Treats for Animals

By Diane P. Ramsay

Apple for the Birds

To make this treat for the birds, you will need: an apple, a pencil, yarn or string, uncooked spaghetti, and popped corn.

Ask an older person to peel the apple and use the pencil to poke a hole through it.
Stick a few short pieces of spaghetti into the apple at various places. Poke a piece of popcorn onto each piece of spaghetti.
Thread the yarn or string through the hole, then tie the apple to a tree branch, and watch the birds enjoy your treat!

Dog Biscuits

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup bran cereal

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup honey

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together.
Add the liquid mixture to the dry one and stir; then mix with clean hands until a dough forms.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it’s 1/4″ (6 mm) thick.
Cut into various shapes with cookie cutters, or cut out dog bone shapes with a table knife, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the leftover dough. Bake at 350° F (180° C) for 12 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the biscuits harden overnight in the oven.

Cat’s Meow

(Leftovers work well)

1/3 cup cooked ground beef

1/4 cup cooked noodles

1/4 cup cooked green beans

Crumble the ground beef into the bottom of the cat’s dish; add the noodles, then top with the green beans.

Gerbil or Hamster Treat

1 tablespoon unsalted sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon grated apple

lettuce

Combine the sunflower seeds and grated apple.
For each serving, break off a piece of lettuce, put a teaspoon of the mixture on it, and serve.

Illustrated by Shauna M. Kawasaki; Photo by Matt Reier