What Are Functional Pet Treats? A Simple Guide for Pet Parents

Treats have always had a pretty straightforward job: make tails wag, get cats running when they hear the packet open, and give us a very effective form of bribery when we need it.

But treats are changing.

Alongside the everyday treats we know and love, there’s a growing category of functional pet treats — treats made to be enjoyable while also providing ingredients selected to support a particular area of your pet’s wellbeing.

What is a functional pet treat?

A functional pet treat is a treat formulated with an additional purpose beyond simply being tasty.

They still need to be something your dog or cat genuinely wants to eat, but they may also contain carefully selected ingredients intended to support areas such as calm behaviour, dental health, digestion, skin and coat health, mobility or general wellbeing.

Think of it as the difference between choosing a plain snack and choosing one that also contains ingredients added for a specific nutritional purpose.

That doesn’t mean regular treats are somehow “bad” or have no nutritional value. A simple single-ingredient meat treat can naturally provide protein and nutrients of its own.

The main difference is intention.

With a functional treat, the formulation has been deliberately designed around a particular function.

Functional treats vs regular treats: what’s the difference?

Regular pet treats can serve plenty of useful purposes. They can be used for training, enrichment, rewarding good behaviour, adding variety to a pet’s diet or simply sharing a little moment with them.

Functional treats do all of that while incorporating ingredients chosen for an additional purpose.

For example, a chicken treat is primarily a protein-based snack.

A functional chicken treat might combine chicken with an ingredient such as L-Theanine, which is commonly used in pet products designed to support calm and relaxed behaviour.

The treat itself is still part of the experience. The added functionality simply gives pet parents another reason to choose it.

What should you look for in a functional pet treat?

“Functional” on the front of a packet shouldn’t be the only thing you look at. Take a closer look at:

• The functional ingredients: Look at what has been added and why. A good functional treat should make it clear what each key ingredient is there to support, whether that’s calm behaviour, dental health, digestion or another area of wellbeing.
• Palatability and texture: A functional treat still needs to be a treat your pet enjoys. Consider the protein, flavour and texture, particularly if you have a fussy eater or a pet with specific preferences.
• Feeding directions: Check how much and how often the treat should be given. Some functional ingredients are intended to be provided consistently, so following the recommended feeding guide is important.
• The claims being made: Functional treats can be designed to support particular areas of wellbeing, but they aren’t medicines. Be wary of products that promise to cure, treat or prevent a health condition.

A little extra from treat time

We’re all for giving our pets treats just because they deserve one (or because they’ve been staring at the treat cupboard for the last five minutes). Functional treats simply give those little everyday moments a bit more purpose.

That’s the idea behind our functional cat treats. There’s Serene for those moments when your cat could use a little calm support, Tinkle Eze for everyday urinary support, and Bright to help support their dental health. Each one is made with Australian chicken, freeze formed and freeze dried, with functional ingredients selected for a specific purpose.