Generally designed for adult cats (though they do have a kitten option), most Temptations treats are 100% nutritionally complete and balanced, meaning they meet the nutrient requirements for adult cats. They’re also relatively low-calorie and affordable, which makes them a good choice for your cat and your budget.
#3 Temptations ShakeUps Crustacean Celebration
Cats love Temptations ShakeUps, just as they do their Classics, Mix-Ups, Jumbo, and other treats. They are still soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, and they have all of the qualities that consumers adore about Temptations, including adequate nutrition, 2 kcal per treat, and no artificial flavors. Additionally, compared to other Temptations treats, they come in a few new flavors with a bit more protein.
Any cat would be delighted to taste the flavors of lobster, crab, and shrimp in Temptations ShakeUps Crustacean Celebration. Similar to other Temptations treats, the main ingredients of these treats are animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ground corn, and chicken by-product meal. Although natural flavors of lobster, crab, and shrimp are present, they are not the main ingredient.
Should your cat have an allergy to corn or wheat flour, then these ingredients may cause problems. But most pet treats do contain flour of some kind, particularly when they’re baked. Animal fat is vague. It’s an unnamed fat. “Meat by-products” is another vague ingredient from an unidentified source.
Meal made from the by-products of chicken liver, kidneys, and lungs can be beneficial. These are parts that your cat would love to eat. They are high in protein and easy to digest.
The candies do include a number of artificial colors, which some customers may find off-putting. Food and treats are colored to appeal to consumers, not because cats are particularly picky about color.
Compared to other Temptations treats, these treats have a slightly higher protein content. They are also slightly higher calories.
ShakeUps Crustacean Celebration treats are highly praised by consumers on behalf of their cats, just like other Temptations treats. They are similar in ingredients to other Temptations treats. Because they taste like lobster, crab, and shrimp and have a bit more protein, some cats might even like them more.
This food contains (calculated) 394 kcal per cup.
Chicken by-product meal, ground corn, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), wheat flour, brewer’s rice, natural flavors, brewer’s dried yeast, and natural lobster crab make up the composition.
Nutritional Composition: Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, DL-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Sulfate, Red #40, Blue #2, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid.
Crude Protein:
Protein:
Protein:
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken by-product meal, dried cheese
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Unnamed animal fat, unnamed meat by-products, Red #40, Blue #2, Yellow #5, Yellow #6.
Common allergens include shellfish (such as shrimp, crab, and lobster flavor), wheat flour, and ground corn.
- Temptations treats are only 2 calories per treat
- They come in over 30 different flavors
- Protein content in this recipe is marginally higher than in most other Temptations treats.
- Some ingredients are vague and unnamed
- Shrimp, lobster, and crab are merely “flavors”; the food does not contain any of these ingredients.
- This recipe contains the artificial colors Red #40, Blue #2, Yellow #5, Yellow #6.
What the ingredients really say
The following are the ingredients for Temptations’ “Dairy Flavour” and “Chicken Flavour”:
- By-products from chickens, beef and/or sheep, corn, rice, wheat flour, dried yeast, vitamins, minerals, color, salt, taurine, antioxidants, and cheese powder
- By-products from chickens, beef and/or sheep, corn, rice, wheat flour, dried yeast, flavors (such as milk powder), vitamins, minerals, salt, taurine, antioxidants, and cheese powder
As you can see from the above, all of the ingredients in the Temptations recipes are nearly the same, so don’t let this fool you into thinking your cat is getting a different kind of food—it’s all the same stuff in different packets!
Now consider this – it looks like chicken by-products (i. e. The primary ingredients are beef and/or sheep byproducts and chicken offcuts.
After reading that, I believe the majority of people would believe they were treating their carnivorous cats to a meaty treat.
…BUT…
Wouldn’t it indicate that the meat is outweighed by three grains if the amounts of the third, fourth, and fifth ingredients—corn, rice, and wheat flour—were the same as those of the top two ingredients?
This is how pet food manufacturers make a product seem meatier than it actually is. Grains are cheap, which is why they are used so frequently, but they will try their best to hide the ingredients corn, rice, and wheat, since we all know that these are not foods that should be fed to carnivores!
So, the truth is more likely this:
Grain-based (wheat, rice, and corn) Temptations cat treats contain questionable meat by-products (off cuts), questionable food coloring, flavoring, and antioxidants.
Puts a different spin on it, doesn’t it?
It makes you wonder why you aren’t feeding fresh beef, lamb, or chicken to your pet carnivore instead—plus, it’s probably less expensive!
Food coloring, flavorings, and artificial preservatives are not added to fresh human grade meats, and I think we can all agree that those are bad things. In addition, cats don’t like food coloring, so it’s just done to make the treats look prettier to us.
If raw meats aren’t your thing, try a little bag of nutritious ZIWI Peak—it’s as good of a treat as any!
There are undoubtedly much better cat treats available, and if you currently give your cat Temptations, it’s possible that the cat food isn’t that great either (sorry to be blunt). Don’t forget to read the review on the cat food you feed him!
Tempations cat treats review
Similar to the majority of Mars products (yes, the chocolate bar juggernaut Mars makes Temptations), the product’s marketing does a great job of persuading you to purchase it without providing much information about it.
I visited the Temptations website, which has a ton of adorable cartoons and downloadable wallpaper, including this one:
If you visit the website in search of the ingredients, you could instead be drawn in by cutesy games, and (2) I discovered that the product page stealthily sends you to the website of New Zealand, which has ingredients from their MEATY BITES range that are superior to those available in Australia.
We’re told Temptations are pocket purrfection, scrumptious treats your cat will do anything for. Also, apparently they’re irrestible, whatever that means. I think they mean irresistible – that’s quality control for you! I found that typo on the Temptations product page.
The individual packets list flavors like chicken, beef, or dairy, but did you know that the Australian Standards for Manufacturing and Marketing of Pet Food (AS 5812:2017) state that flavorings don’t need to be added in large quantities?
Don’t pay much attention to the word “flavour” when it appears on a cat food or treat packet. The same is true for recipe names like “With chicken”—it doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a lot of chicken!
So what is the real story behind Temptations cat treats? Let’s examine the ingredients to find out!
FAQ
Are Temptations cat treats safe for cats?
Can Temptations cat treats cause urinary tract infection?
What happens if a cat eats too many temptation treats?
Why does my cat throw up after eating Temptations cat treats?