giving him small pieces and he at them. Then one day I decided to chop a whole 1/8 of an apple into small pieces and he barely ate any of that 😂 but yeah often he really seems disappointed when I offer him some of my food

[-] QualifiedKitten@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Sorry to go slightly off topic here, but do you have a male tortie?? Those are quite rare, because it requires 2 X chromosomes to produce the tortie coat.

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

I assumed he’s a tortie. He’s got that coloration. (Or I’m just an idiot. But he has black/brownish-tan.)

Didn’t know it was rare. Gonna have to ask his people about. (It’s probably something they knew… it he’s getup their in years so, they probably never mentioned it.)

[-] QualifiedKitten@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

Maybe you're thinking tabby? Brown tabbies are often referred to as the "standard issue cat", and are commonly found as both XX and XY cats. Torties are black/brown and orange, and their coloring is the result of having one X chromosome for black/brown, and a second one for orange.

My apologies, I just find their genetics so fascinating!

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Definitely not. He’s got that brindle coat with black, light brown and tannish orange. (No white, though.)

My understanding currently is either he has XXY chromosomes, or is a chimera. I’m also fascinated by the genetics, so don’t apologize.

[-] MintyFresh@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

My cat loves butter. Just saying

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

So do I.

Doesn’t mean it’s good for either of us.

[-] MintyFresh@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

Lol fair

[-] QualifiedKitten@lemmy.world 12 points 6 months ago

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/

[-] villainy@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago

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.

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

That sounds good! I'll see if my local pet store carries any treats like this.

[-] Hupf@feddit.de 10 points 6 months ago

Maybe get him some nice wooden chess pieces.

[-] underwire212@lemm.ee 4 points 6 months ago

My kitty also likes salmon! I get him some birthday salmon from Whole Foods

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Do you serve it raw or cook it one way or another as the other comment suggested?

[-] Tartufo@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago

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".

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

Makes sense, thanks for the explanation!

[-] underwire212@lemm.ee 2 points 6 months ago

I cook it! No seasoning or anything. He loves it

[-] Bonehead@kbin.social 3 points 6 months ago

The same thing I'd want if I were a cat. Nip.

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago

I do have some catnip that came with the cardboard scratching board he has 🤔 I'll probably put it out for him that day.

[-] QualifiedKitten@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago

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/

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Oooh thanks!

[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I'd want to chase birds all over rooftops and run across roads and through the woods.

And that would probably kill me...

[-] kindenough@kbin.social 3 points 6 months ago

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.