Does Mitch need Kitty AA?

I wonder if my cat Mitch (the orange one) might be addicted to his dental cat treats.

Mitch can be, let's go with... fussy. Things Mitch doesn't like include:

- to be in his carrier
- catnip or other treats
- to be picked up or touched without his permission (though he gives it usually)
- his claws clipped (yeah I wouldn't either)
- his teeth brushed, inspected, or touched in any way
- his buddy Nora (grey cat) to clean his face though he sometimes gets off his cat high horse and permits her the honor of washing his fur. No, he does not ever return the favor which is why sometimes Nora is a bit mangy around the face.

He's actually pretty easygoing despite the above list. I describe him as "a normal cat" in contrast to Nora who's awesome and cute but way not normal (more on her later).

He's almost two years old, still pretty young, but he has gingivitis and other cat-related teeth problems. The vet said I should brush them daily... which yeah, is not happening. Have you ever tried to brush a cat's teeth?! The vet wisely let that idea pass and suggested dental chewy treats. They are medium-sized crunchy pellets that look like mini-egg rolls. There is medication inside that helps clean the teeth while chewing on them additionally scrapes the kitty tartar off. Sounds good to me! Fingers crossed that picky Mitch likes them!

He does, praise God. He loves them in fact. He gets all excited when I go near the container, jumping off his cat tree and sitting very still on the kitchen floor, eyes completely focused on the treats and my hand. I have fun by really making sure he's looking then throwing the treat in the air toward the living room. He jumps up and tries to catch it with his mouth/paw before "chasing" it down, then continuing to paw it around, chew a little, and paw some more. He is a bit paranoid and if he thinks you're looking at him too much, he will quickly take the treat in his mouth and sprint to a secret corner where he can play/feast in private. For awhile he liked to chew it in the corner where my roommate put her shoes, sometimes letting us find little dental treat remnants after in the shoes as a "fun" surprise.

Mitch can more dormant than Nora so it's enjoyable to watch him love his medically-necessary treat and use so much energy to play and eat it. He gets so frisky and active, it's really cute.

But this past week, he's taken to meowing a bit piteously during the day. Since my cats are almost always silent, I take special notice when they meow to make sure they're not hurt. I talk to him, "What's up Mitchie?" as I let him lead me into the kitchen corner where the treats are. Everytime he leads me, then sits down waiting and looking at me. This happens about four times a day, if I choose to follow him. Sometimes I give him another treat just to see if that's what he wants and because heck, less tartar is a good thing.

But I'm beginning to wonder if he has developed a kitty addiction to them. Hmmm... what exactly is the medicine in them? Could they be the equivalent of "special brownies" for humans, or something more powerful? Do I need to do an intervention for him?

"My name is Mitch and I'm a treat-aholic...."