Hand-feeding a lickable treat straight from the pouch gets you a torn corner, sticky fingers and a cat who has learned that hands are where food comes from. A long-handled silicone spoon puts twenty-five centimetres between you and the licking, which is enough to keep your hands clean and more than enough to matter if the cat in question gets overexcited about food. The scoop is shaped as a paw, which is decoration rather than function, and none the worse for it.

Silicone is the right material for this job because it is soft enough to be licked at without hurting a tongue, flexible enough to scrape a pouch out properly, and it rinses clean instead of holding fish oil in a seam the way textured plastic does. The reach also makes it useful during grooming and nail trims, where a distraction held at arm's length is worth considerably more than one held in your palm.

• 25cm overall length, with a 19.8cm handle
• Paw-shaped scoop, 6.5cm across
• Soft food-grade silicone throughout
• Five colours, including yellow, blue, purple and pink
• Weighs 75g
• Suits cats and small dogs

One correction worth making. Our old description said this came in different sizes. It does not: there is one size, and the five options are colours only. It is a serving spoon rather than a chew toy, so take it away once the treat is gone and rinse it before it dries.

Who it's for: Owners of cats who mob the pouch, and anyone who wants something to hold during grooming or nail trims.