Temptations - treats for cats

[TwinTails]

I recently discovered that the jar, full of tempations treats, got knocked over and devoured They cats knew the jar, it was on the coffee table...guess they were hungry and decided to help themselves Now they have no treats and won't be getting any for a loooooooong while But they do enjoy their raw food and seem to consider that a treat in itself

[PuntaGorda]

Hi Twin Tails,
Actually, raw food is the best food for pets; it's what their digestive systems were designed for. Raw food has vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, etc. that mostly get destroyed when it's processed, cooked, and frozen. That translates into less then healthy pets. This is why pet food manufacturers add these compounds, or at least some of them, to the pet food we buy. Problem there is it's the cheapest forms they can get and never everything that pets need for good nutrition. Raw veggies,meat and fish does provide these essential nutrients. The pet food manufacturers are like our health care system; if it's not profitable it's not treatable or doable.
Even the top end pet foods fall into this category, as they must, by law, process their products according to FDA guidelines, which go so far to protect us and our pets food supply that it actually now harms us.
The massive increases in diseases involving body dysfunction are the proof that what we now call food is actually toxic to our and our pets bodies.
Ah, progress!

[TwinTails]

Yeah, my cats see raw as a treat, and will eat it over canned any day. They are on 75% raw and 25% canned. All cats are much more calm and don't stink nearly as much, lol. But anyways, those treats are no longer in our home, and I think for a treat I will give them something they rarely get (a bit of salmon or something).

[SoCalSarah]

If you're wondering why your pet is seemingly addicted to temptations, it's because they are. Turn the bag over and look at the ingredients, do you see where it says "Taurine" that right there is why your cat is addicted. If you're wondering why the word Taurine sounds familiar it's because Taurine is one of the main ingredients found in energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Nos, and others. Imagine giving your cat several energy drinks throughout the day, that's proven to be unhealthy in humans so just imagine the effect it has on your pet. In fact, Taurine is one of the reasons why recovering addicts are encouraged NOT to drink energy drinks after their recovery because they (along with those who've never suffered from addition) can develop a dependence. Taurine is actually much more addicting than caffeine or sugar, try giving up your Coke or coffee or your sweet tooth and what happens? You get headaches, you feel sick, you crave it, and why? Because it's an addictive substance, Taurine has even been compared to a modern day, legalized crack for some. Ever met someone who said they had to "give up" energy drinks? It sounds silly but do your research, taurine is highly addictive and unhealthy.


Now some may argue that "Taurine" is healthy and safe because Taurine is an amino acid found in your body (the brain and other areas) which is true HOWEVER the taurine found in your body is naturally occurring, typically post work out and is in small quantities, where as the type of taurine found in energy drinks and temptations is not naturally occurring, is much higher in quantity, and get this, it's synthesized from bull bile. Yep, a synthesized drug more addictive than caffeine and created unnaturally thanks to bull bile and labs. Is that really something you want to give to your cat?

While I am no vet, I am a nutritionist and trainer and I've seen first hand what people's addition to energy drinks looks like, including their unwillingness to give them up, and the effect it has had on their body, it's no wonder cats are addicted to these treats in my opinion. Keep in mind that heavy energy drink consumption has been linked to some deaths in humans so please be wary when considering giving these treats to your fur babies. As always, I do recommend you consult with your vet first prior to changing up your pets diet, and remember that moderation is key hope this helps!

[hazelrunpack]

Taurine is included in most cat foods because it is an essential amino acid that cats don't produce naturally--they need to consume enough taurine in their diet to keep their bodies functioning or they die. So I don't think the taurine in Temptations is the whole story--since it's in almost all cat foods, they'd be just as addicted to those foods and I can say from experience that some cats won't eat some foods, regardless of how much taurine has been added.

As for taurine in energy drinks--I have a feeling the ill-effects people have suffered from energy drinks probably stems more from the caffeine than from the added taurine. I know that when I cut coffee consumption I go through a caffeine withdrawal which includes the headaches, feeling sick and craving coffee...all those symptoms you described--and there is no added taurine in my coffee