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Do you want to make homemade cat treats for your feline friend? With just 3 ingredients, you can whip up healthy tuna/catnip treats that your cat will love.
Cats Need Protein
I decided to make this recipe because I wanted to give my cats healthy treats with ingredients I had on hand. While researching ideas, I noticed that most cat treat recipes called for either all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour.
Although flour isn’t bad for cats, I wanted to make these as protein-dense as possible, since protein is one of the most critical dietary components for cats. Also, we are trying to get one of our cats to lose weight, and a high protein diet is said to help curb a cat’s appetite.
After looking over countless recipes online, I finally came across a tuna treat one that inspired me. Tuna is an excellent source of protein, and my cats go crazy whenever I open a can of it! But, I decided to modify the recipe to a tuna/catnip version would go bonkers if two of their favorite things were in one treat.
Plus, I also saw it as an opportunity to use their favorite catnip from The Ginger Cat Gang Store. My cats really seem to enjoy it, and this is now their second bottle. And so, I proceeded to make homemade cat treats with just three ingredients: catnip, tuna and egg.
Can These Treats Replace a Meal?
These homemade cat treats should never replace a meal for your cat because they are only meant to be used as occasional treats. Although giving your cat one of these treats every now and then won’t hurt, using them as meal replacements would prevent your cat from getting all the nutrients he or she needs. Also, too much tuna can lead to mercury poisoning, and excessive catnip can be problematic as well.
Can Cats Eat Catnip?
According to PetMD, cats can absolutely eat catnip, and it may even be helpful for their digestive tracts. However, too much catnip can cause health problems such as: upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, or even trouble walking. Yikes! With that said, it’s important to only give them a little at a time.
To keep the dose safe, I only added one teaspoon of catnip to the mixture. You could use even less than I did, but not more. If you don’t have any catnip on hand, you can omit it from the mixture without any other modifications, which would make them plain tuna treats.
Easy Peasy to Make
These treats were “easy peasy” to make, and I give partial credit to my Magic Bullet. I simply added the tuna to my Magic Bullet, and let the little mixer get to work. For the tuna, I used Bumble Bee Chunk White Albacore because I like that it’s “tuna in water” instead of oil. This way, I could give the drained tuna water to my kitties to enjoy!
They’re spoiled, I know.
While blending, I removed the container every so often to give it a good shake. The end result was a smooth consistency. The Magic Bullet comes with several different sized blending containers, but I only needed the smallest one for a single batch.
I must admit, it was funny to see Maggie eyeing me like a hawk from our kitchen stool as I made these treats. There is no doubt in my mind that she could smell the delicious tuna and catnip! As they cooled off, she kept meowing and meowing. This little girl wanted a taste! Can you blame her?
After the treats completely cooled, I was beyond excited to have my cats try them. No surprise, they scarfed them down, with Maggie enjoying it the most. I gave each cat one treat, then managed to fit the rest in an 8 oz. mason jar. The treats should be able to keep for one month as long as they remain stored in this airtight container.
Changes for Next Time
The first change I would next time is the treat size. Originally, I thought making each treat a teaspoon would be small enough. But it turns out that my cats took longer to chomp them down than with their usual store-bought treats.
So next time, I am going to try making them a half teaspoon big, which would theoretically cut the baking time in half. As an added bonus, I would have 48 treats instead of 24! Or, another option is to simply cut the baked treats in half before serving your cat.
The last change I would make is adding grease to the parchment paper. When I skipped greasing, they stuck to the pan.
Ugh!
With careful maneuvering, I managed to gently peel them off with a spatula. However, a thin layer of each bottom stayed. For this reason, I recommend lightly greasing the parchment paper. Using vegetable or olive oil is perfectly safe for cats.
Making Tuna Catnip Treats
Now, onto the recipe! Your cat’s waiting.
Tuna Catnip Treats
Ingredients
- 1 can of tuna, 4 oz.
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. of catnip
Directions
- Preheat oven to 330 degrees and line a baking sheet with greased parchment paper.
- Separate the yolk from the egg by cracking the egg into your hand over a small mixing bowl. Then, catch the yolk in your cupped palm while the white drips through your fingers into the bowl. Discard the yolk.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg white on medium speed until stiff peaks form when the whisks are removed. The egg whites should then look white and fluffy. Be careful not to beat past the point of stiff peaks, because this will cause the foam to collapse. Set aside.
- Open the can of tuna completely, then place the lid back on the tuna can to fit inside. Firmly press the lid down while tilting the can over a bowl to drain the liquid. Discard the liquid. OR, if it’s “tuna in water” instead of oil, give the “tuna water” to your cat as a bonus treat.
- Empty the can of drained tuna into the blender’s container. Add two tablespoons of the whisked egg white and one teaspoon of catnip to the tuna, then blend thoroughly until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Using a spatula, remove the tuna/catnip mixture from the blender, and gently fold it into the remaining egg white. Make sure you don’t overdo the folding, as this will cause too much air to come out of the mixture.
- Drop the mixture by teaspoon onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes. When the treats are done, they should feel dry to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and then store in an airtight jar.
Supplies
Despite the size, Sage, Peanut, and Maggie all enjoyed their homemade cat treats. If you tried this recipe, did your cat like them too? Let us know in the comments below.
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DISCLAIMER: These treats were inspired by a similar recipe on The Supakit Blog. Also, The Purring Journal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions, at not cost to you, by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I only affiliate with products that I truly support, and commissions help support this blog.
Disclaimer: The Purring Journal is not in the medical field. This post is made for entertainment purposes only. Use the information presented in this article at your own risk. Always seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
