Two Temptations = 4 kcal.
Ten Temptations = 20 kcal.
Twenty Temptations = 40 kcal.
That is 20% of a small cat's daily need. And you gave her twenty because she looked at you with those eyes.
I did the math on common treats last week. Not because I wanted to. Because a client insisted her cat was "only getting a few treats" and the cat was 3 pounds overweight. I brought my calculator to the appointment.
Greenies Dental Treats: 2 kcal each.
Temptations Classic: 2 kcal each.
PureBites Freeze-Dried Chicken: 2 kcal per piece.
Whisker Lickin's: 1.5 kcal each.
"Just a few" usually means 10-15 per day. Sometimes 20. I have seen owners give 30. That is 60 kcal. On a cat that needs 180 kcal total. One-third of the daily calories. From treats.
The problem is not the treats. The problem is the math. Nobody measures treats. They are small. They seem harmless. They are not.
Here is what I tell clients now. Get a small container. Put the day's treat allowance in it. When it is empty, no more treats. The allowance is 10% of daily calories. For a 200 kcal cat, that is 20 kcal. About 10 Temptations.
Luna gets 5 Temptations per day. I count them. I feel ridiculous counting cat treats but it works. She is 9.2 pounds and stable.
If you want to give more treats, cut back on meals. It is simple math. 200 kcal total. 20 from treats. 180 from food. The calculator does this automatically if you enter treat calories.
Most people do not want to hear this. They want treats to be free calories. They are not. Nothing is free. Not for cats, not for us.
I am going to stop ranting now. Use the calculator. Count the treats. Your cat will thank you in six months when they can actually run.
