Lick 'n' Lap™
Snack
Chicken Flavor, 5 Pack
The best treats to hand-feed a kitten
Pablo Medina Bener
Veterinarian
Good kitten care is all about creating a safe, welcoming space for your baby cat and allowing your bond with them to flourish. Hand-treating your kitten with healthy snacks is a vital part of the process; your little tiger can safely receive treats once they reach three months old, and hand-feeding helps them build trust in you as a caregiver.
You can find healthy kitten treats in a variety of forms, including kibble, sticks, biscuits, squeezable tubes and small pieces of meat. But it’s important you know the ingredients to look for and the techniques that will maximize the experience for your furry friend.
In this blog post, we’ll show you the right treats to give your kitten, and the ways you can create a perfect bonding experience for the both of you.
How to hand-feed your kitten
With kittens (and adult cats), there are two keys to every interaction: patience and calmness. If you lunge for your kitten or force them to accept an uncomfortable situation, they’re never going to enjoy it.
So, when feeding your kitten treats, let them initiate the interaction. Put the food out in front of them and let them come towards it. If you’re feeding your kitten kibble or biscuits, another good tip is to form your hands into a bowl, which can make the eating process easier and more familiar for them.
If you want to hold your kitten while they’re eating, make sure you support their back legs and rear end with one hand and hold their chest with the other. Maintain a loose grip, though: if you squeeze your kitten or grip them too tightly, they can easily become stressed.
As they’re eating, gently pet your kitten and talk to them in a calm, soothing voice. This can make the experience even more pleasant and relaxing for them. And if they start straining to get free, let them go.
Healthy kitten treat ideas
Even when we’re treating our baby tigers to a little snack, we need to think about their nutrition. Cats need a high-quality diet and this is especially true for kittens, who are growing and need a fine blend of nutrients to thrive—this includes treats, too.
All cats need meat-based foods that are packed with protein and supported by fats (most commercial diets also contain carbohydrates, which aren’t strictly necessary but offer additional benefits). A kitten requires roughly the same amount of fats and essential fatty acids as an adult cat, but their protein requirement is even greater. They’ll also need high quantities of certain vitamins and minerals, like calcium.
So healthy kitten treats will be based on meats like chicken, turkey, and salmon; fishy foods can be doubly great because they’re packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, which strengthen your kitten’s nervous system and help them achieve a lovely, glossy coat. Natural ingredients provide your kitten with high-quality protein to grow and stay healthy.
You can also look for treats that are free of corn, grains, and starchy foods like potatoes, as this will ensure they don’t consume too many carbohydrates. Kittens, like adult cats, don’t actually need carbs in their diet, and can develop diarrhea if the treats’ carb content is too high.
If you’re feeding slices of meat to your kitten, make sure the meat is cooked; the pathogens in raw meat can do significant damage to a younger cat. And if you’re providing hard treats like bites or kibble, make sure they’re designed for tiny kitten mouths, or can at least be snapped off into small, digestible portions.
If you need some inspiration...
Check out Vitakraft’s Purrsticks range. These healthy cat treats allow kittens to nibble away to their heart’s content, and they’re packed with chicken and other high-protein meats.
Alternatively, if you prefer a liquid snack, our Lick ‘n’ Lap range offers a low-calorie creamy snack chock-full of Omega-3.
References
1. https://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/6-healthy-treat-ideas-cats
2. https://www.greatpetcare.com/cat-behavior/the-right-way-to-pick-up-a-cat-a-step-by-step-guide/
3. https://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/feeding-your-kitten-food-and-treats#1
4. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feeding-growing-kittens#:~:text=When%20choosing%20a%20diet%20for,protein%2C%20fat%2C%20and%20calcium.&text=Protein%20requirements%20for%20growing%20kittens,need%20will%20steadily%20decrease%20thereafter.
5. https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/role-of-dietary-fatty-acids-in-dogs-cats/
6. https://familypet.com/what-are-sources-of-healthy-fats-for-cats/
7. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/choosing-the-best-diet-for-your-kitten/
8. https://www.rspcapetinsurance.org.au/pet-care/cat-care/what-should-feed-cat
Creamy Lickable Treat in a Squeezable Tube
Squeeze this creamy, low-calorie treat right from the tube onto your cat’s tongue and watch your cat lick 'n' lap it all up!
Super Soft Bite-Sized Meaty Treats
Cats love the size, texture and high meat content of these soft and tasty, double-meaty treats!
Gently Oven-Roasted Cat Sticks
High meat content (>70%), small batch production and premium ingredients combine to make these truly irresistible.
Thick and Creamy Topper or Side Dish
Tender chicken fillet pieces in a thick and creamy stew! Great for older cats!
-
Lick 'n' Lap Snack
-
Meaty Morsels
-
Purrsticks
-
Souprise
Lick 'n' Lap™
BUY ONLINE
Lick 'n' Lap™
Snack
Salmon Flavor, 5 Pack
BUY ONLINE
Creamy Lickable Treat in a Squeezable Tube
Squeeze this creamy, low-calorie treat right from the tube onto your cat’s tongue and watch your cat lick 'n' lap it all up!
Super Soft Bite-Sized Meaty Treats
Cats love the size, texture and high meat content of these soft and tasty, double-meaty treats!
Gently Oven-Roasted Cat Sticks
High meat content (>70%), small batch production and premium ingredients combine to make these truly irresistible.
Thick and Creamy Topper or Side Dish
Tender chicken fillet pieces in a thick and creamy stew! Great for older cats!
