The Benefits of Choosing Freeze Dried Cat Treats

Why Choose Freeze Dried Cat Treats?

Choosing freeze-dried cat treats over other types of treats offers several benefits, particularly in terms of nutrition, preservation, and taste. Below are some reasons why freeze-dried cat treats are a better choice.

Nutrient Preservation

Retained Nutritional Value

Freeze-drying preserves the nutritional content of the raw ingredients far better than other processing methods. Your cat gets the same vitamins, minerals, and proteins that are present in fresh ingredients.

No Artificial Additives

Because the freeze-drying process naturally preserves the food, there’s no need for artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. This makes the treats healthier and safer for your cat.

Natural Ingredients

Single-Ingredient Options

Many freeze-dried cat treats are made from a single ingredient, such as chicken, fish, or liver. This simplicity ensures your cat is getting pure, high-quality protein without fillers or unnecessary additives.

Raw Feeding Benefits

Freeze-dried treats provide benefits similar to a raw diet. They are closer to what cats would naturally eat in the wild. This supports better overall health, including improved digestion and shinier coats.

Convenience

Long Shelf Life

The freeze-drying process removes moisture, significantly extending the shelf life of the treats without the need for refrigeration. They’re easy to store and carry, making them perfect for travel or quick rewards.

Less Mess

Unlike raw treats, freeze-dried options don’t require thawing, and they won’t leave a mess or smell in your home.

Enhanced Taste

Intense Flavor

Cats often prefer freeze-dried treats because the freeze-drying process intensifies the natural flavors of the ingredients, making them more enticing and rewarding for your feline friend.

Health Benefits

Supports Special Diets

Freeze-dried treats are an excellent choice for cats with allergies or dietary sensitivities. Since they often contain just one ingredient, it’s easier to avoid common allergens and cater to specific dietary needs.

Promotes Oral Health

Chewing on freeze-dried treats help to reduce plaque and tartar build-up, contributing to better oral hygiene for your cat.

Natural Palatability

Instinctual Satisfaction

Freeze-dried treats offer a texture and taste that mimics what cats would eat in the wild, satisfying their natural hunting instincts and preferences.

Overall, freeze-dried cat treats offer a combination of high nutritional value, convenience, and palatability that other treats may not match. They provide a healthier, more natural option to enhance your cat's diet and well-being.

How to Help Chronic Health Conditions with Freeze Dried Cat Treats

Freeze-dried cat treats are more than just a fun snack. They are a powerful tool for promoting your cat’s overall health. They can also help manage chronic conditions.

Leveraging the principles of Yin & Yang and the Five-Element Theory from Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), freeze dried cat treats support your cat’s body from the inside out.

Feeding Treats for a Reason

In TCVM, The Five-Element Theory explains the relationships between the five naturally occurring elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—and how they correspond to the major organs in the body. By aligning your cat's diet with The Five Elements, you will help restore balance and harmony within your cat's body. Which, in turn, promotes better health and well-being.

Our founding veterinarians have practiced TCVM for many years, and often use freeze dried organ treats in their treatment regimens.  The organ meats are not just any part of the animal. They are specifically chosen to match the organ that needs support in your pet.

How Freeze Dried Cat Treats Help

According to the Five-Element Theory, consuming specific foods enhances the function of the corresponding organ in the body.

Examples:

• Heart Health: A cat with heart issues will benefit from eating freeze-dried heart treats. 
• Kidney Support: Cats with kidney conditions, like chronic kidney disease or reduced kidney function, will benefit from freeze-dried kidney treats.

Next, we'll give you details on which treats to feed for certain conditions and how they help.

Freeze Dried Liver Treats

In TCVM, the liver plays a crucial role in the flow of Qi (vital energy) and the balance of emotions. It is associated with the Wood element. The Wood element governs not only the liver itself but also the tendons, ligaments, and emotional stability. Freeze-dried liver treats offer a natural way to support and nourish the liver, helping to address a range of issues that may arise from imbalances within the Wood element.

Supporting Cats with High Liver Enzymes

From a TCVM perspective, high liver enzymes often indicate stagnation or heat in the liver. Which, in turn, leads to an imbalance in the flow of Qi. Freeze-dried liver treats are particularly beneficial because they provide the nutrients necessary to support liver function and help clear stagnation. By nourishing the liver, liver treats help cool the organ and restore the smooth flow of Qi, thereby reducing the elevated enzyme levels. This helps the liver perform its vital functions more effectively, including detoxification and the regulation of blood.

Emotional Stability and Liver Health

In TCVM, the liver is intimately connected to the regulation of emotions, particularly anger, frustration, and irritability. An imbalanced liver can lead to emotional disturbances in cats, manifesting as aggression, anxiety, or restlessness. Freeze-dried liver treats help to harmonize the liver’s energy, promoting emotional stability by nourishing the liver’s Yin and ensuring a balanced flow of Qi. This has a calming effect on your cat, reducing emotional volatility and promoting a more peaceful demeanor.

Ligament and Tendon Support

The liver also governs the health of tendons, ligaments, and sinews in TCVM. An imbalance in the Wood element can weaken ligaments, making your cat more prone to strains or sprains. Freeze-dried liver treats are rich in nutrients that support the liver’s role in maintaining tissue strength and flexibility. By feeding your cat freeze-dried liver treats, you’re helping nourish the liver. And, in turn, fortifying the tendons and ligaments, which aids in recovery from injuries.

Freeze Dried Heart Treats

In TCVM, the heart is central not only to physical health but also to the mind and spirit. It is associated with the Fire element and is considered the Emperor of all organs. The Heart governs the circulation of blood, housing of the Shen (spirit), and the overall emotional and mental state. Freeze-dried heart treats are particularly effective in nourishing and supporting the heart, making them beneficial for cats suffering from cardiac disease and behavior disorders.

Supporting Cats with Cardiac Disease

From a TCVM perspective, cardiac disease often stems from an imbalance in the Fire element. The imbalance can manifest as a deficiency or excess in the heart's Qi, blood, or Yin. When the heart is weakened or overworked, it leads to issues such as palpitations, arrhythmias, and general cardiovascular weakness.

Freeze-dried heart treats are rich in essential nutrients like taurine, CoQ10, and high-quality proteins, critical for maintaining heart health. These nutrients help to replenish the heart’s Qi and blood, supporting the organ's ability to function efficiently. Heart treats nourish the heart with specific nutrients, helping restore balance within the Fire element. They strengthen the heart's energy and enhance its ability to pump blood effectively throughout the body. This, in turn, helps mitigate the symptoms of cardiac disease and supports overall cardiovascular health.

Addressing Behavior Disorders

In TCVM, the heart is the residence of the Shen, or spirit, which governs mental clarity, consciousness, and emotional balance. When the heart is out of balance, whether from Qi deficiency, blood stagnation, or heat, it can cause behavior disorders in cats. The disorders may include anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, or even depression.

Freeze-dried heart treats help stabilize the heart’s energy, ensuring that the Shen is housed securely and peacefully. Heart treats, rich in vital nutrients from heart meat, help calm an overactive mind and reduce anxiety. They promote emotional stability, especially in cats with behavior issues related to stress or emotional disturbances. A balanced heart leads to a balanced mind.

Freeze Dried Spleen Treats

In TCVM, the spleen plays a central role in digestion, energy production, and the maintenance of muscle and tissue health. The spleen is associated with the Earth element. The Earth element governs the transformation and transportation of food and fluids throughout the body. An imbalance in the Earth element leads to a range of issues, including digestive disorders, weight loss, and muscle atrophy. Feeding freeze-dried spleen treats help address these conditions by nourishing and strengthening the spleen, thereby restoring balance within the Earth element.

Supporting Cats with Diarrhea

In TCVM, diarrhea is often seen as a result of spleen Qi deficiency. In other words, the spleen is unable to properly transform and transport food and fluids, leading to dampness and loose stools. Freeze-dried spleen treats are particularly beneficial because they help to tonify and strengthen the spleen, boosting its ability to manage digestion effectively.

Spleen treats nourish the spleen, helping to firm up stool and reduce diarrhea frequency. They also improve overall digestive function. Better spleen function leads to improved nutrient absorption, essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system and preventing future diarrhea episodes.

Addressing Weight Loss

Weight loss in cats is often traced back to a weakened spleen, which is unable to properly extract and distribute nutrients from food. The deficiency, in turn, results in a lack of energy, poor appetite, and an overall inability to maintain healthy body weight.

Freeze-dried spleen treats help to bolster the spleen’s function, enhancing its ability to transform food into Qi and blood, which is essential for nourishing the body. By strengthening the spleen, these treats support better nutrient absorption and energy production, helping to reverse weight loss and promote healthy weight gain.

Preventing and Reversing Muscle Atrophy

The spleen also plays a critical role in maintaining the health of muscles and tissues. When the spleen is weak, it leads to muscle atrophy, where the muscles gradually waste away due to a lack of nourishment. Aging cats or cats with chronic illness often suffer from muscle atrophy.

By feeding your cat freeze-dried spleen treats, you’re providing targeted nutrition that supports the spleen’s role in muscle health. Spleen treats invigorate the spleen’s Qi, ensuring muscles get the nourishment needed to stay strong and functional. Over time, they help prevent further muscle wasting and even reverse some effects of muscle atrophy, leading to improved strength and vitality.

Freeze Dried Lung Treats

In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, the Metal element governs the lungs, along with the respiratory system, skin, and the body’s defenses against external pathogens. The lungs are responsible for the regulation of Qi (vital energy) and the distribution of fluids throughout the body, particularly in the skin and respiratory tract. An imbalance in the Metal element leads to respiratory issues, skin conditions, and an overall weakened immune response. Feeding freeze-dried lung treats help address these conditions by nourishing and strengthening the lungs, thereby restoring balance within the Metal element.

Supporting Cats with Allergic Cough and Asthma

In TCVM, practitioners often view an allergic cough and asthma as manifestations of lung Qi imbalance or an invasion of external pathogens like wind, cold, or heat, which disrupt normal lung function. These conditions cause the lungs to become weak or congested, leading to coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

Freeze-dried lung treats are beneficial because they help to tonify and strengthen the lungs, replenishing lung Qi and helping to clear any excess mucus or phlegm. By nourishing the lungs, these treats support their ability to regulate breathing and reduce inflammation, making it easier for your cat to breathe comfortably and reducing the frequency and severity of coughing and asthma attacks.

Addressing Allergic Skin Conditions

The lungs in TCVM are closely connected to the skin and hair coat, as they are responsible for the distribution of fluids and the defense Qi that protects the body’s surface. When lung function is compromised, it leads to dry, itchy skin, rashes, or other allergic skin conditions.

Freeze-dried lung treats help support lung function, which in turn helps regulate and moisten the skin. By improving the distribution of fluids and enhancing the body’s defense Qi, lung treats help alleviate symptoms of allergic skin conditions, promote healthier skin and coat, and reduce the likelihood of future flare-ups.

Managing Nasal Discharge

Nasal discharge is often a sign of lung Qi deficiency or an invasion of wind-cold or wind-heat, leading to congestion and excess mucus production in the nasal passages. Congestion and excess mucus can result in a runny nose, sneezing, and general discomfort for your cat.

By feeding your cat freeze-dried lung treats, you help strengthen the lungs and clear any excess phlegm or mucus from the respiratory system. These treats help restore the proper flow of Qi in the lungs, reducing nasal discharge and helping your cat breathe more easily. This not only addresses the symptoms, but also helps prevent recurrent episodes by reinforcing the lungs' ability to resist external pathogens.

Freeze Dried Kidney Treats

In TCVM, the kidneys are considered the foundation of life and are associated with the Water element. The kidneys govern the storage of Jing (essence), responsible for growth, reproduction, and the vitality of the body. They also play a crucial role in the health of bones and joints, control of urinary function, maintenance of hearing, and overall longevity. An imbalance or deficiency in the Kidney system leads to various health issues such as arthritis, urinary incontinence, kidney disease, and hearing loss. Freeze-dried kidney treats help address these conditions by nourishing and strengthening the kidneys, thereby restoring balance within the Water element.

Supporting Cats with Arthritis

In TCVM, arthritis is often associated with Kidney deficiency, particularly in the aspect of Kidney Jing, vital for bone and joint health. When the kidneys are weak, they fail to nourish the bones and joints properly, leading to stiffness, pain, and decreased mobility.

Freeze-dried kidney treats are beneficial because they help to tonify the kidneys and replenish Kidney Jing, providing the essential nutrients needed to support strong bones and flexible joints. By nourishing the kidneys, these treats help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, reduce joint pain, and improve overall mobility in cats, making them more comfortable and active.

Managing Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence in cats is often linked to a deficiency in Kidney Qi, which in TCVM is responsible for controlling the opening and closing of the bladder. When Kidney Qi is weak, the bladder may lose its ability to hold urine properly, leading to involuntary leakage.

Freeze-dried kidney treats help strengthen Kidney Qi, improving the bladder's function and reducing the incidence of urinary incontinence. Kidney treats support the kidneys' ability to regulate urinary function. They help restore control over urination, providing relief from incontinence. As a result, your cat’s quality of life improves.

Addressing Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is directly related to the Kidney system in TCVM. It is often seen as a result of a chronic deficiency in Kidney Yin, Yang, or Jing. The deficiency can cause a progressive loss of kidney function. As a result, symptoms such as increased thirst, weight loss, and lethargy may appear.

Freeze-dried kidney treats are particularly effective in nourishing the kidneys and supporting their function. Kidney treats provide essential nutrients that meet the needs of the kidneys. They help slow the progression of kidney disease and support detoxification. As a result, they improve overall kidney health. Improved kidney health, in turn, leads to better energy levels, improved appetite, and a more vibrant life for cats suffering from kidney disease.

Improving Hearing Loss

In TCVM, the kidneys are also believed to govern the ears and hearing. Hearing loss in cats, especially as they age, is often associated with a decline in Kidney Jing or Kidney Qi. As the kidneys weaken, the ability to hear diminishes, which can be a sign of deeper Kidney deficiency.

Freeze-dried kidney treats help to tonify and replenish the kidneys, thereby supporting and potentially improving hearing. By nourishing the Kidney Jing and Qi, these treats help to slow down or mitigate the effects of hearing loss, ensuring that your cat maintains better auditory function for as long as possible.

Using Food as Medicine

By incorporating freeze-dried treats into your cat’s diet, you’re not just giving it a tasty snack—you’re actively contributing to your cat's health and helping manage chronic conditions in a way that aligns with the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM). Freeze-dried cat treats offer a natural, holistic approach to supporting your cat's well-being, leveraging the powerful nutritional benefits of organ meats to nourish and balance the body.

Empowering Yourself as a Caregiver

Choosing to use food as medicine is an empowering step in your journey as a cat caregiver. It puts the power of healing directly into your hands, allowing you to take an active role in your cat’s health and longevity. Instead of relying solely on conventional treatments that may only address symptoms, you’re embracing a holistic approach that supports your cat’s body from within. This approach not only aids in managing chronic conditions but also promotes overall vitality and resilience, helping your cat to live a healthier, happier life.

Nourishing with Purpose

Every time you offer freeze-dried treats, you’re nourishing your cat with purpose. These treats are more than just rewards—they are carefully chosen foods that correspond to specific organs and elements within the TCVM framework. Whether you’re providing freeze-dried kidney treats to support kidney health and alleviate arthritis, or freeze-dried lung treats to ease respiratory issues, you’re delivering targeted nutrition that aligns with the body’s natural healing processes.

Aligning with Nature’s Wisdom

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine teaches us that food is one of the most potent forms of medicine, capable of bringing balance and harmony to the body. By feeding your cat freeze-dried organ meats, you’re harnessing the natural energies and nutrients found in these foods to support specific organs and systems within your cat’s body. This approach not only helps to address current health challenges but also works to prevent future imbalances, creating a foundation for long-term health.

Fostering a Deeper Connection

Using food as medicine also deepens the bond between you and your cat. As you learn more about the principles of TCVM and the specific needs of your cat’s body, you become more attuned to its health and well-being. This knowledge empowers you to make informed choices that reflect a deep understanding of your cat’s unique constitution, fostering a sense of connection and partnership in its healing journey.

A Natural Path to Wellness

Incorporating freeze-dried treats into your cat’s diet is a powerful way to embrace a natural path to wellness. By choosing a TCVM feeding approach, you’re not only managing chronic conditions more effectively but also embracing a philosophy of care that prioritizes balance, harmony, and holistic well-being. You are doing more than just feeding your cat—you're making a commitment to its health, longevity, and quality of life, guided by the ancient wisdom of TCVM and the healing power of food.

Sources: 

• ActivateQI. (n.d.). The Five Elements. https://activateqi.com/pages/the-five-elements
• Xie, H., Wedemeyer, L., & Chrisman, C. (2014). Practical Guide to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Vol. 2 Small Animal Practice.