Recipe Roundup: Summertime Snacks for Your Pet

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries, tops removed
• ¼ cup water
• Xylitol-free peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Wash and remove tops from strawberries.
2. Blend strawberries and water until smooth.
3. Pour puree into ice cube trays, filling over halfway. Top each with about 1 teaspoon of xylitol-free peanut butter.
4. Freeze until solid.
5. Serve frozen cubes as treats for your pet.

Remember to check that your peanut butter is xylitol-free before serving it to your pup. This sugar substitute can cause severe health problems for canines.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain or unflavored Greek yogurt
• A small handful of fresh parsley leaves
• A small handful of fresh mint leaves (never use essential oils or extracts)
• Water (optional, for lighter consistency)

Instructions:

1. Blend yogurt, parsley, and mint until herbs are evenly mixed.
2. Add water if desired to thin the consistency.
3. Pour into ice cube trays or molds.
4. Freeze until solid.
5. Serve frozen treats as a refreshing herbal snack for your pet.

A huge benefit of these frozen treats is that you can make as big or small of a batch as you would like and then keep them stored in your freezer all summer. If you live in a hotter climate that feels like summer all year, these easy treats may very well become a staple in your home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree/canned pumpkin
• ¼ cup xylitol-free peanut butter
• 2 ½ cups plain or unflavored rolled oats, plus extra for rolling
• ¼ cup water

Instructions:

1. Mix pumpkin, peanut butter, oats, and water in a bowl until combined.
2. Roll spoonfuls of mix into one-inch balls and coat with more oats.
3. Refrigerate the balls for one hour.
4. Serve to your pet when firm.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup toasted wheat germ
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup xylitol-free peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine whole wheat flour, toasted wheat germ, and ground cinnamon.
2. Add water, peanut butter, egg, and canola oil. Stir until combined.
3. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface.
4. Cut out biscuits and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Cool biscuits on a rack before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe banana
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¾ cup wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• Dash of cinnamon
• Up to ¼ cup water (as needed)
• ¾ cup low-fat, unflavored Greek yogurt (for frosting)
• ½ cup xylitol-free peanut butter (for frosting)
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional, for frosting)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 6" round pan and line with parchment.
2. In a bowl, mash the peeled banana and mix with applesauce.
3. Add wheat flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir until combined.
4. Slowly add water to reach cake batter consistency.
5. Bake 35-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
7. Mix Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and honey (if using). Refrigerate until ready.
8. Once cool, frost the cake with the peanut butter yogurt frosting. Decorate with pet treats.

Though your dog may try to use the power of their puppy eyes to convince you they need more of their treats, it’s important to serve them in moderation. Only a few goodies or one small slice of their cake per day is best since these are the dog equivalent to dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of water-packed unflavored tuna (or salmon)
• ½ cup of water (plus more as needed)

Instructions:

1. Drain the canned tuna.
2. Blend the drained tuna with ½ cup of water in a food processor until smooth, adding more water as needed for the desired consistency.
3. Pour the blended tuna into ice cube trays and freeze until solid.
4. Store the frozen tuna cubes in a zipped freezer bag for easy use.

Ingredients:

• 1 container Greek yogurt
• 1 can smooth cat food (process if chunky)

Instructions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the Greek yogurt and cat food in a bowl. Use a food processor if the cat food is too chunky.
3. Transfer the mixture to a plastic bag and snip off one corner.
4. Squeeze the bag to form small dollops on the baking sheet.
5. Freeze the dollops until solid.
6. Serve the frozen treats as a cool snack for your cat.

Ingredients:

• Pasteurized goat's milk (amount as preferred)
• Small bits of cat treats (optional)

Instructions:

1. Select your mold - ice cube trays, silicone molds, ice pop molds, or muffin tins.
2. Pour goat's milk into the molds, filling to your preferred level.
3. For a surprise, add small bits of cat treats to each mold.
4. Freeze the molds until the milk is completely frozen.
5. Remove the frozen treats from the molds and serve as a refreshing treat for your cat.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons plain olive oil
• 1 cup flour (plus extra for rolling)
• 1 tablespoon dried catnip
• ¾ cup finely shredded carrots
• 1 egg
• Water (as needed)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, mix olive oil, flour, dried catnip, and shredded carrots.
4. Mix in 1 egg. Add water if too dry, or more flour if too wet.
5. On a floured surface, roll dough to ¼ inch thickness. Prick with a fork.
6. Cut dough into squares and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. For a crunchier texture, bake longer.
8. Allow treats to cool before storing in an airtight container for a few days, or freezing for longer shelf life. For softer treats, refrigerate.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry cat food
• Approximately 1 cup of water (adjust as needed)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Blend dry cat food until it becomes a fine powder.
3. Pour the powdered cat food into a bowl. Gradually add water, slowly mixing until a dough forms. Add more water, if necessary, but ensure the dough is not too sticky.
4. Shape treats - place small portions of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten using the back of a spoon.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the treats are crispy.
6. Allow the treats to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup oats
• ⅓ cup plain peas (canned or frozen, thawed if frozen)
• ½ cup canned tuna (do not drain)
• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
• Olive oil (as needed)

Instructions:

1. Thaw frozen peas beforehand.
2. Blend oats, peas, tuna (with liquid from can), and parmesan cheese until dough-like.
3. Scoop and roll dough into small, half-inch balls.
4. Serve right away, and refrigerate to keep fresh.
5. Refrigerate treats to keep fresh.

With these DIY cat treat recipes, you can easily tailor each batch to your cat's taste preferences and dietary needs, using readily available ingredients. Whether you're making a small batch for a solo cat or enough to share with a multi-cat household, these treats are the perfect way to show your love.