Cat treats

June and I have been having conversations about cat treats. It never occurred to me that cat treats might be different in different countries. I don't particularly like pet stores so I never go into the pet stores when I'm in the States. I guess my mother's cat never got any treats because I don't remember buying any.

Cats in Japan eat fish. There are kibble like things too I guess but my cats go google-eyed over small dried sardines. Small dried sardines are not only consumed by cats. Japanese use dried sardines (niboshi) when they make soup. Throw a few niboshi into the pot and simmer. The niboshi can be removed and disposed of (or if you have a cat, handed to him who is waiting patiently by your feet) or eaten yourself if you want a bit of extra calcium in your diet. (Or like me... buy instant fish broth and you don't have any left over sardines. My cats aren't happy about that.)

I do buy my cats their own dried sardines though and every day when I leave the house I give two or three to the cats who congregate in the entryway waiting for their treat. I have some students who know where the cat treats are and the CATS know when these students are coming and so they wait at the appointed time for their treats. (The cats get the day and the times right. They don't bother coming to the entryway for the students who don't give them treats.)

Anyway, at the store I found tuna flakes, sardines and crab flakes, half dried fish sticks... Very Japanese looking cat food (I bet the insides are the same). Anyway, a whole arsenal of cat treats for June's kitty. I hope Shizuku-chan doesn't overeat...