The Best Treats for Kittens: Ranked and Reviewed

You want to feed your kitten the best food and treats to keep their growing bodies healthy and strong. With so many options on the market, it can be tough to figure out which options are the best for your new little pet. Part of it comes down to pet preference and we’ve rounded up our top favorites to help take care of the rest.

Soft treats, savory treats, and training treats are all options for growing kittens. With ingredients that work as part of a diet to promote healthy growth and development, these are our top recommended picks. It helps that kittens and kitten owners give them rave reviews as well. Try one of these tasty and healthy options to indulge your kitten with a tasty treat while still supporting their healthy growth.

A-Z-Animals’ Top Picks for the Best Treats for Kittens

#1 Best Overall Kitten Treat: Get Naked Kitten Health Soft Treats

In our review, the #1 Best Overall treats for kittens are Get Naked Kitten Health Soft Treats. These treats promote kitten wellness and development, are tasty, and work with your budget. These are protein-heavy treats to help your kitten’s body grow strong. They also contain omega-3s, omega-6s, and taurine to support brain development.

One of the things that we love about Get Naked products (also available for adult and senior cats) is that their ingredients and benefits are easy to understand. The calorie count per treat is listed right on the front so you know how many to feed your cat. While this isn’t such a big concern for kittens, as your cat grows, you will want to have a general idea of their caloric intake through their lifespan, especially if they live indoors, have limited exercise, or are overweight.

“My Kitten Pumpkin loves these. I shake the bag and she comes running,” said one reviewer. “She is one of my only kitties that likes treats and she must like the flavor and taste because she gets super excited when I have them out. I love that they have DHA in them and omega 3 in them she’s a super energetic kitten. I highly recommend these for kittens.”

A few reviewers said that the treats were too large for tiny kittens’ mouths. Some others said that their kittens didn’t like these treats.

Pros and Cons of Get Naked Kitten Health Soft Treats

#1 Overall Best

Get Naked Kitten Health Grain-Free Soft Cat Treats

• These treats promote kitten wellness and development
• Tasty
• Protein-heavy to promote healthy body development
• Includes omega-3, omega-6, and taurine to support brain development
• Wheat, corn, and soy free

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2. Best Budget Pick: Wellness Kittles Grain-Free Crunchy Cat Treats in Salmon & Cranberry

Wellness Kittles Grain-Free Crunchy Cat Treats in Salmon & Cranberry are budget-friendly, packed with superfoods, and safe for kittens and cats. They are made with salmon, peas, potatoes, chickpeas, chicken meal, herring meal, cranberries, and blueberries. There are plenty of nutrient sources in these treats. Each treat is just over one calorie, something to be aware of as your kitten grows into a cat.

These are crunchy treats and best for kittens who are past the teething phase. You can cut them in half to make them easier for your kitten’s small mouth but most reviewers preferred to just wait to start their kittens on these treats until they had the teeth to chew them effectively. Fortunately, the crunchy texture helps support dental health so you know that your kitten is developing healthy habits from the beginning. The cranberries included in this formula also help with urinary health, a common problem as cat’s age.

There are multiple flavors of Kittles available from Wellness Natural Pet Foods. We recommend purchasing a couple of flavors in a small package to see which your kitten likes the best.

Some pet parents reported that their kittens and cats didn’t like these treats.

Pros and Cons of Wellness Kittles Grain-Free Crunchy Cat Treats in Salmon & Cranberry

Best Budget Pick

Wellness Kittles Grain-Free Treats

• Budget-friendly
• Safe for kittens and cats
• Made from healthy ingredients, including salmon, peas, cranberries, and blueberries
• Nutrient-packed
• Only 1 calorie per treat

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3. Best Splurge: Delectables Bisque Kitten Lickable Wet Cat Treats

Even the texture of Delectables Bisque Kitten Lickable Wet Cat Treats feels indulgent. The tuna and chicken puree is combined with a savory sauce that kittens love. Added nutrients and vitamins are specially formulated to help with your kitten’s growth and development. The softer texture is also great for small kitten teeth. While these treats are a splurge for your budget, they are so tasty that kittens (and cats when given the chance) devour them.

These can be used as a stand-alone treat or put on top of other food. You will need a dish to give out these treats since they are a puree. These are quite expensive for daily use, although some reviewers and their kittens love them so much that they feel it’s worth the cost. “Every morning, the minute I get out of bed, they follow me into the kitchen and wait for their daily serving (they only get this once a day because it isn’t cheap),” said one reviewer. It is also great for older cats who have trouble eating, a bonus perk that many households with cats of multiple ages found.

Some verified reviewers said that their cats didn’t like this treat. Others said that their kittens enjoyed the adult flavors, but not the ones formulated for kittens.

Pros and Cons of Delectables Bisque Kitten Lickable Wet Cat Treats

Best Splurge

Hartz Delectables Bisque Lickable Cat Treats

• Tuna and chicken puree in a savory sauce
• Fortified with nutrients and vitamins, especially for kittens
• Soft texture is easy on a kitten's small teeth
• Can be used as a stand-alone treat or combined with other food
• Also great for older cats that have problems eating

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4. Best Crunchy/Soft Texture: Temptations Kitten Treats

Temptations Kitten Treats are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. While not the choice of every kitten or cat, for those who do like the dual texture, these are a great option. They are specially formulated with DHA for your kitten’s brain development. They come in two flavors made for kittens (more available once your kitten matures to an adult cat): chicken/dairy and salmon/dairy. The pouches are also resealable, perfect to keep your curious kitten from getting into the treats when you’re not looking.

Reviewers with kittens and adult cats used them for all of their fur babies. “The size is perfect for tiny mouths. We have all adult cats so they can easily gobble these up, even our 18-year-old senior cat who is missing many of her teeth!!!” they wrote. “If you have a picky eater or need to get a cat to eat, try crumbling one onto their food. It may entice them to eat more. We have been doing it with our cats for years and it has gotten them to consume more of their canned food.” 

Several pet parents reported that their felines vomited after eating these treats.

Pros and Cons of Temptations Kitten Treats

Best Crunchy/Soft Texture

TEMPTATIONS Crunchy & Soft Kitten Treats

• Dual texture is crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside
• Formulated with DHA for brain development
• Two flavors are available for kittens
• Resealable pouch
• Great for picky eaters and cats with dental issues

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Choosing the Best: What to Look For

Kitten treats are usually smaller and specially formulated for growing kittens. You should also consider options that have multiple flavors available and ones that can work for multiple cat households.

Size

Kitten mouths are smaller than adult cat mouths. Their treats should be smaller to make it easy for kittens to chew and consume them. Some cat owners even go the extra step to cut treats into even smaller pieces for their kittens. This can be helpful when they are very young kittens or still teething and unable to chew effectively on their own.

Formulated for Kittens

DHA, omega-3s, and omega-6s are popular ingredients in kitten treats. These nutrients, as well as taurine, help support brain development. This is important as your kitten grows and develops into an adult cat. Cranberries can also support urinary tract health while a crunchy texture helps keep their teeth clean. One of the biggest things to look for is an ingredients list that is specific and outlines how the treat works as part of your kitten’s healthy diet.

Multiple Flavors

Cats can be quite finicky and kittens are no exception. If you find a treat with multiple flavors available, you might find that your kitten likes one taste but can’t stand another, even from the same company. Texture can also be something that comes down to personal kitten preference. We recommend trying a few options out to begin with to get to know more about what your kitten likes as well as give them choices to try.

Multiple Cat Households

Many kittens join families who already have adult or senior cats. Rather than try to section off the food and treats meant for the kitten (practically impossible to do), you can opt for a treat that is safe for cats of all ages. Kitten treats tend to be higher in calories and richer than adult food and treats. Many cats love this, leading some reviewers to purchase kitten treats to entice their picky eaters or senior cats without much of an appetite. Just make sure to monitor your cat’s intake, especially if they are already overweight.

The Different Types of Kitten Treats: Pros and Cons Compared

Kitten treats come in a variety of textures. The two most common options are crunchy treats and soft or lickable treats. Each has its pros and cons, outlined here.

Crunchy Kitten Treats

Soft/Lickable Treats

Verified Review: User Experience

Get Naked treats, our #1 pick, gets rave reviews from owners and their kittens. “My 4 (now 5) month-old kitten LOVES these treats. I give them to him as a distraction when I leave the house because he won’t turn away from them to follow me lol I love that they have omega 3’s because there’s no requirement for them in cat/ kitten food. I definitely recommend.”

They can also be used to train kittens and cats if you want to give that a try. “Two cats and a kitten who are all well behaved, loving towards one another, and clicker trained were literally trying to steal these out of each other’s mouths,” said one reviewer with trained cats. “They tried to chew through the bag while it was in my hand!”

Some reviewers were surprised at the texture, expecting a softer treat. “They’re harder than I thought they’d be, so I wouldn’t recommend them for teething kittens,” wrote one reviewer. “My boys were about 4 months and had to work to chew it. As they got older it was a lot easier, so take the age into consideration before ordering.”

While expensive, the Delectables Bisque treats deserve special mention as well. One kitten gave it top marks with the help of her owner/scribe. “My human got this for me as a special treat. I like it a lot and lick it up very fast. My very old friend cat whose name is Grace also likes it. She is old and does not like to do anything but lick her food. Overall we are very well-pleased with this and think you should buy it for your own cats. Thank you. Sincerely, Anza the kitten.”