Last Updated on September 10, 2020
There has been a lot of wonders and worry over a Facebook post that seemed to have blown way out of proportion. The cat treats from MARS known as Temptations are being considered a deadly treat to a lot of caring cat lovers out there. While the treats aren’t “deadly” I wouldn’t consider them to be healthy either. You still need to be aware of the ingredients!”
Creating the Issue
A lot of cats out there can handle some of the worst diets there are. From over-processed canned and dry food to unhealthy snacking and treats. The issue is, while a lot of cats “CAN” eat this stuff, many will suffer health consequences from it. Just like humans, if we eat more junk and processed foods then we should, our bodies will let us know by creating what we consider to be “symptoms” of some illness or disease. These so-called symptoms are actually your body’s way of trying to correct a problem. If you work against your body’s ability to heal itself by continuing to put the same crap in it, it will continue to have more problems. A cat’s body is no different!
Read the Ingredients Label
Temptations Mix-ups – Backyard Cookout
Looking at the ingredients on any cat product, there are a few you want to either minimize or completely get rid of depending on your cat’s health. These include corn, wheat, by-products (including meat meals), saturated oils, yeast, and heavy grains. The first 5 ingredients are the most important because they are labeled from the most to the least as far as quantity in the recipe.
If we look over the Temptations ingredients (I am reading off of the Backyard Cookout flavor), we will see the 5 following ingredients listed first and in this order: Chicken By-Product, Ground Corn, Animal Fat, Dried Meat By-Products, and Brewers Rice. Noting what I had just mentioned above, these treats are not “healthy” by a long shot. If we were to compare human food to cat food, consider something like this the McDonald’s of cat treats. No cat food or treat should EVER have all 5 ingredients from the no-no list.
Cats Love Them
Part of the reason many cats love them is down to the number of preservatives and additives in the ingredients. My cats love these treats and yes, I do give them to them but I also consider them for what they are. They basically are fast-food grade cat treats that should be just that, TREATS. Would you eat McDonald’s every day and consider yourself eating a healthy diet? I would certainly hope not! I am not telling you to stop feeding these to your cats but you really need to consider the ingredients and the amount you are feeding them. Small amounts here and there will be fine but don’t consider this a daily treat for your cat. Always consider your cat’s health as well. These treats may actually cause them some harm, especially cats sensitive to grains or those of them who have corn allergies. It is in the best interest of your cat that you be sure they are on the proper diet (including treats) for their own needs.
UPDATE & WARNING
Since writing this post I have noticed my cat doing something many have complained about and that is pulling out his fur. He did this on a few of his legs and the bald spots were not tiny, they were very noticeable. He is an indoor cat and only goes out while on a leash under my supervision. I also do not leave any kind of cleaner or pills out where he can reach them. The only thing I had changed was buying him a different flavor of Temptations, the Catnip Mixup flavor. I have stopped giving these treats to him altogether several months ago and the fur has grown back. He no longer pulls out his fur either. He does have food sensitivities and it was likely down to an allergy. If you are wondering what I feed my cats now, it is PureBites freeze-dried treats . For many people experiencing issues like this, it is best to try another type of treat with limited ingredients. Getting your kitty tested for allergies will help to determine which food/treats are best.
For those who have experienced sudden changes (illness or death), it is likely due to your cat getting into something poisonous.
You really have to pay attention to what you keep in your home and if you allow your cat to go outdoors, it should be in an enclosed area or under your supervision. Many people use rat poison outside their homes. Cars also leak anti-freeze which is known to taste sweet to cats and dogs. I have done research on several treats, several cases, and other than food allergy symptoms which will get worse over time, there is nothing in these treats that will cause sudden death. So unless some poison was added to the treats by mistake, we have to assume the sudden illness and death cases are caused by something else.
Conclusion
Whether you choose to continue to feed your cat Temptations treats or not, that is up to you. While most cats will be fine eating treats like this, not all of them will. For my cats, it came down to allergies and I had to stop buying them. If you suspect for any reason the treats are causing issues with your cat, it is best to stop providing them and take them to a vet to get tested for food allergies. One of the most common food allergies for cats is corn. Cats can also have bad reactions to plastic bowls, perfumes, and even fleas (some cats are deathly allergic to fleas). To find healthy alternatives, please read Healthy Treats for Cats.
I forgot to mention that her pulling out her hair and the sores started when I gave her the temptation catnip flavor treats.
I have been given my cats these treats for years and I noticed when I got the ( cat nip flavor) my one cat stop eating the treats and the other started vomiting tan mush. My cats have always been healthy with no issues.
Just got back from the Vet. My indoor kitty was scratching herself terribly and then I found to large spots on her legs. She has pulled out her fur and has large sores. One was starting to get infected. She received a antibiotic shot and a steroid shot and is doing great now.
My cats love Temptation treats. It is cat candy !!
Ever since I started giving Temptations to my cat, she has been asking for it all the time. She gets on top a bed side table, the place where she ate it the first time thus making it clear that she wants Temptations only. She is ignoring her regular Friskies Filets and dry food.
Makes me wonder if there is anything addictive in Temptations?
Thanks for your comment Inam. A lot of cat treats and some foods in general can be addictive to cats because of the additives and preservatives. This is the case with us humans as well. If you have any concerns, you can cut back on them and only buy them every other time. If she is refusing to eat her regular diet, that can become an issue with nutritional deficiencies.
Temptations! We call it KITTY CRACK! My cat will destroy the package if I don’t put it up away from her. My vet says if it agrees with her, then give her some. It’s just like every other thing you give your pets…either they can handle it or not.
Thanks for your comment patriciajames, and I agree. As mentioned, if they cause your cats issues then do not feed them but if everything is okay then it is perfectly fine. In moderation of course 🙂
I found this page after doing a search about Temptations being unhealthy. My 17 year old cat would get 2-3 every night after being brushed. Two nights ago I thought there were only a couple left in the bag. When I poured them from the pouch I discovered there were still about 15 in the bag. I just figured I would consider it like an extra special treat. The next day she became lethargic, stopped “talking”, and only wanted small drinks of water. The second day she “perked up”. But today she is bad again. I believe this is from the treats! I’ve been telling myself this is just her time to die because of old age, but now believe she might die because of the Temptations effecting her older organs. The vet is coming tomorrow. Needless to say I am beside myself with dread. The Temptations were definitely the catalyst of this illness. If I had known about them before, I would never give them to her. Surprisingly, she won’t eat her food, but gets excited when I’m near the Temptations bag. CRACK. PLEASE DON’t GIVE THESE TO YOUR PET. FIND A HEALTHY TREAT!
Thanks for your comment Brenda Strack. I am almost certain Temptations among most treats and dry food is VERY high in sodium. Since she is older, make sure your vet checks her for high blood pressure.
Hi, To be honest I normally don’t ever post on Comments Sections, but this article caught my attention.
Last Saturday 1 of my three cats named Peaches started acting very sluggish and not her normal self. I noticed write off the bat her nose was not as pink as normal and her gums were pale. I scheduled an appointment and took her in. I told my vet what I discovered and she suggested we do some Blood work. A few minutes later she comes back in and says this is not good news, I don’t think she has much longer to live. She said her blood panel showed practically no red blood cells? That was Monday of this week. I was shocked and taken back to the point of not knowing what to say. She said we could try Blood Transfusions at $1200 a pop, but she said it could have an adverse reaction and kill her. While all this was being told to me my cat was curled up next to me purring. I asked what can we do what are my options and I was told Really nothing. I asked the cause and she said without a battery of tests and more bloodwork she could not say for sure. She did want to know if I changed her food or if she could have gotten to any chemicals etc. Really nothing came to mind. Just fyi, We feed them Dry cat food Purnia for sensitive systems because we also have an older cat with Mega Colin. And every other day Wet canned food. Here is where my concern comes in we also have been feeding the Temptations Catnip Medley over the las 3-4 months, I bought it on a whim and after the few times I gave it to them They Loved the stuff. It got to the point when I walked towards the closet all three cats would run for the door to get those treats. One of the cats eats them so quick I sware he dosent even chew them. The cat that is now sick Loved them also.
After thinking what the vet said I thought about the treats and just on a whim searched Temptation cat treats anemia and started seeing these posts. I was floored. Is it possible this was just a coincidence? I guess so… It could be many other factors (allegories etc..), But my cat is two years old and has never been sick. I threw out what I had and will never take the chance again.
We are trying some other options now with our kitty… all in all she is eating and drinking well now and is still playing alert. I just thought I would post here in case there is any truth that there may be something to do with those treats. I will say the other two cats have not had any bad reactions to the treats, that we can tell.
Thanks for sharing Firefly. I am sorry your kitty had to go through that and I hope she pulls through. I noticed my two boys having issues with their skin after trying the catnip flavor. While not severe, it was enough for me to throw the treats out and stop buying them. One of them had been given the treats his whole life (nearly 10 years) without issue so if it is down to Temptations, they must have changed ingredients or plastic recently.
If it is at all possible, do an allergy test on her and see what comes up. I had one done for one of my dogs and found out he has A LOT of allergies which is down to poor breeding. If I can remember the site (I did it online and mailed everything out after they sent me a kit) I will link you to it. It is also worth looking into deficiencies. If you vet can test her for those, make sure all her vitamin and minerals are in the right levels. A taurine deficiency alone can be deadly.
Temptations cat snack’s are inexpensive and very popular sale item where I work. I buy them for my cats , my cat’s dance and meow like crazy when they hear the package crinkle sound. After reading this article I’ve decided to limit how much and how often I give to them.
Thanks for sharing Alicia.
I started buying temptations for my furbabies about two years ago. I would give them a few pieces at a time, one piece each as they sat around me, we’ll as a treat not a meal. They would very slowly take the piece from me calmly no choking down like starving creatures. (I live my creatures) after several months of doing this once or twice a day I’ve noticed Charlie started to get more aggressive in wanting them, more greedy like he just had to have them all. I let them outside in the early morning to set some morning sun then I bring them in. I don’t leave them outside. They are indoor cats. When I do let them out all I need to say for them to come inside is call out “treats” In a higher pitch voice like us cat lovers do when we talk to our babies, and they come running in. I have 4 cats and two of them act like it’s a drug and they need it. A bit alarming. The other two don’t matter if they get some or not. After reading these statements and comment I’m not buys temptations anymore and I will start reading ingredients from now on. I feel like I got Charlie and Bebe hooked on something and now I need to detox them all. I feel like a bad cat mommy.
Thanks for sharing Rubye Hall. I agree, they may be okay for some but not for all.
My cat just died under my kitchen table two days ago. He had an addiction (literally) to Temptations. So did my dog. Whenever I would open the Tempation bag for the cat the dog would go wild despite the fact that she had her own treats. She used to stand and whine while looking at the bag too. Now the bag is gone because the cat is dead. The dog still stands and whines looking toward the place I kept the bag. The woman at my supermarket calls these treats Kitty Crack. She says all the customers say their cats are addicted. Something is wrong. I don’t think it’s because they are so delicious! My 10 year old cat had clogged arteries according to the autopsy done yesterday afternoon. All my other cats have lived from 15-20 years. Don’t think it is a coindcidence.
My cat was a healthy, playful furball….as soon as I started giving him these treats I saw a change come over him (was the only thing that was “new” ). I can only describe the change as “addiction”. He begged constantly for the treats (very insistent). Totally focused on the treats…begged day and night. Didn’t want his tuna, or his other cat foods…just the treats. I too noticed the diarrhea and vomiting. When I took away the treats, he stopped eating, layed down and just slept…didn’t want to be petted or associate with family. Took several days to see some “normalcy”. There is something in the “treat” that causes this “addicted” behavior, diarrhea, vomiting and there needs to be an investigation…..as in take the treats to a reliable lab and look for anything in them that is NOT posted on the label.
Thanks for your comment Lpb Linegerber. It is best to stop them as you did. I have seen many people complain about addictive patterns and withdrawal symptoms when coming off the treats. It took me about 3 months before my cats completely forgot about them. They would snub most other treats. I am not sure what is going on where they are made but since they are made by MARS, which also makes candy… I too think something should be looked into in terms of ingredients and how the process of these treats being made takes place.
My cat is older and tends to not eat enough food. The vet was getting worried at his low weight and lack of energy and wanted me to make sure he was having 2 small cans of cat food each day. Sometimes he’ll eat, then stop and leave half of the bowl and never touch it again. It’s very frustrating. However, I found if I press about 6-8 Temptations into the food, he gets so excited that he eats the rest of the food in the search for Temptations. He’s gained some weight, has a lot of energy, and seems perfectly fine. I would never give these to my cat as his sole food, and I don’t give them to my cat who is a good weight. They are high in calories, have little to no moisture, and too many carbs, but for a cat who needs to gain weight, I assume letting them starve themselves to death is a worse alternative.
Thanks for your comment Elizabeth. If the treats are helping your kitty put on weight, that is a good thing. These treats are not considered “healthy” but if there is no adverse effects then they are likely safe for him in the quantity you are feeding. Once he is up to a healthy weight, you can try different brands of wet food. I have been through many myself as both my boys can be rather picky. I find that rotating flavors makes a difference. You can also try different textures as well like pate’, sliced, grilled, ect.
OMG… my cat loves them. The more weight she lost the more I gave her because I figured it’s something she’s eating. She is only 8 and nearly dead. I’ve spent 2 days at the hospital with kidney failure. $1900 in vet bills and we are just praying that we can reverse some it. Have I been poisoning my cat?
Thanks for your comment Maxine. It sounds like this could have been allergy related. If she does start to improve, see if your vet can check her for allergies. Something as simple as a corn allergy can cause issues with liver, stomach, kidneys, and over all health of a cat.
Maxine, How is you Kitty Now?
By the time they are recalled…your cats could be taking a dirt nap, just sayin’
Been giving my 2 cats Temptation treats for several months, mostly a couple types of the seafood variety.
One of the cats has been coughing up mucus with some blood in it. I totally stopped the Temptations…
and the blood totally stopped. So goodbye Temptations.
Temptations contain Phenobarbital, but the FDA is not regulated on cat/dog food, so without the internet we would not know this. We also know that Phenobarbital is used to euthanize cats/dogs. It kills them, why is this drug, because Phenobarbital is a barbiturate, which means its addicting and will kill you in large doses, this is the reason why all your and my cats are acting insaine, like addicts, they were drugged without our knowledge or consent, why? Wake up people, its called population control, you lose a pet, you get another one, and the manufactures of Temptations are just hoping you make the same mistake by feeding your new cat these evil treats, its not cute when your cat is dead is it? Stop the Temptation Use Among Cats!!!! Its like a mirage, you don’t want to belive but deep down you do. well save your cats if your really care about them, research and go to truth about pet food . com (no spaces) you may want a puke bucket, it will make you sick how many animal prodcuts we are being fooled about.” FDA testing found four pet food/pet treat ingredients to be associated with pentobarbital in dog food; “Meat and Bone Meal, Beef and Bone Meal, Animal Fat, and Animal Digest”. What pet foods/treats use one (or more) of the four risk ingredients? Here’s a partial (but very long) list of the pet foods that contain the FDA Four. ” read your ingredients people, this is serious.
Background: Pentobarbital is a drug used to end the life of an animal. It is commonly used to euthanize dogs, cat, and horses. Several years ago the FDA tested dog foods (no cat foods were tested) purchased from retail store shelves for the presence of the drug pentobarbital. From the FDA website “There appear to be associations between rendered or hydrolyzed ingredients and the presence of pentobarbital in dog food. The ingredients Meat and Bone Meal (MBM), Beef and Bone Meal (BBM), Animal Fat (AF), and Animal Digest (AD) are rendered or hydrolyzed from animal sources that could include euthanized animals.”
God Bless and Take Care
There’s Phenobarbital in them because they actually used euthanized cats to make them… not. But seriously, I googled this and your post is the only one that came up in regard to this issue. Give us a link or you just sound like you’re making things up.
Pentobarbital not Phenobarbital.
It’s pentobarbital that’s used for euthanasia,not phenobarbital… Phenobarbital is used for seizures in people and animals. I know because I used to take it and my neighbors dog takes it.
THEIR CATS DIED (RIP) BECAUSE OF THE PHENOBARBITAL IN THE TEMPTATIONS, SO BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CATS TOO. PHENOBARBITAL IS USED TO EUTHANIZE CATS!
Wow, phenobarbital???
There is no phenobarbital in temptations, idiot.
Pentobarbital. Not phenobarbital
THAT is ALSO NOT TRUE, where are you people dreaming up this trash ????
Phenobarbital is an antiepilepsy drug for humans.
Yer smokin’ stupid !!! Who told you there was phenobarbital in Temptations treats???
Thats the absolute dumbest thing I ever heard !!! You must be a BLONDE !!!
I have tried time and time again to get my cat on a healthier diet. Finally gave up. She wins. I called Tempations, and they said that nutritionally speaking, their product can be used as a meal. It’s been my cat’s main diet for a couple years now. She goes through about a large pack or two every week. She’s still around!
Thanks for your comment Emily. I am glad to hear they do not give her any issues but I am a firm believer in a minimum of 50% wet food in the diet for cats. Being on Temptations alone or any other dry alone will almost always lead to health issue as your cat ages. The reason is down to how they digest their food. Cats need adequate moisture to properly digest their food and also stay hydrated. Cats on a dry only diet tend to have mild dehydration at almost all times. This is not good for the liver, the kidneys, or the heart. I highly recommend incorporating some kind of wet food of at least 50% of her diet. Most cats have no issue with wet food.
It does state on the package of Temptations that they can be used as meals but only as filler. It states that you can mix 1/4 of the treats into their whole bowl of food per meal. So up to 25% of each meal can be Temptations. No where does it recommend to feed them as a stand alone diet. You have to be careful who you talk to because they likely are not experienced in proper diet and nutrition for cats. The average pet story worker hardly knows about the animals they sell or care for in their store. It is no different for MARS workers. I just want to make sure you are aware of that.
You can see what I am referring to on this image towards the bottom after “Feeding Instructions” : https://gfxf.net/images/2017/07/27/temptations.jpg
I have 15 indoor rescue cats that are very well taken care of. I picked these up at the check out at the pet food store. I usually give them greenies, but forgot to pick them up so I got Temptations. Two of them started throwing up immediately after eating them. At last count about 10 times. Both threw up the whole treat. Maybe they ate them too fast. I don’t know. Never had a reaction like this before from any cat treats.
Thanks for your comment osumomx2. It is likely from eating them too fast. A lot of cat owners complain about the treats being too addictive. Cats tend to eat them very fast as compared to other treats which causes them to swallow air. If you normally don’t give them temptations, it is best to just go with another treat. If they get hooked it will be hard to get them off of these treats. Took me months to get my two boys to forget about them.
I had the exact same issue, minutes after feeding him about 5 or 6 pieces of the Catnip Medley, the cat threw up about 6 times, until all of the pieces had been expelled. I freaked out, I thought I killed the cat.
Finally it stopped.
The next day I fed him one single piece of the exact same treat (catnip medley) and he immediately began throwing up, this time about 8 times. Mostly yellow and a little foam.
If that’s not enough evidence then I don’t know what is.
Granted, maybe there is an allergy or an intolerance to an ingredient.
I have other flavors but it seems cruel to use him as a lab rat.
My oldest cat got them as treats in the morning when I get up and before I go to bed, we rescued a drop off cat and my husband swears it like she on cocaine she will beg every morning and night from the time I get home till I go to bed. He says she needs rehab.
Thanks for your comment Kathleen. I am not surprised. Temptations are filled with preservatives and much like us humans who get addicted to junk foods, cats are no different.