We're in cozy season, with comfortably cool weather begging for plush blankets, comfy sweaters, and the return of seasonal warm beverages. Sure, winter may have snowfall, fireplaces, and hot chocolate, but those come with frigid conditions, messy roads, and the darkest days of the year. Bundling up in winter is about survival—cozying up in fall is about comfort. And what could be more comforting than delicious treats?! To help you and your kitty get in the autumn spirit, we've rounded up some tasty homemade cat treats to share with your furball as you indulge in fall favorites.

A word on homemade cat foods

Before we start, it's important to say that we don't recommend homemade cat food for regular nutrition. Because cats are obligate carnivores, they not only require meat in their regular diet but also organs and bones, so unless you have some serious equipment at home and are not at all squeamish, it's unlikely you can prepare the nutrition your kitty requires. There's a reason they're such fiercely adept hunters! However, that doesn't mean you can't supplement your kitty's meals with the occasional, thoughtfully-made cat treats just for fun. Please serve them in moderation, though. We recommend the below for their minimal use of unhealthy ingredients and because your cat is more likely to actually enjoy these ones!

Pumpkin Cat Treats

There's no discussion of fall treats without first acknowledging the inexplicable dominance of the pumpkin spice latte and the empire it inspired. So, we'll start here! Whether you're drinking a pumpkin spice beverage or actually eating pumpkin pie (the reason we even have pumpkin spice), you can share a little of this autumn staple with Princess Purrfect by whipping up a batch of Pumpkin Cat Treats from Unbound Wellness. You'll notice that there aren't any actual spices used in this recipe, and we love that because many spices can cause health issues for kitties, and those complications can range widely from discomfort to death, so please avoid them. The natural pumpkin flavor alone is more than enough for your little buddy, and adding salmon makes this recipe even healthier.

Tasty Tuna Cat Treats

Okay, pumpkin spice was a no-brainer, but you may be asking yourself what tuna has to do with fall. Hear us out. Fall ushers at the beginning of comfort food season, when chillier air makes you crave warmer, heartier meals to soothe you from the inside, and nothing screams comfort food like casseroles. When you're curled up on the couch chowing down on a bowl of tuna noodle casserole, you may be tempted to share a couple of bites with a pushy purrbaby, but the cream and other fat content, salt, and other potential spices are not good for your kitty, so please don't. Instead, share some Tasty Tuna Cat Treats from Kitschen Cat. These simple treats are easy to make and contain both tuna and egg, which are suitable for kitties' bodies. Because flour is not helpful to a cat's system, we appreciate that the base of this recipe is half substituted with cornmeal, which is not necessarily valuable for a cat but is better than flour. Still, while we recommend moderation with all treats in a cat's diet, we urge even more restraint with these yummy bites. Consider these like cookies for a kid. One or two is more than enough.

Chicken and Cranberry Cat Treats

Speaking of cookies, if oatmeal cookies are your fall jam, this one is most definitely for you and your meow muffin. But even if not, chances are high that you enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner every November, which means this one is still for you. Most of our Thanksgiving dishes are covered in spices and unhealthy fats or filled with ingredients that are toxic to cats (onions, garlic, raisins, etc.), but Chicken and Cranberry Cat Treats from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen give you a chance to share some poultry and cranberry flavor with your grateful little one without harming them over the holiday. And again, it's also good for healthier sharing when chomping down on those oatmeal cookies. All of the ingredients in this recipe are safe for cats, and several provide flavors that should be particularly appealing to most kitties, but please be sure that your dried cranberries are unsweetened. Typical dried cranberries contain too much sugar for kitties to enjoy safely much of.

Carrot and Catnip Kitty Cat Treats

If you're not a pumpkin person, your fav fall dessert may be more along the lines of a carrot cake, and we're happy to report there's a version you can share with your kitty without all of the extra sugars and nonsense your pet shouldn't consume. Carrot and Catnip Kitty Cat Treats from Epicuricloud deliver a big carrot flavor, but please be sure to shred carrots as finely as possible before mixing this dough. This recipe also includes flour, which we've already explained isn't ideal for cats, so remember to offer these in moderation, but also consider experimenting with the flour content by replacing some of it with cornmeal, as in the Tasty Tuna Cat Treats above. The catnip is listed as optional here, but we recommend definitely including this in your first batch to increase the chances of your kitty giving these a try. Unlike dogs, who will eat just about anything, many cats are more particular, and carrot isn't necessarily a smell that intrigues them. The catnip should.