Treating your pets is a calming experience. Not only does it bring happiness for everyone, but it also lets them know that their good behavior is appreciated. It is only natural to want to feed them with healthy food to make sure they have the best health. To make sure you aren’t unintentionally treating them to unhealthy food, here is a list of ingredients to look for in healthy cat treats:

1. Proteins
Cats are carnivorous beings; their basic food requirements are high doses of proteins and small amounts of carbohydrates. Ensuring that the protein being sourced to your feline is reliable is one of the key points to remember. Opt for packaged food that mentions specific sources of protein instead of citing meat as the source. Meat is not exactly a healthy ingredient to rely on. If you want to feed your cat with healthy food remember to be source-specific and avoid all foods that can cause possible allergic reactions. You can opt for turkey, chicken, and lamb protein or alternatively talk to your vet before picking one blindly.

2. Fats
Fat is another macronutrient that cats need after proteins. Where the protein requirement in cats’ balanced diet is 25%, fat is at a close 22%. Despite the common belief that a fat-healthy diet and treats will cause our felines to swell up, it is not so. Healthy fat is a basic requirement of the body. So before you shun fat completely or go low-fat for your cat, remember that they will overeat. Similar to protein, specified fat sources are preferable to generalized ones. Do not pick a pack of food just because you believe the brand is good, take a careful look at its ingredients and nutrition labels.

3. Taurine
Taurine, an amino acid is formed naturally in the human body. But for cats, it has to be obtained from an external source. To make your cat food healthy and to ensure they receive the proper required nutrition, ensure that they get the required amount of taurine in their diet. Foods like chicken, turkey, beef, beef liver and heart, chicken liver, tuna, and lamb are good sources of this amino acid.

4. Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals help us in building up the immune system. Similarly, they are crucial for your cats’ health. They also play an important role in your cats’ natural growth. In order to provide them with healthy cat meals and treats look for foods with vitamin and mineral content. The foods you provide them with should contain Vitamins A and D, Thiamine, Niacin, Pyridoxine, and Riboflavin. The minerals to look for in the ingredient list are calcium, chloride, iron, magnesium, and sodium.