What Are The Best Treats For Cats?

Cat treats are an excellent positive reinforcement option for your feline companion’s education. Therefore, today we invite you to know the best gifts and their importance in the learning of your pet.

Positive reinforcements: what they are and how they work

Basically, positive reinforcement is a stimulus to learning various skills, activities, or tricks. Its foundation says that responding positively to desired behaviors or actions facilitates their assimilation and encourages their repetition.

When it comes to educating a pet, the owner must praise and reward the animal for appropriate attitudes. Thus, the pet will more easily develop appropriate behaviors, while improving its ability to learn and socialize.

To apply positive reinforcement in cats and dogs we will establish criteria. It is necessary to avoid that our friend believes that he will earn a reward for any behavior.

Lying cat

It is also important to offer the prize on short notice. That is, the animal should not wait long to receive its reward, since it stops connecting it with a specific behavior. Offer positive reinforcement immediately, in response to a desired behavior, is recommended.

Treats for cats: why positive reinforcement is preferable in feline education

The old corrective (or negative) education is based on causing fear and / or anguish to obtain the desired behaviors. Obedience, in these cases, is the result of a process of emotional and physical exhaustion, which damages the welfare of the animal.

Preferring positive reinforcement means excluding any and all acts or conduct of violence. Among so many benefits is avoiding an unnecessary dose of stress and suffering to a being that does us so much good. In addition, it contributes to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the owner and the pet.

Preserving the physical and emotional integrity of our best friends is essential for a healthy coexistence and education. Therefore, positive reinforcement is recommended and superior to any other form of ‘negative education’.

Top 3 Treats for Cats of All Ages

Cat treats are not necessarily material goods, such as toys and accessories, or food. There are many ways to reward him, and here are 3 effective positive reinforcers for your best friend.

1- Affection

Are cats too independent to receive and show affection?

Actually , demonstrations and recognition in the form of strokes are great treats for cats of all ages. In addition, they help to reaffirm the love and dedication between the owner and the pet.

To please them even more, it is possible to show affection in feline language. It is enough to squint your eyes and look at your best friend expressing all your love.

2- Games and toys

Cats are very intelligent and they love to play with their owners. Therefore, encouraging the practice of entertaining activities is an excellent option for positive reinforcement. In addition to teaching them, games help fight overweight and associated diseases.

Eventually , it is recommended to please your best friend with a new and liked toy.

3- Candy

It is true that cats are usually very demanding in relation to their palate, but the treats they like are the best treats for cats.

It is important to be careful not to overdo the quantity or frequency of these treats. Excessive ingestion of snacks can lead to obesity and harm your pet’s dental health.

Basic method to correctly offer cat snacks

Feline education requires consistency and intelligence to optimize positive reinforcement. Knowing how and when to offer cat treats is necessary to encourage cat learning and avoid unwanted behaviors.

Cat with a toy

– Usual rewards:

These snacks should be provided as a constant incentive to learning and maintaining positive behaviors. They can be offered more frequently without damaging the balanced diet of the animal.

There are many options available on the market. We highlight the dried liver treats and the low-fat crunchy cookies.

– Extraordinary rewards:

These treats must be offered in special moments, for that reason they are extraordinary. They serve to reinforce a behavior or a difficult and highly valued act, which deserves a higher recognition than usual.

Surely, each owner will know how to give the perfect touch to the palate of their favorite feline.

– Healthy snacks:

Healthy treats represent a growing demand in the cat treat market. They are perfect options not only for felines that already suffer from obesity, but also as a prevention method.

Cat treats serve an important educational function. Knowing how to use them can improve coexistence with your feline friend and encourage their socialization.

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Main image source: Kathryn Yengel