When choosing kitten treats, you want to choose something healthy, but there are so many brands and types of cat treat on the market, it can be tough to know what to buy. We’ve reviewed ten different healthy treats for your kitten so you can know what you’re buying. We’ll also give you a guide to what to look for when buying your kitten treats while you shop. These reviews will give you the confidence you need to purchase treats for your kitten.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Blue Buffalo Cravings Kitty Treats
All-natural ingredients
No corn, wheat, or soy
No preservatives or dyes
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Best Value
Whole Life Freeze-Dried Cat Treats
High-protein
The freeze-drying process retains the nutritional value
Single-ingredient
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Premium Choice
Cat-Man-Doo Dried Bonito Cat Flakes
Single-ingredient
Contains taurine
No preservatives
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Hartz Delectables Kitten Treat
Portable pouches
Fish is the top ingredient
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Meow Mix Salmon Cat Treats
Resealable packages
Soft treats
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The 10 Best Kitten Treats
For a holistic, natural treat, try Blue Buffalo Kitty Cravings. There are no preservatives or artificial dyes in these kitten treats. They have a limited ingredient list of chicken, rice, barley, oatmeal, and peas and contain no corn, wheat, or soy. These features are what make it our best overall pick for kitten treats.
Protein Content: 23%
Natural Ingredients: Yes
Feature: Corn, wheat, and soy-free
Check Price on Chewy
The only real complaint about these treats is that not all cats like the flavor.
All-natural ingredients
No corn, wheat, or soy
No preservatives or dyes
High protein
- All-natural ingredients
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- No preservatives or dyes
- High protein
Not all cats like the flavor
- Not all cats like the flavor
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We chose Whole Life Just One Ingredient freeze-dried cat treats as the best value for the money kitten treats. These treats contain only one ingredient: freeze-dried chicken. Because of this, the protein content is extremely high at 80%.
Protein Content: 80%
Natural Ingredients: Yes
Feature: Low in fat
The downside of these Whole Life treats (or any freeze-dried treat) is that the pieces crumble easily if you try to break them. When they crumble, they become powder and are tough to feed.
High-protein
Single-ingredient
The freeze-drying process retains the nutritional value
- High-protein
- Single-ingredient
- The freeze-drying process retains the nutritional value
Crumble into powder
Large pieces
- Crumble into powder
- Large pieces
Cat-Man-Doo Bonito Flakes contain Japanese fish as the main and only ingredient. They’re full of protein and have added taurine to support your kitten’s health. They are preservative-free and low-calorie, so you can feel good about what you’re feeding.
Protein Content: 76%
Natural Ingredients: No preservatives
Feature: Low in calories
The big downside to Cat-Man-Doo treats their smell. They smell “fishy,” and the smell rubs off on your hands after you touch them. If you don’t wash your hands, your cats will be relentless in trying to find the treat.
Single-ingredient
Contains taurine
No preservatives
Low calorie
- Single-ingredient
- Contains taurine
- No preservatives
- Low calorie
Thin
The smell is very strong
- Thin
- The smell is very strong
Hartz Delectables Bisque Lickable Kitten treats have salmon, cod, shrimp, and tuna meal listed as the top ingredients. They are free from additives that could upset your kitten’s sensitive stomach, and they come in portable, single-serving pouches that allow you to carry them with you anywhere.
Protein Content: 21%
Natural Ingredients: No
Feature: Corn, wheat, and soy-free
The downside of Hartz Delectables is that some cats won’t like the taste or texture. They’re made to be extra creamy for small kittens, but some find them unpalatable.
Portable pouches
Fish is the top ingredient
- Portable pouches
- Fish is the top ingredient
Not all kittens like the texture
- Not all kittens like the texture
Meow Mix Irresistibles offer cat treats with a crude protein value of only 20%. This is quite a bit lower than the other treats on our list, but it’s still decent. Chicken and salmon are the primary ingredients in these treats. They are soft for easy chewing and come in a handy, resealable package to maintain freshness.
Protein Content: 20%
Natural Ingredients: No
Feature: Soft treats
Meow Mix food and treats contain BHA, which is a chemical preservative. It’s considered safe in small amounts, but it may not be something you want to feed to your kitten. This treat also contains some artificial coloring, which can cause allergies in some cats.
Resealable packages
Soft treats
- Resealable packages
- Soft treats
Contains BHA
Contains artificial coloring
- Contains BHA
- Contains artificial coloring
Get Naked Kitten treats are fortified with omega fats for healthy skin and coats. They also contain taurine, and at just three calories a treat, you won’t have to worry about loading your kitten up with extra calories.
Protein Content: 18%
Natural Ingredients: Yes
Feature: Added taurine and omega fatty acids
The protein level in these treats is quite low, at 18%, so you’ll have to make sure you’re providing protein from another source.
Fortified with taurine and omega fats
Only three calories per treat
Corn, wheat, and soy-free
- Fortified with taurine and omega fats
- Only three calories per treat
- Corn, wheat, and soy-free
Low protein content
- Low protein content
Salmon is the primary ingredient in Blue Buffalo Bursts Cat Treats, but they also contain cod and shrimp. They have added taurine and omega fats to promote eye and skin health. Kittens love the crunchy outside and soft inside. These treats are packaged into portable packages to make them easy to pack anywhere.
Protein Content: 21%
Natural Ingredients: Yes
Feature: Crunchy outside, soft inside; comes in portable pouches
These cat treats were packaged with a lot of broken pieces in the bag, which is disappointing. There’s also a chance that your kitten won’t love the flavor.
Salmon is the top ingredient
Contains taurine
Crunchy outside with the soft inside
Portable pouches
- Salmon is the top ingredient
- Contains taurine
- Crunchy outside with the soft inside
- Portable pouches
Not all cats like them
Broken pieces in the bag
- Not all cats like them
- Broken pieces in the bag
PureBites Freeze-Dried Natural Chicken Breast Cat Treats provide kitten owners with a single ingredient, raw food option. Because they’re freeze-dried, they don’t spoil like most raw food. The variety featured here is made from chicken, but there is also a salmon recipe available.
Protein Content: 74%
Natural Ingredients: Yes
Feature: Freeze-dried raw food
The downside of freeze-dried treats is that they’re crumbly. If the bag gets crushed, it’s often half powder.
Single-ingredient
Raw-food option
Low calorie
- Single-ingredient
- Raw-food option
- Low calorie
Crumbly
Pieces are too large for small kittens
- Crumbly
- Pieces are too large for small kittens
The Wellness Kittles Tasty Crunchy Natural Cat Treats are another low-calorie option at only two calories per treat. These treats are specially shaped to help scrub plaque and tartar off your kitten’s teeth. They contain all-natural ingredients like potatoes, peas, and chickpeas.
Protein Content: 31%
Natural Ingredients: Yes
Feature: 2 calories per treat
Unfortunately, a lot of cats don’t seem to like these treats, so the flavor may be an issue.
Low-calorie
Promotes clean teeth
All-natural ingredients
- Low-calorie
- Promotes clean teeth
- All-natural ingredients
Many cats don’t like the flavor or only eat them for a short time
- Many cats don’t like the flavor or only eat them for a short time
10. Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Chicken Kitten Crunchies Cat Food
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Protein Content: 23%
Natural Ingredients: Yes
Feature: Healthy growth formula for kittens
The Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Chicken Kitten Crunchies Cat Food is specially formulated to promote healthy growth and development. These treats are made from chicken and whole grains and oven-baked to make them crunchy. They have no artificial preservatives or flavors and are corn, wheat, and soy-free.
Unlike some of the other treats on the list, most cats seem to like the flavor of Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Kitten Crunchies. They come in a resealable back to retain freshness.
With chicken as the primary ingredient, some cats can develop an upset stomach when eating these treats. They are also not a great option for cats who have sensitive stomachs.
Special kitten recipe
All-natural ingredients
Kittens like the flavor
- Special kitten recipe
- All-natural ingredients
- Kittens like the flavor
Can trigger allergies/food sensitivities
Not for kittens with sensitive stomachs
- Can trigger allergies/food sensitivities
- Not for kittens with sensitive stomachs
Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Kitten Treats
Ingredients in kitten treats
To help you shop for kitten treats, let’s take a look at the ingredients you should look for, as well as the ones you should avoid.
Protein
We talk a lot about protein content in these reviews, and there’s a good reason why. As carnivorous animals, cats require lots of animal-based protein to stay healthy. Whenever possible, you should look for treats with 35% protein or higher to give your kitten the best possible nutrition.
Whole meat
Whole meats are ingredients like turkey, salmon, or chicken with no terms like meal or by-product attached to them. The healthiest treats will contain whole meat as the top listed ingredient. It’s not only the best option nutrition-wise for your kitten, but it’s usually the type of food they like best.
Meat by-products
Meal or by-product are interchangeable terms used to describe dried and ground meat. These ingredients are used to boost protein levels in animal foods. They’re not harmful to cats, but they shouldn’t be the number one ingredient on your treat bag.
Fat
While we tend to think of fat as a bad thing, it’s an important part of your kitten’s diet. Especially omega fats that provide significant nutritional value. Most veterinarians recommend that a kitten’s diet contains at least 18-35% fat, but as with humans, too much isn’t good for them either. If your kitten’s diet already contains enough fat to support its growth and development, you’ll want to look for lower-calorie treats (there are several recommendations in this article). Too much fat in a kitten’s diet can lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other health problems.
Omega fats
We mentioned these earlier as being important for a kitten’s health. Omega fats prevent hyperexcitability and constipation. They promote skin and coat health as well.
Calcium
Calcium is more important for kittens than for adult cats, as it’s an important building block for healthy bones and teeth. This electrolyte also plays a role in blood coagulation and preventing a disease called rickets. Nursing mothers and kittens require high levels of calcium in their diet.
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid that is important in digestion, clear vision, and pregnancy. Taurine fortification prevents a deficiency of this compound.
Ingredients that you should avoid
Chemical additives – these are usually listed in letters on ingredient lists and include TBHQ, BHA, and BHT. BHA is the most common additive seen in cat treats, and it has been suspected of promoting the development of cancer in animals.
Artificial dyes – These can also be dangerous for your pet and should be avoided if possible.
Corn and soy – Cats often develop stomach sensitivities to corn and soy, as they are not a natural part of their diet. These ingredients can cause vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or cramping.
- Chemical additives – these are usually listed in letters on ingredient lists and include TBHQ, BHA, and BHT. BHA is the most common additive seen in cat treats, and it has been suspected of promoting the development of cancer in animals.
- Artificial dyes – These can also be dangerous for your pet and should be avoided if possible.
- Corn and soy – Cats often develop stomach sensitivities to corn and soy, as they are not a natural part of their diet. These ingredients can cause vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or cramping.
Hard vs. soft kitten treats
Some treats are hard and crunchy, while others are soft. Hard treats are strongly recommended because they help to clean your kitten’s teeth by removing plaque and tartar.
If your kitten loves soft treats, however, there’s nothing wrong with feeding them once in a while.
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This product is designed with your cat’s comfort in mind. The whisker-friendly bowls are low and wide to prevent whisker fatigue, and the wide catch tray ensures that all food stays exactly where it should—inside the bowl.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
How to feed kitten treats
The recommended rule for feeding treats to your kitten is that no more than 10% of your kitten’s calories should come from treats. For an exact recommendation, it’s best to consult your vet, but they are called “treats” for a reason. They should be fed sporadically as a treat and not as a primary food source.
Every kitten is unique, and one thing they don’t agree on is which treats they like. It’s not uncommon to have to try several brands to find one your kitten will eat. If you have more than one cat, it’s likely you will need to buy treats from multiple brands.
Alternatives to commercial treats
Fruits or vegetables
There are several fruits and vegetables that you can feed your kitten as a treat. These include apples, bananas, strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, carrots, broccoli, and green beans. All vegetables should be cooked until they’re soft and cut into tiny pieces.
Conclusion
When it comes to buying treats for your kitten, the number of choices can be overwhelming. Our top pick for the best overall kitten treat this year is Blue Buffalo Kitty Cravings. They are a healthy, all-natural option that will make you feel good about what you’re feeding. Whole Life Just One Ingredient Freeze-Dried treats are our value pick. As a single ingredient food, they are great for avoiding food sensitivities, and the freeze-dried recipe means that nutritional quality is maintained. We feel this treat is the best value for the money.
These reviews and the buyer’s guide should help you in your quest to find the best treats for your kitten.
Featured Image Credit: Anton Chebotarov, Shutterstock
