I’m a country girl. It’s not a common thing but I’ve known of the twisting of animal intestines was from human molestation.

Thanks for your comments, Lila. I am not very familiar with this brand. I know it is a generic store brand similar to Walmart’s Great Value line. I did a quick search and see it is made in the USA which is always a good thing. It appears to be loaded with fillers (grains) which is not unheard of, many other brands (even expensive ones) have a lot of filler. For most young adult cats, this food would be fine but for cats who are older or who have medical conditions, I wouldn’t recommend it just because of the filler content. I believe it is best that the main food items of a cat’s diet should be grain-free.

Stay away from Purina products, i know it called my 9 year old cat and almost killed her brother.

I would like your opinion on Authority products for my cats. They have been on them a long time, recommended by rescue group.

I feel the same way about Purina products after I had a young cat die from stomach cancer. Her brother who ate the same as her also got sick. I found online a report that Purina gets some of their ingredients from China and it was reported that they were putting anti freeze in their cat food. I have never touched another Purina product again. I am stopping all Temptation products.

My cats have been throwing up shortly after giving these treats. Not all the time but enough to be annoying and possible affecting their health.

Needless to say, I will not recommend these to anyone.

Thanks for your comment, Pamela. These treats in moderation are very, very unlikely to cause illness or health issues. The stomach aches could be part of his diet. Make sure he is on at least a 50% wet food diet with healthy proteins. There are formulas for sensitive stomachs with limited ingredients available as well.

So sorry for your loss. It gets better. ♥

I had just opened a new bag of Temptations and given her only two treats. Within 20 minutes or so she started sounding very congested, and started to cough/sneeze –the same sound as earlier in the year when I had to take her to the emergency due to severe and ongoing cough/sneeze attacks and extremely congested and other symptoms. It fortunately resolved with an antibiotic. But now I know with certainty that it’s these damn Temptation treats that’s making her sick and I’m throwing them out and never buying them again. It’s not the first time she has developed symptoms that before I didn’t think much of. But now I’m putting it together.

After reading this website and alerting me to the ingredients of the treats, I discovered an ingredient that was mentioned in a previous article I read that said Natural Balance chicken and liver variety was recalled in JUly of 2020 due to this ingredient, and stated that can be fatal when consumed by cats. The ingredient is called Choline Chloride and was the 10th ingredient listed on this red bag of Temptations that I gave her two treats from. Until reading this article tonight, and hearing the sound of her being so congested which developed immediately after only giving her two of them made me realize just how dangerous they are to her health and life. I’m not going to be able to know whether these treats also make her fur pulling worse since I’m not going to give them to her anymore. But I don’t think so because I haven’t given them to her recently and just yesterday she made a new bald spot on her forearm. I just need to make sure she gets play time with me at least daily or every other day. When she gets this quality time with me she it saves her from herself by keeping her from becoming moody and pulling out her fur. She’s kind of a special needs cat in this way–she needs a specific kind of attention (play time) on a regular and routine basis and to be taken out in her stroller daily. When there’s a break in our routine, it affect her and that’s when she pulls her fur out.

Like everything else,I’m sure diet can also affect behavioral conditions in cats such as this,just as it does in humans. But this is a known condition in cats–just ask the vet about it or google it. More importantly, try to notice changes in routines, environment or anything that could be affecting your cat emotionally as to the possible trigger of such behaviors.

I agree . . my two cats show hostility after having them . . . I obviously quit too. Do you feed them a safer replacement that you’d recommend?>

My cat does the same thing . . I immediately quit feeding her this treat . . seems to be very unhealthy and addictive.

I gave my 1 yr old kitty Temptaions with catnip and I’m pretty sure it killed him. He was sick immediately after eating them and died the next morning. He was in perfect health before he ate them.

currntly expiriencing this right now i am horrified this is crazy im like almost afraid of my cat for first time in life . he just looks sick and feels sick and looking for a way to relieve him

Thanks for your comment, Leslie. Find another treat she enjoys enough to eat and mix them with the Temptations. The scent will transfer over. Cats eat primarily through their sense of smell. As she gets more used to the new treats, put fewer and fewer Temptations in.

Thanks for your comment Victoria. To ease some of your fears, the coronavirus (a very common virus) does not live very long on surfaces or food, even if a person or animal has directly sneezed on something and it was sent to you. In most cases, it takes a week or longer for items to come into the US from China by which time, the virus and any trace of it would be dead and gone. Packaged food items also sit on shelves for weeks to months before being sold which makes it even less likely for this to happen. The treats you purchased were likely made and manufactured long before the outbreak even started. While I understand your concerns with the treats, this virus is nothing to worry about as far as they go.

Regards,
Victoria

3/2/2020
( I wish I could post a picture of Googles answer)

I was going to say that too…garlic and onions are fatal to dogs and cats

Not sure where you are getting your info about GMOs, there is no scientific evidence to prove it is dangerous. As a matter of fact, those same studies HAVE shown it is safe as your normal food stuffs. Test conducted by the FDA, USDA, UE and several countries and independent labs show nothing wrong with GMOs. What to get right down to it, you’ve been eating GMOs since the first pea was grafted by Mendel.

What the heck? GMO

People on here scare me

GARLIC IS POISON TO DOGS ASK YOUR VET YOU ARE KILLING YOUR DOG!!!!!!!!!

It is not worth taking a chance on the kidneys. My vet said do not donate the left overs wrap them up and throw them out.

I also went through some of the same things with my cats.

I am so sorry this has happened and nothing is being done.

Cats LOVE the freeze dried treats!

GMO corn is not good for animals especially.

Mine too.

Yep my cats were sick too until I stopped. It could be the GMO corn its hard to say why this happens to cats. I had a roommate feed my cats Temptations behind my back and they got sick again. I could not believe it. I found the empty bags in her trash. I feel so bad about it. She knew it would get them sick and did it anyway:(

Temptations are not good for cats. I had no idea until I went to the vet. He told me to throw all of it away do not donate it I took the advice right away and as time passed I started to see improvements it was such a relief….So i thought “All is well again with the cats” until I noticed again the throw up everyday on the ground and the litter box had the most awful-smelling stools or dried stringy poops that looked like a necklace.. I also notice I cant keep the water bowls full and my cat wont get out of my bed. I knew something was wrong so I looked through the trash and I found empty Temp. bags with recent expiration dates at the time it happened. Sure enough a roommate took it upon herself to not care and buy the animals Temptations. I was hurt shock and saddened by this. Why would anyone knowingly want to make an animal sick like this. I just wanted to add my experience.

My cats got so sick on Temptations I think it is the GMO corn. It is not normal how they act over them and they do not want to eat anything else.. I compare it to a research mouse that picks the drugs over the food every time. They throw up have dry stools and drink water like they are dying of thirst. My cat had to be taken to the vet and the first thing he said was the Temptations have to go. It is amazing now difference in both my cats. They are not treat crazed animals anymore.

Just wanted to inform everyone who has a cat with cardiac issues that I learned this week (From a MARS company rep) that Temptations Treats are high in salt – each treat has 2.3 mg. Average cats (without cardiac issues) only require 21 mg of sodium per day.
Our cat is on meds for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, including a diuretic. He loves Temptation treats, but decided to restrict totally for a while, and he is doing better. Did some research on the internet to determine if his treats were contributing to fluid retention and made the discovery of high salt content when I called the maker of Temptations.
I agree that these treats may cause or contribute to serious health issues.
Also Greenies pill pockets are high in salt. A site I accessed reported that dogs (which are usually larger animals than cats) with cardiac issues should only have the cat size pill pockets (for medication administration) due to the salt content.
Hope this is helpful.

I’ve been given my 2 cats these treats for the last 3 years and just recently my male cat has been doing the same thing vomiting after eating them.

Hi Pattie,

please read the paragraph under “Update & Warning”.

My friend had 2 cats. 5 years apart in age. One died of cancer. The other was under weight, loosing hair and severe vomiting. I asked him to stop giving him Temtation treats. After 6 months, his health returned. Shinny hair coat, gained weight and the vomiting stopped

my cat also gets constipated if i give her too many of these treats. last night i heard her howling a few times. in the morning i found her stool in a few spots in my apt. i have decided to give her one, once in a while.

Thanks for your comment, J.J. Yes, it could be a food allergy to one of the ingredients in the treats or another medical issue. The only way to know for certain is for your cat to be tested at the vet.
As for the scabs and rashes, coconut oil will help. Read here: https://purrfectlove.net/coconut-oil-benefits-cats/
Probiotics are also a good option to help with skin issues and much more. Here’s what I give both of my cats: https://amzn.to/2Tldz0y

There are healthy cat treats, freeze dried meat for example. Like this: https://amzn.to/2T5qIHT
Otherwise, what you do is just fine.

Pet food manufacturers want your pet to be “addicted”, so it’s easy to see why so many are, with the special TREATment given to make sure it happens. Don’t trust your cat’s health to the people who profit from your pet food buying habits. Do the research.

I AGREE TOTALLY. Our cat is addicted and refuses to eat anything else. It’s time to pull the plug on these things. WE have noticed knots down her spine. When you stroke her, she starts licking in the air over and over again. When stroking her and you run across these knots she is in pain and meows loudly. We got her these for Christmas last year and have been feeding her ever since with them. She kept throwing up on the Meow Mix dry we were giving her. So once we found these and she was able to swallow them without throwing them up, we just kept buying box after box of them. So I really think this is what is causing all of these knots. What they are I don’t know. But I think it’s time we stop this merry-go-round. We are constantly feeding her these all day long. Thank you all for all of the comments and suggestions. Time to stop the madness to see if we can get her back to being healthy and out of pain.

Thanks for your comment Alan. There is a chance she is having an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients. Is she also cleaning and chewing at her skin more? Cut her back slowly and see if there is an improvement.

Maybe after awhile she will link Temptations with pain and not want them anymore. Pro/Con.

Phenobarbital is an antiepilepsy drug for humans.

My 15 year old male cat — who is an indoor/outdoor cat and the mayor/alpha predator of our neighborhood — had been losing significant weight, pulling his fur out and vomiting.

A $$$$ trip to the vet found nothing out of the ordinary in his labs — checking for diabetes, thyroid, etc — and had no diagnosis. We considered his diet, and realized the Temptations were the only change. His symptoms line up with what you and other posters are reporting.

In less than a week off the junk, his fur loss is stopping, and his digestion seems better. Fingers crossed. You may have helped save another cat-life.

BALONEY !!!!!

THAT is ALSO NOT TRUE, where are you people dreaming up this trash ????

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 !!!

Thanks for sharing that with us Linda. He likely has a food sensitivity or allergy. Some can come out of the blue while others tend to get progressively worse over time. If your vet is able to check him for food allergies, that is a good place to start. Most cat treats (including Temptations) have roughly the same ingredients. To be on the safe side, you can try something with minimum ingredients until you know what the issue is. Freeze-dried meats usually have only one to three ingredients in them and should be safe but not all cats enjoy those.

I have tried several since switching. Some of them my cats would like at first and then decide to not eat, others they would not eat at all. Currently, I am feeding my boys “Purina Beyond Grain Free Chicken & Egg Recipe” (https://amzn.to/2LSRhw3). I would prefer to find something healthier but they at least enjoy these. You can also offer things like hard boiled eggs and clean cuts of lunch meat (no sugars, preservatives, etc.) as healthier treat options but both have to be done in moderation. Never give a cat raw eggs (they are toxic raw), they have to be cooked. One hardboiled egg should be a week’s worth of treats for reference.

Then, a few days ago, I opened a new bag of Temptations (beef), and started giving them to him several times a day. That’s about when I became concerned about Buckwheat’s behavior. He started getting lethargic, and sleeping all the time, and wants to be held in my arms constantly. More to the point, my kitty hates having his belly rubbed, but now he allows it. I had just decided to take him to the vet tomorrow to be checked out, when I came across this article, and especially seeing everyone’s comments, many of which I’ve noticed in my cat.

Effective immediately, I’ve discontinued giving Temptations to him. Hopefully, he’ll start getting better by tomorrow, but I’m still going to take him to the vet, just to be sure. Thanks to all of you who have shared your pets’ experiences. You may just have saved my baby from dying.

Having said that, does anyone have a suggestion of what we can offer as a substitute “goodie” for cats?

Thanks for your comment ButterMeows. As a cat parent, you have to make the best choice for your kitty. If she is healthy and happy, then there is no reason to not give them to her. Some cats have bad reactions to them (certain ingredients), others do not. If you notice any health issues arise in the future, get her tested for food allergies and go from there. While I wouldn’t consider them “healthy”, they still meet the requirements to be standard cat treats. For most cats, these treats (given as such) are harmless.

Thanks for your comment Gail. Also, thank you for sharing about these treats. It will help other cat owners see there are other options cats will enjoy just as much. Being that there are far fewer ingredients, I think these are fine. I would imagine this isn’t an addiction but just an enjoyment for the flavor.

Crude Protein: min 20%, Crude Fat : min 12%, Crude Fiber 40% max, Moisture 10% max
Anyway our cats go bonkers over them – we feed about 5-10 to each cat – I am concerned about their addiction, but after reading this article it appears that Wilderness Cat Treats may be safe. Any thoughts?

It took about 6 weeks for my boys to stop.

She’s 15 and never had allergies until these treats. After you stopped feeding your cat the treats HOW LONG after did it take for them to stop pulling out the fur. It’s only been about 4 days since I stopped giving them to her

Thanks for your comment Joy. A lot of cats who have allergies and/or food sensitivities will often have skin irritation that is itchy which could lead to hair pulling. It may take some trial and error with your cat’s own personal taste but treats with the least amount of ingredients are usually the best for them.

Omg my cat stalks me and grabs at me while I’m sleeping for the treats! She’s addicted to them and was pulling her fur out in HUGE clumps. I cut her off cold turkey. Trying a different type of treat and less often

I thought my cats fur was falling out too but then I caught her pulling it out!!!!

Thanks for your comment Anna, glad to hear these treats are okay for your cats. A lot of people have used them to help their cats put on weight. The issues with these treats (and many others) comes down to allergies, some of which not all cats have.

Okay now I see the side effects, my cat threw up bile a week ago. Mom said no temptations for a month but I still give him 2 or 3 a week. It was pretty bad, he kept hacking and hacking but nothing came out till he went to eat. It ended up in Bobs food.

Thanks for your comment Robert M. Yes, my cats were having the same reaction and it ended up being down to allergies. Give it a few weeks and see if things improve. If it is an option, getting him tested for allergies is a good idea so you know what to avoid in the future.

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.

I’ve been giving my three cats temptation the only one I stopped giving them was the one that has catnip that made my cat acting weird that’s the last time I feed them that but been giving the temptation snacks over a year no problems

He is likely uncomfortable. It can be down to an issue with his diet, something that had bothered him outside (stress related), or an underlining medical cause. It is best to take him to a Vet to be certain. I would cut out the treats for the time being and make sure he is drinking enough fluids.

I believe your correct on dude possibly being constipated. He usually urinated in his sandbox and # 2 outside. Well I wanted to check his #2 for worms so I kept him in all day and night. Nothing. He would step in it, look at me then step out. He did this four times. Was he telling me something?

Thanks for your comment Manuel. Did you check to see if litter or feces was stuck to his butt? Cats tend to do that when this happens. I am not sure if this would be in relation to these treats or not. If he is constipated or has diarrhea this can cause the anus to become very itchy.

Thanks for your comment. The reason corn is not safe is down to allergies. Most corn in the world (especially in the US) is not even real corn. It is a product making GMO foods. These genetically modified organisms are made in labs. They can have anything from anti-biotics to pesticides in them. Both humans and animals can and often do have ill effects to corn because of this. It should be used in moderation or not at all. Feel free to read over the study for yourself: http://www.ijbs.com/v05p0706.htm

As for byproducts, they can be used by companies to cut corners. Sure, the meat parts found in most pet foods labeled as “byproducts” could have nutritional value but it can also harm an animal because there is no clear indication of how much of one mineral or vitamin is in said byproduct (they vary greatly). Most byproducts are indeed used for filler to cut cost and are not reliable sources of nutrients for pets. I am not saying you are completely wrong here but companies lie all the time and it is a lot easier to use cheap junk in pet food than it is in human food. It is best to approach this by researching individual companies.

Thanks for your comment Thebunnylove. A lot of people fear the worst when something is brought to their attention. A lot of food and treats for cats is debated on. As mentioned, most cats do fine with these treats in moderation but not all cats will react the same. It is up to the owner to decide what is best for their cat.

I will never advocate allowing a cat to roam freely outdoors because of safety hazards. Regardless of what I say, there will still be people who do this. I get what you mean.

Thanks for your comment Paul. As with food addictions in humans, hormonal and emotional imbalances can happen in cats too.

You are so right

Pentobarbital. Not phenobarbital

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.

Why would you wash your cat with dish soap?? If your cat is itchy it may be due to allgery. Try the oatmeal bath. It worked great when my dog broke out in hives. If you bathe your cat often it removes the natural oils from their skin and fur and can cause dry skin and dander.coconut oil is good for dry itchy skin and does not hurt them. Just a bit rubbed into their fur and skin.

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.

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 🙂

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.

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.

Maxine, How is you Kitty Now?

Thanks for sharing Alicia.

Thanks for sharing Rubye Hall. I agree, they may be okay for some but not for all.

Thanks for your comment Grace. Nope, no renovations here. I had thought of this as well. Unless it is something down to the water supply, the only thing I can come to a conclusion with was the treats. I would imagine it is likely down to an acute food allergy.

Where you making major changes in your home? Renovations?
The calmest most laid back cat I have ever known went bald on his belly when when we did renovations.
Vet checked him out.
Once the renovations were finished Taffy grew back his Belly fur.

But like you said, that was probably a food allergy.

There is no phenobarbital in temptations, idiot.

I’m not saying (nor was I suggesting previously) that the stories people have given about their pets being distressed, ill or otherwise dying are untrue.

My issue was, however, that those people just immediately assume one avenue to be the cause of their worries and if that avenue happens to be a specific brand of treat or food that has yet to have a wide recall, then their insistence on saying “I KNOW this was the cause of the problem” doesn’t help ease other pet owners who haven’t had the same experiences with the products that caused the issues.

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 an indoor cat….isn’t treated with flea poison as he does not have fleas (receives a bath with a little DAWN dish soap when he does do some scratching). No poisons are used in my home. Have used the same cat litter since I picked him up 2 years ago. Have used the same cat food (Friskies…different varieties) and tuna (in water) sometimes boiled chicken breast….he does not like canned cat food. Nothing changed except I bought some of the Temptations treats…counted out 5 and he ate them up. very soon after he begged for more and I gave him 5 more. next morning he was begging at the door to my bedroom at 5 a.m. for treat (new behavior) and did not want cat food or tuna….all day long he begged, very insistently for the treats. I gave him 5 (yes, we counted them out)…..he immediately begged for more….I mean VERY insistently. he refused all other food for the rest of the day and followed me and my husband around all day begging. Would only settle down after he received the treat. (I’m sorry, THAT is addiction….as a Psych RN that worked units filled with drug and alcohol addicts I can see it/recognize it.) Next morning he was begging, even more insistently than before…non-stop…..gave him 5 more…..he refused all other food and begged constantly for the treat. That evening we gave him 5 more…..next morning, we refused to give him any more…the vomiting started…..diarrhea….begging…..vomiting….diarrhea….begging….then went to a corner and went to sleep…..would not interact with us at all….refused food…refused water, broth, tuna juice (which he loves). Was a couple of real bad days like this before he started eating and drinking and allowing any interaction. I do not know what is in the treats, but, there is something. The treat stopped and return to normal after a couple of days of withdrawal. I am not one to “panic” and “freak out”….after 25 years of various types of nursing, I have learned to observe “changes”. Thus “treat” acts like a very addictive drug and needs a thorough investigation. There have been lots of recalls for dog and cat foods for causing “reactions and death”. I DO believe this food is dangerous (my opinion) and needs to be investigated…..and people using this food should stop (my opinion).

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.

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.

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.

Wow, phenobarbital???

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.

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

I hope all is well with your cat now that you’ve winged her off the temps. I gave in and started giving mine temps again, Odie wouldn’t stop bugging me for them, but I am winging them off so that no big health issues come up, I suggest that everyone does the same, God bless

Omg, my cat is constipated also, I have seen signs of her crying in the cat box. These treats are evil. Everyone, wake up. The Illuminati is trying to kill our animals too!

After mine threw up for while, he sat in the corner and began licking the wall.
There is something wrong with these treats in my opinion.

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.

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

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.

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.

I hope whatever you decide, it works out well for Max 🙂

He won’t eat that either. I’ve tried everything. He’s funny. My other guy loves tuna, so I can give him canned tuna, the expensive wild caught type stiff, and he eats it! But not Max. He’s a head case. I think I need to do the tough love thing and just not give him anything until he’s actually hungry. He could lose a pound or two anyway. We’ll see. Thank you!

It may help to cut him off from treats all together to reset his palate. What you can do is use plain chicken breast cooked in a bit of olive oil on the stove or in the oven and cut it up into small pieces, then use that for treats. You will have to store the rest in the fridge and it should hold for 4 or 5 days. If you want to make a large batch, just freeze the rest after cooking it. It is a nice treat that is actually healthy for kitties and most of them will not snub it.

Thanks! Meanwhile, my cat won’t eat anything but Temptations. I gave it to him because he wouldn’t eat anything after our recent move. It was a treat I knew he liked, but that I never bought after I learned how bad it was. I was desperate. Now he won’t eat anything else. It’s been 3 months. I don’t know what to do. I hate to do the tough love thing and give him nothing, but I may have to. Anyway, my issue, my problem to solve! ?

Thanks for your comment Maxanito. You are correct but they do taste the bitter end of sugar which is appealing to some cats.

Thanks for your comment Angie. Sure! Homemade is always an option and would cut down on ingredients but you have to be careful of what you use. Tuna for example can be and often is loaded with mercury. This can cause kidney and liver issues, specially later in life for cats. I don’t eat tuna myself so I do not do research on it but you can look at this post here ( http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/oceans/tuna-guide/ ) for information on the best brands.

Thanks for your comment Lisa. I am happy your cat found another kind of treat she enjoys. The water consumption was likely caused by the high corn and by-product content in the treats. A lot of kitties who have sensitivities to certain food products will get a mild reaction which can show up as dry mouth, acidic stomach, puking, gas, or general fatigue. I too noticed an increase in play and energy for my cats since stopping Temptations as well.

Thanks for your comment B. Beach. It is easy to jump to the conclusion of the treats causing this. If it was down to the treats, it would have likely been an allergy and she would have gotten sick over time, not suddenly. If she is an indoor/outdoor cat, she may have gotten into anti-freeze. That is usually what happens when a cat licks that up. Even a small amount. If it is parasites, she would not have gotten them from the treats unless they were alive in the bag. I hope she has a full recover. I recommend having your vet test for allergies if the optional is available.

I agree with you. It is easy to get people to do anything through fear. It is how the news works and why I don’t watch it. It is also easy to blame a small dietary change as a whole brand issue rather than an individual ingredient. There are a lot of cats who have issues digesting corn, soy, ect. and while most don’t show signs other than weight gain and puking, some will actually get deathly ill from these allergies. If someone is experiencing health changes with their cat they should do the same thing we should do for our own bodies and go to a basic diet, slowly introducing different thing to see what is causing the issue and if it is food related at all. I don’t know my commenters personally but a lot of other factors can be relevant here. A cat can easily get into poison in and outdoors if it is available to them. Things like antifreeze, for example, can leak from a car and it tastes and smells sweet to cats. It causes death within 48 hours of digestion.

So yes, researching things is key here and working with a vet should be something a person should do if they believe a specific treat or food is causing their cat issues. Getting them allergy tested for one will help.

It was actually the comments that led me here, mainly the “I fed my cats these, mere hours later they were dead” types.

So many factors are very relevant when it comes to losing a pet suddenly (a truth I had to learn the hard way many years ago) that it’s often easier to blame the obvious (be it treats or otherwise) in order to cope with the loss. When people comment on articles similar to this with stories of losing their pets, I sincerely wish they would consider being thorough about it instead of merely agreeing with a passing notion that (possibly) a product was to blame, if only to avoid causing further panic from people who have fed their pets the “bad” treats for years and have noticed no adverse health effects (or critical ones, at least).

The best responses to articles like this are the ones that showcase people willing to consider alternatives if they find themselves in agreement that the current product they use could be replaced by something inherently better for their pet.

Thanks for your comment suitablecustard. My original intent was to express that they aren’t deadly, but they are not healthy either. Then my cats started showing strange symptoms and the only thing I had changed was the temptation flavor. I stopped those completely and everything went back to normal. I am not saying that everyone NEEDS to swear them off, but I made the choice to based on my experiences. What owners choose to feed their cats is down to them, no judgement from me.

The illness started with very unusual behaviour. I found him trying to defecate in our living room, which he has never done. When I called his name, he looked at me like he was drunk. He then began stumbling around, clearly disoriented, and began trying to defecate all over the house, dripping tan-coloured sludge all over. (Thinking back on it now, this sludge was the same colour as the Temptations treats.) Then he began vomiting violently, first in his litter box and then all over the house. A few hours later it stopped and he started sleeping. We decided to let him rest to see if maybe it was just an isolated incident. The next morning, we checked on him at 6:00 am and he had a fever (his ears, head, nose, and tongue were extremely hot) and was barely responsive. His pupils were dilated and he wouldn’t get up. I took him to the veterinary hospital that morning.

He’s an indoor cat that has never shown any interest whatsoever in garbage or foreign objects, even as a youngster, so naturally all X-rays came back showing no unusual objects and no abnormalities in his intestines. What they did show was an enlarged heart. The blood and urine tests came back with horrifying results. He was experiencing renal failure and signs of infection that were likely causing the fever. He was placed on an IV, given antibiotics and other medication, and we were prepared for the worst. Everyone was baffled as to how a perfectly healthy cat could be on death’s door for no apparent reason.

He spent several days in the hospital and was released back into our care after fighting back into a stable state. We stayed home with him 24 hours a day for over a week nursing him back to health. He will be returning for follow up blood and urine analysis soon to see how much of his original health he has recovered.

When I isolated the one change in his lifestyle as being the Temptations cat treats, I casually googled “Temptations renal failure.” I was HORRIFIED at the hundreds of stories out there just like ours. People can say what they want about this being an exaggerated smear campaign against the Whiskas brand, but those of us that have lived through this nightmare know the devastating truth.

My deepest condolences go out to the cat owners out there whose cats weren’t as lucky as ours. Their stories are broke our hearts.

Thanks for your comment Natalie Lin. I cut the treats out of both of my cat’s diets since updating the post. I feel like both my boys are doing better. I don’t think any kind of treats should make a cat act like an addict. That is a sign that something is off.

Thanks for your comment ClassOneCanines. They can cause weight gain for sure. The corn in them alone can do this. They may not be that high in calories but when you consider a cat’s weight and the amount of corn and filler… Well, they aren’t healthy. Heck – even humans have trouble with it anymore because it is basically all lab created vegetable (GMO). Corn is best left out of a cat’s diet if possible or at least very limited.

My cat was addicted and obsessed with these. He refused to eat anything else. He started gaining a lot of weight. No more Temptations

Thanks for your comment Maja. If you have not experienced any negative issues, it is up to you. I personally do not recommend them based on my own experiences with my cats. I just wish we could pin point the issue and help get it resolved. My cats did enjoy these treats a lot.

I have seen many of the complaints online. Even vets don’t know what is going on and can’t explain it. I think the cats who are reacting badly are sensitive to something in it. I have not gotten my cats any Temptations since posting this and my cat’s hair is growing back on his legs. I think for anyone who notices their cat reacting badly to the treats (or any food for that matter), the best thing to do is to stop and have them tested to be certain nothing else is wrong internally. Thanks for the update on contacting them. Hopefully you hear back soon.

I sent them an email. No response as of yet. I posted on their fb page and no response as of yet. But feel free to find me on fb using my name on here to follow along.

I’ve been reading reviews dating back as far as 2013 of these issues. I’ll post a link for you to read them. It’s very disheartening on how many cats have died from where I left off from now back to 2013!

I am sorry to hear this Jennifer. I am not sure what happened to the treats but I never had issues up until this year. I know a few people who’s cats are pulling out their hair. Other cats seem to be unharmed so I am thinking something in the ingredients that is new or a certain mix/recipe is causing issues. If you get in touch with the company, let me know!

OMG I’m so sorry. I’m definitely going after this company. Our babies are dying ;( my cat just died on the 20th within 24 hours of eating these treats. He was perfectly healthy too.