Homemade Chicken Treats! Success!

HOMEMADE Chicken Cat Treats:

Well I have experimented a bit with making treats just like with the cat food. Trial and error gets the kinks out. 

They did not like the treats I made from Shrimp.Who knows they got the slight sniff and then the paw shake. 
DO NOT WANT!

The Dried Treats from Chicken Breast Strips were a bit hard. The Boys ate them and liked them but I felt they were a bit hard. You needed pliers to break them apart. When I saw Buddy choke a bit on one they went right in the round file. 
DO NOT WANT!

I made a batch of Cooked Chicken Cat Food and decided to try making treats like I made my Jerky. Jerky Cat Treats!

I cooked off 4 pounds of chicken thighs. Stripped the bone and skin off about a pound and a half for treats. I did not do a triple grind for the Cat Jerky as it had no bone. It was pretty dry and needed a cup of water. Popped it in the Jerky Press and Zip Zap Zam nice Jerky Treats in about 3 hours at 180 degrees. 

They come out a bit crispy but not hard. Still a bit soft. 

This is about a pound and a half. Amazing how things shrink with the water dried out.

A nice pile that should last the week. At about 1.49 a pound a little over two dollars. Less than Store Bought. More then Kibble but no gluten, corn meal, cereal, nada, no, zilch!

I did not add any salt or other preservatives as I do not want my cats to have that in their food. It may alter how long it will last without refrigeration but this is not really an issue. They will be fine for a day or so and that is exactly what I wanted. 

They are dry to the touch. Not greasy. This was why I really wanted an alternative to plain chicken. I do cook that as a treat but it is sticky and cannot be put down where they happen to be as a reward. 

Rumpy, Buddy, Timmy, Toby and Fitz all like it. Buttons seems he still wants to check it out. The vacuum cat wants to sniff test. It figures.

I will post updates when I see how it holds up. I will keep some in the refrigerator and some out as an experiment and let you know what come about.

CAT FOOD UPDATE:

Since I was cooking chicken I made some meals. I have found smaller batches are easier to make. A half hour forty five minutes with clean up is fine. This was about 2 1/2 pounds.

With all of the meals I find they need water added when I serve them up. I leave it down for about an hour and have to mix in more water as they lap the liquid juice up and leave the bottom. So I add a bit and back down and they finish up the bowl. Kind of awkward. I noticed that with the raw the moisture separates also so it is not just the cooked chicken meals.

I decided to add Guar Gum which is a soluble fiber used for thickening and smoothing in cooking. I also does add nutrition for the large bowel so a thought for any GI Problems. WOW it is powerful. I did a bit more than a rounded teaspoon. It made a cup of thickened liquid as I added it to the Taurine, Vitamins, and Supplements I add to the meals. 

It blended well into the chicken but the results will not be known until the current batch is eaten. I want to see how it holds up after being frozen. 

Will keep you all posted.
Head Bonks, Purrs, and a hearty Good Day to all!
Pete (AKA Pops)