How to Make Tuna Cat Treats

Making the Oat Flour and Mixing the Ingredients

Preheat the oven and set the temperature to 350 °F (177 °C). Turn the oven on and adjust the temperature to the correct setting so the oven starts the preheating process. When the preheat light has switched off, this means that the oven is heated to the right temperature and that it’s ready to use. Some ovens don’t have a light that indicates when the oven has preheated. In this case, letting the oven heat up for around 15 minutes is usually sufficient.

Blend 3/4 cup (68 g) of rolled oats to make oat flour. Oat flour is perfect for cat treats and it’s simple to make your own at home. Place the oats into the blender and turn it on for approximately 30 seconds. Pulse the oats until they become very fine and look similar to whole wheat flour. Once the oats are the right consistency, give them a quick stir and turn the blender on again if you find any remaining large particles. A clean coffee grinder works just as well as a blender to make oat flour. Alternatively, you can purchase oat flour from health food stores and some specialty grocery stores.

Place a sheet of parchment paper over a baking tray. Get a baking tray that fits into your oven. Then cut or tear a piece of parchment paper that is large enough to fit the tray. Line the baking tray with the parchment paper to keep the tuna cat treats from sticking. Alternatively, you can use a silicone baking mat instead of parchment paper.

Use a food processor to combine the ingredients until they are smooth. Place the blade attachment into the food processor. Then add the oat flour, 1, 5 oz (140 g) drained can of tuna, 1/2 cup (60 g) of whole wheat flour, 1 egg, 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of olive oil, and 1 tbsp (4 g) of catnip into the food processor. Turn the food processor on and pulse the ingredients for approximately 30 seconds or until the mixture looks smooth. You can purchase catnip from gardening centers and pet supply stores. Always use plain tuna that has been canned in water, rather than picking a type with flavoring. This is the healthiest choice for your cat. You can add some vegetables to the cat treats if you prefer. Try adding 0.7 oz (20 g) of grated carrot and 0.7 oz (20 g) of diced pumpkin. Cheddar cheese is also a good, optional addition to the cat treats. Add 1/2 cup (57 g) of shredded cheddar cheese if you prefer.

Rolling the Dough and Cooking the Treats

Roll the dough into 1 in (2.5 cm) balls and place these on the baking tray. Use a spoon to place a small amount of dough into your palm. Roll the dough in your palm into a ball shape and then place this on the lined baking tray. Work your way through all of the dough and make sure to separate each ball on the baking tray by approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) so that the dough has enough room to be flattened. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t form perfect spheres! Your cat will enjoy the treats regardless of the shape.

Flatten each ball of dough by gently pressing your finger in the center. It’s time to turn the tuna cat treats into biscuit-like shapes! Carefully press your index finger into the center of each ball of dough. Flatten it enough so that it has a circular shape in the center, but be careful not to apply too much pressure that you break through the dough. If you're unhappy with how the dough looks when it's flattened, you can always roll it into a ball and try again.

Cook the tuna cat treats in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Place the baking tray with the cat treats on it into the oven. Set the timer for 10-12 minutes and check the cat treats once the time is up. If the cats treats still look uncooked or doughy, keep them in the oven for a further 2-3 minutes before checking them again. Once the cat treats are cooked, remove the baking tray and turn the oven off. The cat treats may puff up slightly as they bake.

Let the treats cool and store them in an airtight container. Leave the cat treats resting on the baking tray until they feel cool to touch. Then you can let your cat enjoy your delicious creation! To store the cat treats to use later, place them into an airtight glass or plastic container. Keep the container in a cool, dark place. Always wait until the cat treats are completely cool before feeding them to your cat. It’s best to only give your cat a maximum of 2-3 treats per day to keep their diet healthy.