Make Yummy Cat Treats!
Learn how to make safe, healthy treats your cat will LOVE — with easy recipes you can try at home with a grown-up!
Important: Treats Are a Bonus, Not a Main Meal!
These homemade recipes are treats and occasional toppers — they're not meant to replace your cat's regular cat food. Proper commercial cat food is specially made to give cats all the vitamins and minerals they need. Think of these as the equivalent of a biscuit or sweet for humans — something special and delicious, but not an everyday meal!
🧑⚕️ If your cat has any health issues or allergies, always check with your vet before giving new foods.
🐾 What Do Cats Actually Need to Eat?
Before you cook anything, let's learn what makes a cat's tummy happy!
Cats are obligate carnivores
Unlike dogs or humans, cats MUST eat meat to survive. Their bodies can't make certain nutrients from plants — they need to get them from animal protein.
Cats don't drink much water
In the wild, cats get most of their water from their prey. That's why wet cat food is often healthier than dry biscuits — it keeps them hydrated!
Cats need taurine
Taurine is an amino acid found only in animal meat. Without it, cats can go blind and get heart disease. This is why cats can never be vegan!
Protein is the most important nutrient
Cats need much more protein than dogs or humans. Look for cat food where meat is listed as the first ingredient!
Treats should be less than 10%
Even healthy homemade treats should make up less than 10% of your cat's daily food. Their main meals should always be proper cat food.
🧑🍳 The Recipes
Always ask a grown-up before cooking, and wash your hands before you start!
1. Tuna Treat Balls
🛒 You'll Need:
- ✓ 1 can of tuna in water (not oil!) — drained
- ✓ 1 egg — beaten
- ✓ 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ✓ ¼ cup water
⚠️ Always use tuna in WATER, not oil. Too much oil is bad for cats!
📋 How to Make It:
- 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Ask a grown-up to help with the oven!
- 2 Open the tuna can and drain out all the water. Put the tuna in a bowl.
- 3 Add the beaten egg and mix it all together.
- 4 Slowly add the flour and water, mixing as you go. It should form a soft dough.
- 5 Roll small pieces into balls about the size of a marble.
- 6 Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- 7 Bake for 15 minutes until firm and lightly golden.
- 8 Let them cool completely before giving them to your cat!
💡 Pro tip: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to a month!
2. Cooked Chicken Bites
🛒 You'll Need:
- ✓ 1 small chicken breast (plain, no seasoning)
- ✓ Water for boiling
⚠️ NEVER season chicken with salt, garlic, onion, or any spices — these are toxic to cats! Plain only.
📋 How to Make It:
- 1 Ask a grown-up to help — you'll be using boiling water!
- 2 Put the chicken breast in a pot and cover it with water.
- 3 Bring the water to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium.
- 4 Cook for 15–20 minutes until the chicken is white all the way through — no pink!
- 5 Ask a grown-up to drain the water and let the chicken cool on a plate.
- 6 Once cool, shred the chicken into tiny pieces with a fork.
- 7 Give your cat a small pinch as a special treat!
💡 Pro tip: Plain boiled chicken is one of the healthiest treats for cats. You can keep it in the fridge for 3 days.
3. Salmon & Oat Treats
🛒 You'll Need:
- ✓ 1 small tin of salmon in water — drained
- ✓ 1 cup rolled oats
- ✓ 1 egg — beaten
- ✓ 2 tablespoons water
⚠️ Use salmon in water, not brine or oil. Rinse it under water if it seems very salty.
📋 How to Make It:
- 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Ask a grown-up to help with the oven!
- 2 Drain the salmon and put it in a mixing bowl. Mash it up with a fork.
- 3 Add the oats and beaten egg. Mix everything together well.
- 4 Add the water a little at a time until it sticks together like dough.
- 5 Dust your hands with a little flour so the dough doesn't stick.
- 6 Roll small pieces into tiny balls or press into small flat shapes.
- 7 Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 12–15 minutes.
- 8 Cool completely before treating your cat!
💡 Pro tip: Make them into fun shapes with small cookie cutters — like stars or hearts!
4. Scrambled Egg Topper
🛒 You'll Need:
- ✓ 1 small egg
- ✓ 1 teaspoon water
- ✓ A tiny drop of butter or cooking spray
⚠️ No salt, no pepper, no milk — plain egg only! Raw eggs can contain bacteria, so always cook them fully.
📋 How to Make It:
- 1 Crack the egg into a small bowl and add the water. Beat with a fork.
- 2 Ask a grown-up to warm a non-stick pan on low heat.
- 3 Add the tiniest scrape of butter or spray — just enough so it doesn't stick.
- 4 Pour in the egg mixture.
- 5 Stir gently with a spatula as it cooks on low heat.
- 6 Remove from heat when it's just set — soft and fluffy!
- 7 Let it cool completely, then add a tiny spoonful on top of your cat's regular food.
💡 Pro tip: This is a great way to get a sick or fussy cat to eat their regular food — just a little egg on top makes it exciting!
5. Catnip Crunchies
🛒 You'll Need:
- ✓ 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ✓ 1 tablespoon dried catnip (from a pet shop)
- ✓ ⅓ cup water
- ✓ 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ✓ 1 egg — beaten
⚠️ Only use catnip from a pet shop — not random plants from the garden. Store in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.
📋 How to Make It:
- 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Ask a grown-up to help with the oven!
- 2 Mix the flour and dried catnip together in a bowl.
- 3 Add the olive oil and egg, and mix well.
- 4 Slowly add the water until the mixture forms a firm dough.
- 5 Sprinkle a little flour on a clean surface and roll the dough out thinly — about the thickness of a coin.
- 6 Use a small cookie cutter to cut out shapes, or cut into tiny squares with a knife (grown-up job!).
- 7 Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 12–15 minutes until crispy.
- 8 Cool completely — they'll get crunchier as they cool!
💡 Pro tip: Catnip doesn't affect all cats — about 50% of cats don't respond to it at all, and kittens under 6 months usually don't react either. That's totally normal!
6. Mini Meatball Bites
🛒 You'll Need:
- ✓ 200g (7oz) lean minced beef or chicken mince
- ✓ 1 egg — beaten
- ✓ 2 tablespoons plain oats
⚠️ Make sure the meat is fully cooked — raw meat can make cats sick. No onion, garlic, or seasoning of any kind!
📋 How to Make It:
- 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Ask a grown-up to help!
- 2 Put the mince, beaten egg, and oats in a bowl.
- 3 Mix everything together with clean hands until well combined.
- 4 Roll small pieces into tiny balls — about the size of a grape.
- 5 Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- 6 Bake for 15–18 minutes until cooked all the way through (no pink inside!). Ask a grown-up to check.
- 7 Cool completely before giving to your cat.
- 8 Give just 1–2 at a time as a special treat.
💡 Pro tip: These freeze brilliantly! Freeze in a single layer first, then transfer to a bag. Defrost one at a time in the fridge.
NEVER Feed These to Your Cat!
Some foods that are perfectly safe for humans can be very dangerous — or even deadly — for cats.
Onions & Garlic
Destroy red blood cells — can cause anaemia
Chocolate
Contains theobromine which is toxic to cats
Grapes & Raisins
Can cause kidney failure even in tiny amounts
Cow's Milk
Most cats are lactose intolerant — causes tummy upsets
Raw Fish
Can contain bacteria and destroys a vitamin cats need
Raw Meat
Risk of Salmonella and other harmful bacteria
Macadamia Nuts
Toxic — causes weakness and tremors
Caffeine
Coffee, tea, and energy drinks can be fatal to cats
Xylitol (sweetener)
Found in sugar-free sweets — very toxic to cats
Avocado
Contains persin which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea
Salt
Too much salt causes sodium poisoning
Raw Dough
Yeast expands in the stomach and produces alcohol
🚨 If your cat eats something dangerous, call your vet immediately — don't wait to see if they seem okay!
🧑🍳 Kitchen Safety for Young Cooks
Always ask a grown-up first
Never use the oven, hob, or sharp knives without an adult present.
Wash your hands
Wash with soap and warm water before AND after handling raw meat, eggs, or fish.
Cook meat all the way through
There should be NO pink in the middle of any cooked meat. Ask a grown-up to check.
Cool before serving
Always let treats cool completely before giving them to your cat — hot food can burn their mouth!
Label and date your treats
Write what it is and when you made it on a piece of tape. Most treats last 3–5 days in the fridge.
When in doubt, freeze it
Most homemade cat treats freeze brilliantly for up to a month. Defrost one portion at a time!
Did You Know?
Cats can't taste sweetness at all! They're missing the taste receptor for sugar, which is why cats never go mad for sweets the way dogs do.
They also have far fewer taste buds than humans — we have around 9,000, but cats only have about 470!
Instead of tasting sweetness, cats are especially sensitive to bitter tastes — which helps them avoid eating toxic plants in the wild. 🌿
✅ Quick Recipe Guide
Now that you know what to feed your cat, discover more ways to take care of them! 🐾