We love to treat our pets! Whether it’s a taste of chicken or a hearty scoop of peanut butter, special treats show them how much we care. Plus, we don’t have to be experts in the kitchen for our pets to think we are the world’s best chefs.
There are so many benefits to creating our own homemade treats for our pets. We know the ingredients. There are no chemicals or preservatives. We can adjust the portion size. And we can have peace of mind, knowing that it’s a healthy treat that also is entirely safe for our fur (and fur-less) babies. As a bonus, these treats make great gifts and could become a new holiday tradition.
It doesn’t have to be time-consuming to make homemade pet treats. We’ve put together a collection of some easy and quick recipes for dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and reptiles. Each recipe is linked for your convenience. Enjoy!
Dogs
(10-minute prep, 30-35-minute bake time)
With fall flavors like pumpkin and carrots, this tasty treat is perfect for the holiday season. You can put them out for your dog as your family enjoys the human variety of treats. It’s quickly prepared but you can reduce your prep time even more by buying pre-shredded carrots.
Salmon and Sweet Potato Brownies
(20-minute prep, 70-minute bake – plus an additional hour to bake the sweet potato initially)
This treat combines canned salmon with a baked sweet potato for a soft-baked treat. While it’s more time-consuming than other recipes due to bake times, it’s easy to prepare and the results are worth it.
(5-minute prep, 15-minute bake time)
Your dog doesn’t have to be diabetic to enjoy this treat, which features a reduced amount of sugar. This recipe uses beef liver as its base, but you can substitute baby food (in a meat flavor). Scroll through the comments at the recipe link and you will see ideas for other adjustments.
(10-minute prep, 30-minute bake time)
Make these treats with just 3 ingredients: oat or rice flour, peanut butter, and bananas. These biscuits are a great grain-free option and may be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure that the peanut butter you choose does not contain Xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is toxic to dogs.
Cats
(10-minute prep, 20-minute bake time)
With just 3 ingredients, it couldn’t get easier to make this fishy treat. You could substitute tuna for canned salmon to change it up. Use a tiny fish cookie cutter to make these into ones that look just like the popular human goldfish snack.
(10-minute prep, 25-minute bake time)
Packed with dairy and protein, these cheesy crackers feature cheddar, parmesan, and plain yogurt. For a festive spin on this treat, use a cat-inspired cookie cutter.
(15-minute prep, 15-minute bake time)
These fun treats use only a few ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen: canned tuna, flour, and egg. The recipe specifies the size and width so that the dough puffs up nicely in the oven.
Treats for Cats with Sensitive Stomachs
(10-minute prep, 60-minute bake time)
This tasty treat uses just three ingredients: rice flour, pureed turkey, and pureed peas. Substitute organic baby food for the turkey meat; it works just as well and may be easier than doing your own pureeing. The recipe also has ideas for changing it up—with different proteins and vegetables.
Birds
(5-minute prep, 15-minute bake time)
Combine almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, and flour with some olive oil and an egg, and shape into cookies. Then bake. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. Make it as directed or switch out ingredients based on your bird’s preferences.
(5-minute prep, then freeze)
Birds love fruit and this treat can feature their favorites: blueberries, raspberries, bananas, mango, and more. Simply puree, add water, and freeze in ice cube trays. Mix in seeds, dried fruit, or try a version with squash or snap peas.
(20-minute prep, 5 to 10-minute cook plus an additional 15 minutes)
This no-bake recipe features fresh fruits and vegetables that are nutritious along with cereal that provides a nice crunch. The recipe makes a lot, but they store well in the freezer.
Rabbits
(10-minute prep, 20-minute bake time plus 30 minutes)
This oatmeal, banana, and carrot treat includes rabbit dry food hidden in the biscuit. That makes it not only delicious but nutritious. Make sure you have plastic wrap or a silicone mat to roll out the dough. Flour is not safe for rabbits so you can’t use that to keep the dough from sticking.
(10-minute prep, 15-minute bake time)
With pumpkin, apples, and oats, this is the perfect fall recipe. If you don’t want to buy dried apples, you can make your own. Just slice an apple into thin pieces and bake in a 200-degree Fahrenheit oven for an hour or an hour and a half.
(15-minute prep, then freeze)
This no-bake recipe combines banana, apple, and peanut butter into a delicious ball with an almond on top. Keep them in the freezer and pull them out whenever you want to give your bunny a special treat.
Reptiles
(10-minute prep and serve)
This reptile version of the classic Thanksgiving dessert features nutritious pellets as its base. Add to it some pureed pumpkin or butternut squash, garnish with cranberries and you’ve got a holiday favorite.
(20-minute prep and serve; additional time to bake the sweet potato if not already cooked)
If you’re making sweet potatoes for your holiday meal, put aside a baked one for your favorite reptile. Chop up the fruit and veggies, add some pellets, and voila, you have a colorful meal that is Instagram-worthy!
(10-minute prep and serve)
Blend up your pet’s favorite seasonal fruit with a can of peaches and plain yogurt, and you have a wonderful treat. You can even add dusted bugs or nutritional supplements. Best of all, you can store leftovers in an ice cube tray in your freezer.
There are a lot of great recipes out there for pets. If we missed one of your favorites, please share it in the comments!
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