Dear Kitten,
It’s time to celebrate two years together.
Two years of purring and tenderness. Two years of crying for food at five in the morning. Two years of sleeping in what you know is my spot on the couch. Two years of lint rolling all of my clothes. Two years of also keeping a lint roller in my car.
Two years of tricking my friends with your cuteness and leg rubs. Two years of attacking my shins. Two years of belly rubs turned forearm attacks. Two years of trying to get outside. Two years of climbing the walls… literally. Two years of sneaking into my food shots.
Two years of sitting in and on everything I need. Two years of sleeping at the foot of my bed… and attacking my feet at the slightest sign of movement. Two years of keeping me company. Two years of scaring my catsitters. Two years of making me laugh. Two years of making my boyfriends run screaming. Two years of eating exactly everything I make… including that pancake you snuck off the pan while I was photographing.
Two years of trying to convince me that you don’t love me… when I know you do… because I love you back. And I made you treats so quit your yappin’, and no you can’t go outside.
xo.
ps. We’ll always have Cat Land.
I made cat treats. Admittedly this is slightly ridiculous.
Yes, I realize that I can easily pop into any grocery and buy the kitten a package of treats without making my house smell like weird, warm, wet cat food.
Aaahhh, the things we do for love: make cat treats.
Aaahhh, the things we do because we’re ridiculous: watch the entire season of Bachelor Pad 3 with rapt attention. (Cry for help!)
I let the little guy (he’s totally not little, but he hates when I call him big-boned) get some sniffs and licks in. Happy Birthday, Kitten. I’m teaching you bad habits.
He was so sweet and tender as a youth.
I always knew he’d grow into his nose.
I didn’t know that he’d lose all sense of decency.
Can you teach a cat manners? Seriously.
I let him lick the cat treat dough bowl . Just this once… and just to see if he’d like it.
He did… but he would have licked the bowl if it had mushrooms and onions in it too. He’s a go-getter.
Note: Cats aren’t supposed to eat onions (or garlic). I know this. Don’t yell at me cat evangelists.
He used to sleep in bowls of the punch variety.
I always thought it was cute.
And then he got really big.
… which kinda makes me feel like I let a bengal tiger live in my house. (Unwise).
Kitten knows that this is my spot on the couch. He knows darn well…
(He doesn’t care.)
He really likes when the mail lady comes. If he could bark, I’m sure he would.
Your cat sleeps like this too, right?
Tell me this is normal.
All things considered (and I have considered all things), he’s a good helper… or at least consistent, and fluffy.
He let me get him a humiliating haircut… because he has the self-confidence to rock it.
Extreme closeup involving tiny tiny teeth.
It’s because of the tiny teeth, the shaved belly, and the constant companionship that I made these chewy cat treats.
I need to be clear. My cat eats absolutely everything. If I roasted an eggplant, this kitten would be all over it. He sneaks onto the counter to steal waffles, red peppers, and scallions. I have to keep the avocados away from him . For this reason… it’s hard for me to say with full certainty that these are the cat treats for your cat. Is your cat a normal finicky cat? Yea… it’s hard to say how these might go down. You might consider the addition of such treats as catnip or extra wet cat food in the dough. Cats have a very protein-centric diet. These treats are just meant to be a small addition to their diet, and not meant to replace their normal diets in any way. Cool?
Happy Birthday, Kitten!
Chewy Cat Treats for Cats
makes about 50 small treats
1 large egg
1 4-oz jar chicken and brown rice baby food (or something meaty which may include canned wet cat food)
1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup cooked white (or brown) rice
other things you might add other treats like : 1 tablespoon of catnip or a hearty tablespoon of extra wet cat food.
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, baby food (or wet cat food), parsley, olive oil, and water. Add brown rice flour and cooked rice. Stir to incorporate. The mixture will be thick but spreadable.
Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet creating a rectangle that is about 1/3 of an inch thick. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then slice soft dough into bite-sized pieces. Return pieces to the oven to bake for another 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. I store my treats in the fridge just to be safe.
Anna
Oh wow!
I just popped in to say that your cat must be a clone of my cat. Here’s a rather blurry instagram picture to show what I mean: http://tinyurl.com/c7re9tn
I had a strange moment while reading this post, because half the time I’d get convinced that it was my cat in the pictures!
M
What kind of cat is that? I think wehave the same
joythebaker
cat kind: giant.
Jaimie
Oh goodness. I’m so glad someone else shares my pain, er…love. I used to think I was the one with the crazy cat but I’m glad it’s not just mine! And yes, my cat sleeps like that, too.
Lee
Totally inspired to go home and cuddle my cats, and make them cat treats over the weekend :-).
These wil be awesome Christmas presents that my cats can give to my friend’s cats…
Lyne
This made me laugh, loved it! Will try the recipe as I have a cat (Tigger) who is a picky eater, but just as lovable :-)
Knitterfee
Back when we used to give our two cats canned food, i gave them raw chicken or beef as a treat.
But since we started BARF about a year ago, they get treated with good food every day, so the only thing really special are canned tuna (they love it SO MUCH) and sometimes unhealthy treats containing grains or sugar, but not on a daily basis. :)
I suppose I couldn’t make your snacks with canned cat food because the smell of non-heated canned cat food already makes me choke a little, but i might give it a try with the meat baby food -.-
Margherita
Considering how pets get pampered in LA, I don’t really think you making cat treats is ridiculous at all.
And I bet these treats are palatable also to humans!
Carla
I would adopt your cat if my feline companion didn’t hate other cats so much! She would also refuse to eat the treats just out of spite, she is a real prima donna. My old kitty would munch it down in a heart beat he just loved to eat, even though he was so skinny. He died late last year, still haven’t quite recuperated from that, he was with me 18 of my 28 years.
narf7
Can I swap your cat for my dog Earl who is more cat like than dog like? I promise that despite being 37kg he WILL sit in your punch bowl, he will scratch up your furniture and he promises not to eat ANYTHING that isn’t beef steak or covered in butter (although he doesn’t promise not to lick off the butter ignoring the product underneath). Lovely post and those treats look uber healthy! (In other words…Earl WON’T eat them!)
Averie @ Averie Cooks
You have the luckiest kitty in the world! homemade treats on his bday and he looks so cute trying to bat at the jar and get them all out :)
Jamie
this post makes my heart ache. your cat reminds me of mine… both long-haired and mischievous. I used to carry lint rollers in my purse. I recently moved to Taiwan and had to leave both my kittens behind with my loving parents and mother-in-law [who are ensuring they get plenty of treats]. I miss them so much, but they are well-loved. happy to see your kitten is too :)
Ann P.
OK your cat is ridiculously cute, and this staunch dog-lover has pretty much turned!!!
Jamie @ green beans & grapefruit
I don’t like cats and I may be slightly thinking that you’re a crazy cat person…but I find this post hilarious. Mostly because it’s just hilarious.
Amy W
It’s no different than making home-made dog treats! Pet love plain and simple. :) lol
Connie
No one asked if you like cats, by the way I don’t like dogs.
heidi
I weally weally like your sweet kitten!
MAYZEE DUNEBUGGY
hey heidi, what’s your last name? not to be creepy or anything, i just have a friend named heidi hoivik who moved… sooooooo yeah. sorry. XP but if you r heidi hoivik, plz respond. <3
Zoe
My absolute favourite photo of your cat is this one from last year’s post. I don’t know why, but it made me laugh so hard! It still brings a smile to my face and makes me giggle.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22540992@N03/6148297507/
P.S. I have your cookbook on Kindle and love it! I have not cooked anything out of it, yet, but really, really want to make the cheddar chive jalapeño biscuits and serve them with some chili. I have to make them gluten-free, but they’ll still be totes maj!
Janae @ Bring-Joy
Oh my gosh. Hilarious!
I don’t have a cat, nor do I think I ever will (husband + 4 kids is work enough), but I love, love, love how much personality can have. It’s apparent yours loves you, so many pieces of evidence to support that (like the way he snuggles into that spot on the couch, or gives you that look when lounging in the punch bowl–that’s true love).
I have one question though. I thought cats ate a diet of 90% protein or more. Is this just misinformation?
joythebaker
you’re totally right! cats do have a very protein heavy diet… that’s why these treats are just a small addition to their diets.
Janae @ Bring-Joy
makes sense. that little kitty is spoiled, for sure. i love how he wants to eat all your food, too!
Alessandra
I am getting a cat for my birthday and I will make him this if he is a good boy!