Why My Cat Deserves Everyday Treats

Why My Cat Deserves Everyday Treats

Everything WHISKAS® does is for the love of cats. For them, cats aren't just their job, cats are their life. From their nutritious food and adorable Kitten Kollege to their Lifestage and Curiosity campaign helping owners to feed their cat’s curiosity by giving them the right food for every stage of their life – they’re passionate about cats.

Athena received a selection of Whiskas cat casseroles in chicken, duck and poultry. WHISKAS® Casseroles are the perfect way to treat your cat every day.

As you can see, she couldn’t wait to tuck in.

WHISKAS® provides leading-edge nutrition, and with over 60 years of experience making cat food, they’re rightly proud of their products. Their dedication goes into every product they make, and they work hard to develop great quality, nutritious products that'll help keep cats of all breeds and ages happy and healthy

Some would say that I spoil Athena, but so what? She deserves it because she is a cat and I love cats! I do worship her, but I don't care. She is much worthy. The ancient Egyptians got it right that cats need to be worshipped!

But that's not all. Athena is a rescue cat. I adopted her in the summer of 2011 when she was just 10 weeks old. However, I don't know her full history. All I know is that she was abandoned in someone's garden and taken to a local rescue charity in North London where I used to live. Athena was just the sweetest, cutest, most beautiful 10-week-old kitten when I adopted her from the shelter. I would definitely agree that she chose me. She was a hungry little thing, and as soon as I got her home she demanded food. And after she filled her tiny belly she decided she wanted to take a nap on my lap. For me, this was incredible because I wasn't expecting her to be so chilled in her new surroundings and so affectionate towards me on her first day. I had been imagining all sorts before I brought her home. I thought she’d be hiding behind the TV, shaking and terrified.

But you know what? I didn't need to worry at all because as soon as I opened her carrier, she bounded out on her little paws and meowed out what sounded like "I'm home". Then she climbed up my leg, digging her needle-sharp kitty claws into my skin. 

My heart melted as I held this wise little kitten and we bonded instantly. It feels like she chose me to be her mum. We are soulmates. Two souls that just seem to get each other. She totally gets me like no one else can. We are on the same wavelength. 

I love treating Athena every day because she provides me with so much love and gives me a reason to get up in the morning. I suffer from anxiety and depression, but this little furry bundle of fun and love brings me such joy.

With such a loving furbaby in my life, I just can’t resist giving in to her requests so yes, I’m guilty of giving her too many treats. I mean could you say no to this beautiful face?

It’s important to remember though that when you give your cat treats to eat you must be careful not to overindulge them as you don’t want to risk your cat getting overweight, which can lead to all sorts of health problems such as diabetes.

WHISKAS® wants to encourage owners to feed their cats a nutritious diet made up of dry food or wet food and a responsible amount of treats. They also want to ensure cat owners know how to keep their cat happy with love, attention and play.

As a kitten, I gave Athena wet food because this is what she was fed at the shelter. But I made the mistake of offering her some dry kibble and she went crazy for it. She soon forgot the wet food and it took ages to get her to start eating it again. I now give her a balance of both dry and wet food. Obviously not at the same time. Normally I feed her wet during the day and dry later, and I feed her little and often, which is recommended by cat experts because this is closer to how cats live in nature. 

Other ways to keep your cat happy and healthy

Water

It’s important to keep your cat hydrated so make sure you have a bowl of clean water out throughout the day for your little furry friend to drink.

Playtime

Cats need to exercise. Athena is an indoor cat but I always ensure she has all her needs taken care of. As I work from home, she never gets lonely and I'm also always available for little bursts of playtime throughout the day. And yes, I will drop anything just to play with her. 

It's best to alternate between toys because cats get bored easily. Make sure you supervise your cat with things like fishing rod toys and any strings. I keep them out of sight when not in use.

As well as fishing-rod type toys, others of interest to Athena are:

• Catnip toys 
• Paper bags (I cut off the handles) 
• And of course, boxes. What cat doesn’t love a box? 

Scratching

Cats enjoy a good scratch for sharpening claws and for marking their scent on stuff for territorial reasons. It also helps relieve any anxiety and strengthens their muscles. It is a primal, instinctive urge and normal behaviour. To keep your cat fulfilled always provide several scratching posts around the home.

Athena has quite a few scratching posts and she has a tall cat tree that enables her to do some tree-dwelling in the corner of our living room. After all, she has to survey her kingdom somehow!

Grooming

As a shorthaired cat, Athena does not require a tremendous amount of grooming, but she enjoys it and will often beg for it! I think she believes I am bathing her as she sees me as her mum.

Napping

Athena has trained me to nap in the afternoons. If I don't oblige she starts pawing at the walls or wardrobes. We sleep together all night too, on my double bed. She uses my calf or thigh as a pillow. I wouldn't have it any other way, even if my knee or leg hurts a little the next day!

Cat grass

Athena enjoys nibbling on cat grass. It helps aid digestion and provides vitamins A and D and minerals like folic acid. Sometimes grass will make your cat vomit up hairballs. Kitty grass also contains chlorophyll, which can help aid a healthy immune system and to cleanse the blood, amongst other things.

Catio (or cat enclosure)

Expensive maybe, but worth the investment if you want to allow your indoor cat some secure outdoor space and access to some fresh air. I am saving up for one and hope to get it installed in the near future.

Before we go, here is Athena to tell you that she enjoyed the Chicken Casserole the best!

This is a sponsored post in conjunction with WHISKAS® but all thoughts are my own.