[I]’ve done a lot of research on cats. By ‘a lot of research’, I mean that I’ve lived with an nutcase of a cat-animal for the past four years, and there are a few things I’ve learned. My cat, in particular, is bossy and unwilling to compromise. He’s a fan of avocado, anything I open with a can opener, buttermilk, and actually… anything that I eat, he wants to eat.
Since I am a maker of cookies for human consumption, I feel like it’s only fitting to make healthy and wholesome treats for my monster cat as well.
The best thing about these cat treats / cat cookies, is that they’re made out of actual whole foods! Oats, pink salmon, egg, olive oil, and dried catnip because cats are crazy for it. Cookies for cats! Let’s do this!
Tron is happy that, for once, I’m not waving him away from my food prep area. This time, it’s actually treats for him… not my cookies and biscuits.
No joke, three seconds after this picture was taken, Tron literally tried to tear through the bag of Purina Beyond Cat Food. He’s not a subtle creature.
Into a food processor with the oat flour, cat nip, and pink salmon. Salmon and oats are some of the great ingredients found in Purina Beyond Cat Food! Very good things!
Incidentally, with my leftover oat flour, I was thinking about making a face mask for myself. DIY all up in this joint.
A whole egg and olive oil. Great binders and good fats.
The dough comes together to be easily chapped into bite-size balls, pressed with a fork just before baking.
Yes… we’re basically making cookies for cats. Get all the way into it.
Once cooled, these cat cookies crisp up and can be stored in the refrigerator before you cat, if he’s anything like mine, eats every single one. It’s a good thing cats can’t open refrigerator doors.
This post is brought to us by Beyond Natural Cat Food. No corn, wheat, soy, gnarly by-products, or artificial colors or preservatives. Just the real food I give to TRONCAT to keep him extra sassy, nappy, and wise.
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Homemade Crunchy Cat Treats
Ingredients
- 1 (5 ounce) canned pink salmon or tuna, no salt added and packed in water, drained
- 1 cup oat flour*
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 heaping tablespoon dried catnip
Instructions
- *It’s easy to make your own oat flour. Simply grind old-fashioned oats in a spice grinder (or a super clean coffee grinder) until it is transformed into a light powder. There you have it — oat flour!
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, combine drained salmon or tuna, oat flour, egg, olive oil and catnip. Pulse until mixture comes together. Bits of fish and dry food will remain but the mixture will easily form into small balls. It will be thick but pliable and not terribly sticky.
- Roll dough into 1/2 teaspoon balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. Use a fork to press marks into each cookie ball.
- Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until they are dried on top and slightly browned. Allow to cool completely before offering to your kitty.
- Place treats in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
61 Responses
how long would they last in the freezer?
Kitty is digging them! I made them a bit smaller when rolling it out and just cut it instead of the extra step of smooshing it with a fork. Kitty doesn’t care it’s not smooshed.
I didn’t add the full amount of olive oil and subbed in some extra liquid I saved from draining the tuna.
It’s super easy and the dough at the dough was EXTREMELY EASY to work with. I’ll have to try with some of my friends kitties and see if they like them too
Thank you!
I hope my cats will like this! My boy Sherman is turning four in one day! I plan on making these for him, but the last ones I made he didn’t seem to have interest. Only my other cat liked them, but she couldn’t swallow them because they were not crunchy. Fingers crossed!
Hello! I would love to make these, but I have one question, can you use a blender instead of a food processor? I am opening a doggie daycare & cat boarding place, so I’m making homemade treats, but I just don’t have a food processor, and don’t want to get one for one recipe.
Hi there! I believe you can make this with a blender just carefully pulse – you might have to scoot things around to make sure the blade hits it, but it should work!
Can the mix be frozen before baking
I added 1 tsp pumpkin and 1/2 tsp carrot baby food, the kitties seem to like that too. I think I’m going to try it without the catnip next time.
I would love to make these, but they only last 7 days in the fridge? Would it be okay to freeze these and defrost them before feeding?
I like this recipe but will probably replace olive oil with fish oil. Olive oil has no benefits for a cat. I like when they are done they look like little burgers which is cute. I wonder if you would add some vitamin E if it would preserve them longer. That’s what they add to dry pet food to preserve it. It’s worth a shot.
I try to make treats for my boys’ pet/buddies & one has a cat. I saw this recipe of yours which I think is neat. However, he & his wife live far from home & although I mail their stuff via USPS priority mail, it takes a few days to get to them. Will these cat treats keep for a few days enroute to them or not?
They should be kept in the fridge. So I’m going to say no, sorry.
Could I substitute coconut flour? Or whole wheat flour?
No, not coconut flour, it absorbs differently. Whole wheat flour, probably, yes.
Just so you know avocado is highly toxic for cats and dogs.
Not true.
I have made homemade dog treats for my daughter golden retriever and he loves them. Would like to make kitty treats for my daughter in laws two cats, but must ship them, PO 2 day priority mail. I’ve searched many kitty treat recipes and cannot find one that doesn’t need refrigeration. Do you think these will survive a couple of day without being refrigerated? It’s February and she lives in Maryland. I in NC. Would not attempt this in warmer months, but maybe it might be ok for now. What are your thoughts. Do you know of a recipe that doesn’t require refrigeration? Would appreciate your thoughts.
Sorry for the late response. I would say no, they should be refrigerated.
do all cats will like it? i want to try to do the cookies but i wonder if my cat will not like it then it will be a waste.
Not sure about all cats?
I read this and thought, awesome, a Valentine’s Day treat for our cat. And then thought how sad that was. Does this mean we’ve leveled up to crazy cat ladies?
Oh my goodness. I loved your last cat post but I am DEFINITELY going to make these!
Make them! (That way I won’t be the only crazy cat lady making my cat treats!)
As a self-proclaimed (and family/boyf/friend- recognized) crazy cat lady, I am in LOVE with this. Do you think they would be okay for dogs (sans catnip)? Mr. Leon would just die having special salmon cookies!
Just listened to your podcast about sponsored posts. So I have to say…even though I don’t have a cat, you did a wonderful job writing this one. :) Thanks for opening yourself up to your readers!
My cat doesn’t love many much things to eat, but salmon? Oh God, she go completely crazy for salmon! I have to prepare these for her! ;)
https://justsem.wordpress.com/
I love this post! But being the cat maniac that I am, I was hoping for a centerfold style photo of Tron, scarfing down those cookies!! :)
Ha! Elaine you comment made my day, he was too much of a sneak ninja for me to be able to snap a good photo of him for the post! But I like where your head is at!
Thanks for sharing this! I can’t wait for my cat, Leo, to try these!
This cracks me up – homemade treats are the best.
Cat cookies? Adore the idea. Thanks for the recipe!
I love the idea of cookies for cats!
Love your books too, great reads – and of course recipes! x
Great inspiration for canapés… maybe when I host a dinner party
I just posted a new weekly food diary on my blog, and I would love to know your opinion on it :)
nutritionpsychology.blogspot.co.uk
Love this! I can relate to the cat attacking/ripping/chewing/dragging any and all ingredients that I don’t keep him away from while cooking. I’m pretty certain he’d adore these treats. He licks the tops of my oil bottles, so I’m pretty certain that oil + all the other good stuff in here would be sublime.
Clark and Wrigley are going to LOVE these.
I love baking for my little buddies, great recipe!
I’m a new reader here–I love the pictures on your blog :)
Thank you Linda, and Welcome!
Those look awesome! And I bet your cat was thrilled to not be kicked out of the kitchen. I am constantly shoo-ing my two cats out of the way and yet every once in a while I still end up with a cat hair in my food. How do you deal with long-haired-cat-hair-in-your-food problems?
https://erineatingeverything.wordpress.com
I think this idea is brilliant! My rescue cat now spoiled inside house cat is going to be pleased. I’m thinking about adding a bit more catnip to really get him going! (He’s only got one eye because a cayote got him in the wild before we rescued him so he has earned a few treats)!
It looks amazzzingggggg! So delicious! Need to try this recipe.
http://www.trangscorner.com
very cute :)
I know both our cat (Toblerone) and our 60lb malamute (Molly) are going to love these!
I love the idea of making treats for my cats, and knowing exactly what goes into them! As an aside, and I mention because I learned the hard way with a sick gato, dry food in general and high carbs – necessary in dry cat food – are not great for cats. Lisa Pierson, DVM (catinfo.org) is my favorite source for feline nutrition info. While most vets don’t know much about nutrition, she is in the know and provides a fantastic resource. Here’s to being a cat lady :)
Had you tried freezing them to keep them longer?
That’s a great idea! I think that would be supreme!
Where’s a pic of ur ADORBS kitty enjoying a treat…thought for sure he would be starring in ur pics!!!
All of my dogs loved salmon treats too…I grow “cat grass” in the house and put that in the cookies too…
ALL the way into this. I’m so glad I can embrace my inner cat lady in the kitchen.
I’m definitely making these for my kitties, including my Tron look-alike. His name is UT and you’ll get that name if you live in Tennessee.
Looks like a fun activity!
I love reading posts about Tron. I, too, have a giant orange catimal and he actually DID chew through a bag of Purina grain free cat food!
Nice!
Wow you have one lucky cat :) My dog is lucky to get a piece of cilantro that fell on the floor or maybe even an ice cube. Once in a good while, she’ll get a tortilla chip. I’m just amazed she can be happy eating the same kibble. every. single. day.
If I left our the catnip and acknowledged I don’t even have a cat, would it be totally weird if I ate them myself? :D
Hahaha, Marta! You comment made my day! I can’t see why not..make yourself some salmon cookies!
my cats are waaaaay into salami these days, which is not cat friendly I don’t think. perhaps these treats will be a nice cat-friendly consolation prize to the salami.
You are really good to your cat! I could imagine our cats would love this, too, but unfortunately one of our cats is not as slim and if I would give him what you show here I’m sure the cat won’t stop to eat :)
xx from Germany/Bavaria, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
What a luck cat!!
You won’t believe this, but my little chihuahua loves salmon treats! Someone gave me salmon dog treats a couple years ago because dogs nickname is “salmon”. And she goes crazy for them!
Do you have a good recipe for homemade wet cat food. I have three senior cats to keep Health. Thank you.
I’m afraid I don’t have an official cat food recipe, Frankie.