The worst cat treats are filled with unnecessary carbohydrates, low-quality meat ingredients, and chemical preservatives.
Most dental cat treats actually do the opposite of keeping teeth clean because they are high in carbohydrates. High carbohydrate treats leave a starchy residue on cat teeth.
These cat treats will add unnecessary calories and can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Weight gain is dangerous for cats because obesity puts your cat at a higher risk for diabetes, cancer, liver disease, urinary issues, and even shortened lives.
I’ve learned this the hard way with my cats growing up who all ate dry food only. That’s exactly why I recommend a healthy raw diet for cats as a pet nutritionist.
Healthy raw diets match our cat’s natural diet and nourishes our cats form the inside out. This helps our cats live a much healthier, longer life with us.
These are the worst cat treats you should avoid:
- Greenies Dental Treats
- Temptations Cat Treats
- Meow Mix Brushing Bites Treats
- Whole Hearted Smart Smiles Dental Treats for Cats
- Whole Hearted Soft Center Crunchy Treats
- Natural Cat Treats True Chews
- Blue Buffalo Wilderness Cat Treats
- Blue Buffalo Bursts Treats
- Wellness Kittles Crunchy Treats
Want to skip ahead to the best, healthiest cat treats? Check out my healthy cat treats guide for cat treats that are actually healthy.
These are the worst cat treats based on 3 facts:
- AAFCO product name rules
- AAFCO ingredient definitions
- Approximate carb amount
If you do not understand these facts, you will not understand this article.
Greenies Dental Treats
Why Greenies treats are bad for your cat:
- Greenies treats contain less than 3% chicken based on the AAFCO product name rule “flavor”
- The approximate carbohydrate amount is 37% on a dry matter basis which is way too high for cats compared to their natural diet
- High carbohydrate food is not good for cat teeth or cat health because high carbohydrates lead to weight gain and obesity
High carbohydrate food is terrible for teeth! It breaks down into sugar and leaves a starchy residue on the teeth. How can these treats be good for dental health?
Temptations Cat Treats
Why Temptations cat treats are bad for your cat:
- Temptations treats contain less than 3% chicken based on the AAFCO product name rule “flavor”
- The approximate carbohydrate amount is 37% on a dry matter basis which is way too high for cats compared to their natural diet
- Mystery meat by-products and animal fat could be rendered 4D meats
Notice that these treats are made by MARS? The same company that makes junk food for humans. How could these treats be healthy?
I cannot believe that these treats say they can be fed as main meals.
That would be like us eating dry, sugary cereal for every meal. Every day. For months and years.
Meow Mix Brushing Bites Treats
Why Meow Mix Brushing Bites Treats are bad for your cat:
- Carb amount = approx 37% on a dry matter basis
- Meat ingredients = chicken by-product meal, animal digest, animal fat, salmon, turkey, chicken breast, fish protein concentrate
- Other ingredients = cornflour, ground whole wheat, corn gluten meal, brewers dried yeast, oat fiber, and the rest are preservatives, colors, and vitamins and minerals (most of which are synthetic)
Salmon is 7th on the list. But I thought these treats are made with real salmon? Do you see how tricky they are?
BHA is used twice as a preservative. This is dangerous because BHA causes cancer in rats and mice at high doses.
These treats also include yellow 5, red 40, and blue 1. These color dyes can cause cancer and hypersensitivity reactions.
Animal fat and animal digest are vague and mysterious. Which animal? Yuck.
Whole Hearted Smart Smiles Dental Treats for Cats
Why Whole Hearted Smart Smiles Dental Treats for Cats are bad for your cat:
- Flavor rule = 0-2.9% chicken
- Carb amount = approx 46% on a dry matter basis
- Meat ingredients = chicken meal, chicken liver, chicken fat
- Other ingredients = tapioca starch, ground peas, coconut glycerin, pea protein, natural flavors, sunflower lecithin, dried chicory root, turmeric, dried coagulans fermentation product, peppermint oil, and the rest are preservatives, colors, and vitamins and minerals (most of which are synthetic)
We see that chicken meal, a rendered ingredient, is first.
And we have many more “other” ingredients than meat ingredients.
Makes sense considering there’s no minimum requirement for chicken. And that amount is guaranteed less than 3%.
Use AAFCO product name rules! Additionally, almost half of this product comes from carbs.
Ready to ditch processed food and switch to a healthy, species-appropriate raw diet? Get my proven plan and complete recipes that help you switch your cat to a raw diet without dealing with a picky cat!
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Whole Hearted Soft Center Crunchy Treats
Why Whole Hearted Soft Center Crunchy Treats are bad for your cat:
- Flavor rule = 0-2.9% chicken and liver combined
- Carb amount = approx 31% on a dry matter basis
- Meat ingredients = chicken meal, chicken fat, natural pork flavor, pork fat, spray-dried chicken liver, tuna oil
- Other ingredients = tapioca starch, barley flour, rice flour, brewers dried yeast, dried whey, canola lecithin, and the rest are preservatives, colors, and vitamins and minerals (most of which are synthetic)
Would you ever suspect pork?
It seems like this one has more meat ingredients. But these meat ingredients are meals, fat, and flavor. None of which are whole meat sources. Remember, there’s no minimum requirement of chicken and liver here.
And if there was at least 3% chicken and liver, the product name would be “with chicken and liver” instead of “chicken and liver flavor.”
Natural Cat Treats True Chews
Why Natural Cat Treats True Chews are bad for cats:
- Product name = Chicken Recipe
- Recipe rule = 25-94.9% chicken
- Carb amount = approx 31% on a dry matter basis
- Meat ingredients = chicken, dried chicken liver, chicken broth
- Other ingredients = vegetable glycerin, pea starch, potatoes, brewers dried yeast, pea protein, oat fiber, gelatin, natural flavors, distilled vinegar, paprika
This is the first cat treat that has actual meat in it!
The minimum requirement for chicken is 25%. But there are many more carb ingredients than meat.
“The first ingredient is meat” – yes, but muscle meat is 75% moisture (water).
Moisture is removed when the treats are processed. So 3/4 of that chicken is gone.
Approximately 1/3 of the product is carbohydrates.
This is a prime example that you can’t only rely on seeing meat as the first ingredient.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Cat Treats
Why Blue Buffalo Wilderness Cat Treats are bad for your cat:
- Product name = Trout flavor
- Flavor rule = 0-2.9% trout
- Carb amount = approx 43% on a dry matter basis
- Meat ingredients = trout, chicken meal, chicken fat
- Other ingredients = potato starch, peas, brewers dried yeast, natural flavor, and the rest are vitamins and preservatives (most of which are synthetic)
You might think that these treats have limited ingredients. The list is smaller than the other treats we’ve looked at so far.
But there’s no minimum requirement for meat here. And it’s guaranteed less than 3% trout.
The bulk of these treats are carbs. Not good for cat teeth or overall health.
Blue Buffalo Bursts Treats
Why Blue Buffalo Bursts Treats are bad for your cat:
- Product name = with Paw-Lickin’ Chicken
- with rule = 3-24.9% chicken
- Carb amount = approx 41% on a dry matter basis
- Meat ingredients = deboned chicken, chicken meal, chicken fat, pork fat
- Other ingredients = brown rice, barley, tapioca starch, oatmeal, peas, natural flavor, brewers dried yeast, dried whey, lecithin, yeast extract, and the rest are vitamins and preservatives (most of which are synthetic)
Here we see a bit more meat from Blue Buffalo. But still nothing impressive.
They rely heavily on bulking up the treats with carb ingredients.
And they seem to love citric acid which can cause digestive upset.
Dried whey is a cheap protein source from cow’s milk and can encourage allergies.
Surprised to see pork again?
Wellness Kittles Crunchy Treats
Why Wellness Kittles Crunchy Treats are bad for your cat:
- Product name: Chicken & Cranberries Recipe
- Recipe rule = 25-94.9% chicken and cranberries combined
- Carb amount = approx 41% on a dry matter basis
- Meat ingredients = deboned chicken, chicken meal, herring meal, chicken fat
- Other ingredients = potatoes, chickpeas, peas, cranberries, blueberries, natural flavor, ground flaxseed, salmon oil, rosemary extract (used as a preservative), green tea extract, and spearmint extract
Again we’re heavy on the carbs here.
The front of the bag says “real chicken #1 ingredient”.
Yes it’s the first ingredient. But it doesn’t make up the majority of the treat.
We know that the minimum requirement for chicken and cranberries combined is 25% based on AAFCO rules.
If these treats were made with more chicken, the treat name would simply be “chicken recipe” or better yet, “chicken treats”.
The bag also says “naturally gluten and grain-free”.
But that does not mean carb-free. Potatoes, chickpeas, and peas are all sources of carbs.
Are cat treats toxic to cats?
Some of the most popular cat treats like Greenies and Temptations are toxic to cats. These brands and other unhealthy cat treats are toxic because they contain low-quality meat ingredients, high carbohydrates, and carcinogenic dyes and preservatives.
Do cats get addicted to cat treats?
Yes cats get addicted to treats like Temptations and Greenies because they are high in carbohydrates and flavor enhancers. Cat treat companies know that cats do not eat carbohydrates in their natural diet. So they have to add flavor enhancers to the treats to make the cats actually eat it. And, unfortunately, cats get addicted to these flavor enhancers.
Additionally, cats get addicted to the high carbohydrate amount in cat treats.
Why are carbs bad for cats?
Carbohydrates are not part of the cat’s natural diet. And carbs break down into sugar. This can fuel hunger and weight gain. Weight gain leads to obesity and obesity leads to very serious health issues.
Perhaps your cat seems like he’s addicted to Greenies and Temptations? It’s because he is! Carbohydrates are very addicting. Just like how we can get addicted to candy, sugar, and cake.
Additionally, cats lack the enzyme amylase (required to digest carbs) in their saliva. So if cats can’t break down carbs properly in their mouth… How can these high carbohydrate treats be good for dental health?
Is it bad to give my cat treats every day?
It’s bad to give your cat treats every day if you are feeding unhealthy treats. Unhealthy treats are full of mystery meats, high carbohydrates, and carcinogenic preservatives.
However, healthy cat treats made with meat only (no other ingredients) are find to give to your cat every day. Most healthy cat treats are made with only meat and are not complete and balanced. So you don’t want to feed more than 10% of your cat’s total food intake for the day.
What to avoid on cat treat labels
Avoid products that have the words “with” and “flavor” in the name. For example, “with chicken” or “chicken flavor”. These treats are going to have the least amount of chicken in the product.
Avoid cat treats with a very long list of ingredients. There are so many bad cat food ingredients. But a good rule of thumb is to avoid treats with a very long list of ingredients.
If you need a magnifying glass to read the label, they are not healthy!
The worst cat treat ingredients include:
- Meat meals
- Meat by-products
- Grains
- Wheat, wheat flour, etc.
- Brewers Rice
- Ground peas
- Potato flour
- Chickpeas
- Ground corn, corn gluten meal, etc.
- BHA, BHT, etc. (carcinogenic preservatives)
- Color dyes yellow 5, red 40, and blue 1 (carcinogenic)
You’ll also want to avoid cat treats with high carbohydrates. Use a carb calculator for cat food to see how your cat’s treats stack up.
Cat treat brands add fancy label claims to distract you from the information that actually means something.
For example, “natural” just means it is derived from an animal or plant. Rendered meats (potentially diseased meats) are technically “natural” because it is from an animal.
“#1 ingredient is meat” is another distraction. Most of the time, this ingredient is a meat meal. Meat meal is ground down and cooked to death. So by the time your cat eats it, it is not fresh meat.
Also note that “grain-free” does not mean carb-free. Potatoes, chickpeas, legumes, and peas are all grain-free ingredients. But these ingredients are also very high in carbohydrates. And carbohydrates are not appropriate (and are even dangerous) for cats.
So what is the healthiest treat for a cat?
The healthiest treat for a cat is meat. Cats are carnivores and they are restricted to a meat only diet. They need high protein and low carbs.
So the healthiest treats for cats are freeze-dried or dehydrated chicken thigh, chicken breast, duck hearts, duck gizzards, beef liver, minnows, salmon, etc. Look for cat treats that have one ingredient: meat.
I want you to know that you’re not alone.
You can feed your cat a healthy, species-appropriate, raw diet. And you don’t have to worry about these toxic ingredients.
But I’ll be honest… It does take work.
I’m sure you’ve tried switching your cat’s food, and he turned his nose up at it. That’s because cats get addicted to these unhealthy treats and food.
We just need to upgrade our cat’s food slowly! And it starts with upgrading our cat’s treats.
How to switch a picky cat to healthy treats and healthy food
Sandra had two kibble-addicted cats. Dirk is older and started to gain weight. Avery was young and healthy, but she had very picky eating habits.
Dirk had trouble jumping to his favorite spots, and Sandra started to worry that he would develop diabetes. And she didn’t want Avery to be a picky cat her whole life!
So Sandra started researching about cat food.
Sandra thought wet food would help because it is healthier than dry food.
But then she discovered raw feeding, and “it all started to make sense! This is what they eat in the wild, and would make them feel their best!!!”
She was excited to try raw, but she knew so little about how to transition them to this diet. And she didn’t know what to give them in the quantities they needed to be healthy.
Then Sandra found me and my course. She became a course member, and she followed my signature PURR blueprint.
My signature PURR blueprint works with your cat’s natural instincts. So you can focus on having fun with your cat instead of feeling stressed and overwhelmed dealing with a picky cat.
Sandra said, “This was such an indispensable tool. It eliminated any fears, or questions I had about the transition, making everything feasible, easy to understand and convenient.”
And now Dirk and Avery (previously two kibble-addicted cats) enjoy a healthy homemade diet! Sandra doesn’t worry about them not getting the nutrients they need. She’s confident that what she’s feeding is the best.
On top of that, Dirk lost weight naturally (no starving) and he’s more energetic and playful.
Sandra felt close to her cats before starting this journey. But her connection and bond with her cats is much stronger now than it was before.
Sandra and her cats (and so many others who work with me) have shown us that our cats need more real, fresh food. Processed food and treats are too high in carbs and cause more problems than it’s worth.
But healthy homemade raw cat food gives us complete control. We control the ingredients, the quality, and how it’s made.
And it’s amazing to see the results of a healthy homemade diet!
Sandra and so many other cat parents feel more empowered to know what’s good and what should be avoided for their cats.
And their cats are healthier because of it!
Ready to switch to healthy food for a happier cat?
Grab my Raw Feeding Cats Blueprint (video course or ebook) and get the same plan that Sandra and 337+ other cat parents used to switch their cats from processed food to a healthy homemade diet.