Is it OK to hand feed your cat?

It really depends on the cat.

Table of Contents Show

Do cats enjoy being hand fed?
Why does my cat want me to hand feed her?
Do and don'ts of feeding cats?
Do cats like people who feed them?

It's safe to hand feed any cat and they will not bite you accidentally.

However they might purposefully bite you, but this again depends on the cat.

You'll also want to be cautious of the cat since it's a stray, it might have a disease or something that you wouldn't want to come into contact with by letting it touch you with it's mouth.

If you're going to be hand feeding it anyways though then it should be fine if it's already cool with you petting it, if it acts friendly towards you then chances are it will not bite you at all, especially if you're giving it food.

Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.

11-23-2009, 03:19 PM

Location: Los Angeles

283 posts, read 844,224 times

Reputation: 216

I started to hand feed my cat dry food a few weeks ago. I just love doing it! It's like our special time together. She sits in my lap while I feed her. I would ask her if she wants more, she will paw at my hand if she does. She still has a bow of food in the kitchen but she seems to like me feeding her better. She purrs up a storm when she is being fed. Any one else hand feed their cat?

11-23-2009, 03:42 PM

Location: Los Angeles>Little Rock>Houston>Little Rock

6,487 posts, read 8,168,086 times

Reputation: 17486

I do it sometimes with leftover bits of chicken from dinner or sometimes treats.

11-23-2009, 03:48 PM

16,712 posts, read 17,410,400 times

Reputation: 14130

of course she likes it better! I hand feed my dog her kibble every now and again when she hasn't eaten, she always seems to think it is more like a treat than food. just be careful not to do it all the time or they begin not to eat out of the bowl. smart kitty

11-24-2009, 09:27 AM

Location: Wichita, KS

1,463 posts, read 4,062,696 times

Reputation: 935

I used to. But then they thought my dinner time was their food too. My friends wonder why I don't cook anymore......LOL

11-27-2009, 04:07 PM

1,418 posts, read 2,199,406 times

Reputation: 1165

Our cats like to take treats by hand - they're really sweet and will pull your hand down with one paw - they never snatch or claw us. Our Turkish Angora also likes to 'work' for treats - we hide them in his toybox and he loves rummaging around in there and hunting for them

We trained them from kittens to come when we whistle and get a treat and now they always come running when we whistle for them!!!!!!!

11-28-2009, 09:19 AM

Location: Talmadge, San Diego, CA

14,946 posts, read 30,283,114 times

Reputation: 9418

My cat gets his treats hand fed, but his cat food is on his plate on the floor. He wants to eat on the table, but I drew the line at that.

11-28-2009, 03:13 PM

I had to feed my old cat through a syringe when she wouldn't feed herself. She still likes the "ad" cat food, but I don't have to feed her anymore.

12-13-2015, 05:55 PM

I back slap hand feed my cat. It's the same as forward slap hand feed my cat but back hand slap.

12-14-2015, 03:21 AM

Location: Black Hammock Island

4,620 posts, read 14,231,945 times

Reputation: 4604

Hand-feeding our pets is an awesome bonding time for sure! Pragmatically, it does get them used to being given anything by hand (meds for example) should the need ever arise. The only downside is if it becomes a situation when the pet enjoys hand-feeding so much that he/she refuses to eat from his/her own dish. That can become a big problem. It's all about balance ... main meals self-fed by a dish on the floor; treats, snacks by hand on a lap if desired.

Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.

All times are GMT -6.

Do cats enjoy being hand fed?

It is not abnormal. As Bruce said, your cat is demonstrating his bond to you, and showing a great deal of trust in you by eating from your hand. Since it is the wet food he wishes you to hand feed him, I suggest you try holding his food bowl or a paper plate or something with the food in it.

Why does my cat want me to hand feed her?

Cats who seem to eat better when they have human company are called “affection eaters.” Sometimes they just want someone to sit with them while they eat, while others enjoy being pet or need even further encouragement to eat such as having food brought close to them, hearing their kibble dish rattle, or even being ...

Do and don'ts of feeding cats?

Cats, however, are not omnivores. They are primarily carnivores, and they do best with diets that focus on meat and meat products. You might give your cat a serving of chicken or turkey as a special treat every once in awhile, but try not to let your cat eat leftovers or food that falls on the floor.

Do cats like people who feed them?

In a study in 2017, Dr. Vitale and her colleagues found that the majority of cats prefer interacting with a person over eating or playing with a toy. In a 2019 study, the researchers found that cats adjust their behavior according to how much attention a person gives them.