Cats

6 Frozen Pet Treats for Summer

During the dog days of summer, one of the best ways to help your pet beat the heat is to give him or her some frozen treats. The refreshing cool taste of your pet’s favorite flavors will be a switch from drinking plain water and a delicious treat. Try one or more of these fun recipes to give your dog, cat or parrot a memorable, tasty frozen treat this summer.

Frozen Treats for Dogs

Frozen Banana Treats. Mix four cups of plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 3 mashed, ripe bananas together till smooth. Spoon the mixture into disposable cups or ice cube trays. Freeze; remove from the cups or ice cube trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Food.com)

Chicken pops. Spread pieces of cooked, chopped chicken breasts evenly into disposable paper cups. Mix 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of dried parsley in a bowl; pour the mixture over the chicken pieces. Freeze; remove from the cup and serve in a dish or bowl.  (from Doggy Dessert Chef)

Frozen chicken pops make for delicious treats for your pup on hot days. Photo by Doggy Dessert Chef.

Frozen chicken pops make for delicious treats for your pup on hot days. Photo by Doggy Dessert Chef.

Frozen Treats for Cats

Seafood treats. Mix a can of water-packed tuna or salmon with approximately a ½ cup of water together in a bowl or food processor. Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze. Remove from the trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Modern Cat)

Seafood treats for cats are made fancier by putting them in ocean-themed shaped ice cube trays like seahorses. Photo by Modern Cat.

Seafood treats for cats are made fancier by putting them in ocean-themed shaped ice cube trays like seahorses. Photo by Modern Cat.

Goat’s Milk-sicle. Spread ¼ of a packet of The Honest Kitchen’s Pro Bloom Instant Goat’s Milk into four disposable cups. Mix well with water, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze; remove from the cups and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Catster)

Frozen Treats for Parrots

Summer Treats. Freeze water or 100% fruit juice in ice cube trays about 70%. Add cut up fruit pieces to fill each partially frozen ice cube and freeze completely. Remove from the ice cube trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Birds N Ways)

Frozen fruit in water or juice makes a delicious summer treat for your pet bird. Photo by Pip and Ebby.

Frozen fruit in water or juice makes a delicious summer treat for your pet bird. Photo by Pip and Ebby.

Frozen Yogurt for Birds. Blend 4 cups of plain yogurt, I cup of mashed fresh fruit, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of honey together in the blender. Place in disposable cups or ice cube trays. Freeze; remove from the cups or trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Cockatiel Cottage)

These frozen treats are nutritious and delicious–and your pets will love them!

2 Tips to Encourage Cats to Use Scratching Posts

You pick out a brand new scratching post and bring it home for your cat, excited to see her start using and enjoying it. But she turns her nose up at it and goes back to scratching your drapes. What?? There’s no need to return the scratching post to the store — try these tips to entice your cat to use it.

Tip #1: Outfit the post with an enticing variety of surfaces. Cats love to explore, so add a variety of textures and surfaces (such as corrugated or flat cardboard, lightweight wood, twine or rope, a variety of fabrics, upholstery swatches and more) to lure your cat towards it.

Tip #2: Add toys and more. It’s not just surfaces that will help encourage your cat to use the scratching post — a variety of toys and scents will help, too. Consider adding toys that:

  • Hang, swing or bounce

  • Are scented with catnip or honeysuckle

  • Show bright colors made in an assortment of materials

  • Are filled with treats

Place these toys in different places places near the various textures on the post to entice them to scratch as or after they explore the toys.

Adding a variety of surfaces, toys and more will invite your cat to explore and use their new scratching post. Photo by Animal Hearted.

Adding a variety of surfaces, toys and more will invite your cat to explore and use their new scratching post. Photo by Animal Hearted.

Remember to have patience and don’t give up! Just like you should redirect a new puppy from chewing inappropriate to appropriate items, you should keep redirecting your cat towards the cat scratching post. Consistency is key.