Whenever your cat is particularly affectionate, well-behaved, or generally adorable, it’s always nice to reward them with a tasty snack. However, keeping up with their ever-changing preferences and the sheer number of cat treats available can be a challenge.
These reviews will introduce you to the types of treats that you can buy for your feline. Whether your cat prefers crunchy or soft treats or enjoys puréed food toppings or healthy treats, this list will help you make a start on figuring out which treat your best friend will love the most.
Our choice of best overall cat treats is the Blue Buffalo Bursts With Savory Seafood Cat Treats. Made with real seafood and no meat by-products, wheat, corn, or soy, these bite-size chunks are tasty and nutritious. They also contain no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Each treat contains a moist, creamy center so your cat stays hydrated and a crunchy outer shell to help promote dental hygiene. This option is also available in either 2-ounce or 5-ounce bags for keeping on hand during days out, and the 12-ounce tub can be resealed to maintain freshness.
While the seafood flavor includes a variety of fish—salmon, tuna, and shrimp—these treats aren’t grain-free. But still, they top our list of the best healthy cat treats this year.
Pros
Made with real seafood
No meat by-products
No corn, wheat, or soy
Promotes dental health
Cons
Not grain-free
2. Friskies Party Mix Chicken Crunch Cat Treats — Best Value
Packed into a reusable 20-ounce tub, Friskies Party Mix Chicken Lovers Crunch Cat Treats are the best value cat treat for the money. These crunchy, bite-size treats help remove plaque and tartar from your cat’s teeth as they chew, keeping their dental health in check.
Made with real chicken, these treats are only in one flavor but make tasty rewards for good behavior or a quick snack.
While the treats are less than 2 calories each, promoting a healthy diet for your cat, they’re not grain-free and don’t contain any moisture. Remember to keep your cat’s water dish topped up.
Containing 50 individually wrapped tubes filled with puree, the Inaba Churu Tuna & Chicken Puree Variety Pack Cat Treats is a great way to hide your cat’s pills. Not only are these treats 100% grain-free, but their high moisture content also keeps your feline hydrated and their digestive system working properly.
Each variety pack includes five flavors: tuna, tuna and chicken, tuna and salmon, chicken, and chicken and cheese. None of the flavors contain artificial colors or preservatives to ensure that your cat has a healthy, balanced diet.
This puree can be used as a standalone treat or a topping to spice up boring old kibble, but as a premium choice, it is expensive.
Whiskas Cat Milk is a kitten-friendly treat and a good source of calcium for strong bones and healthy teeth. It’s also 98% lactose-reduced and formulated to be gentle on sensitive stomachs, so your cat is less likely to suffer from lactose intolerance.
Intended as a treat or an accompaniment to your kitty’s main meal, this cat milk isn’t designed to be a substitute for mother’s milk and should only be given to weaned cats. Like all milk products, this requires refrigeration after opening.
Available in a pack of three or 24, Whiskas Cat Milk can be a little expensive.
Nobody enjoys taking medicine, and cats are no exception. With the Greenies Pill Pockets Feline Salmon Flavor Cat Treats, you can hide the pills that your cat needs to take and turn a difficult task into an easy one. Filled with natural ingredients, including real chicken and salmon for extra flavor, these treats are nutritious, packed with minerals, and recommended by veterinarians. They are available in both 45- and 85-count bags.
While Greenies Pill Pockets don’t include artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors, they do contain grain.
The soft, moldable structure of these treats is unsuitable for liquid medicine because there is no way to ensure that your cat receives the full dosage.
Pros
Designed to hide pills from fussy cats
Natural ingredients
Salmon flavor
Cons
Unsuitable for liquid medicine
Not grain-free
6. Greenies Hairball Control Tuna Smartbites Cat Treats
For cats susceptible to fur balls, Greenies Hairball Control Tuna Smartbites Cat Treats is a great way to give your cat a treat and their digestive system an extra boost. Tuna flavored and containing natural ingredients and necessary vitamins for a healthy diet, these treats are a carefully designed mix of a crunchy exterior with a smooth, creamy inside.
Filled with moisture, protein, and high fiber, these treats are designed to be a consistent treat throughout the day to soothe the hassle of hairballs.
While most treats by Greenies are designed for dental care, these are focused on hairball control and may not be as good at cleaning tartar and plaque from your cat’s teeth.
Pros
Prevents hairballs
Natural ingredients
Supports healthy digestive systems
Tuna flavored
Cons
Not designed for dental care
7. PureBites Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Treats
High-protein, grain-free, no wheat, no corn, no soy, limited-ingredient diet
Not all cats can be treated to the more ingredient-heavy treats, and that’s where the PureBites Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Treats come in. Made with freeze-dried, 100% human-grade chicken breast, these treats suit felines on a restricted diet.
PureBites treats are grain-free and high in protein, contain no preservatives, and are free from wheat, corn, and soy. For cats that are diabetic, overweight, or suffer from allergies and gastrointestinal disorders, these treats are healthy and easy on the stomach.
Due to their freeze-dried nature, these treats have no moisture content and are brittle. Some owners have complained that the shipping process reduces them to powder.
Greenies Oven Roasted Chicken Flavor Dental Cat Treats are crunchy snacks designed to reduce tartar and plaque while freshening your cat’s breath. Using natural ingredients, including roast chicken flavoring, Greenies promotes healthy dental hygiene. In addition to being part of a well-balanced diet, they are nutritional snacks for your feline to gnaw on every day.
Packed with vitamins and minerals, these treats are intended to be used between meals to clean your cat’s teeth. Free from artificial flavors and preservatives, they are recommended by veterinarians.
Formulated for adult cats, these treats have a crunchy texture that may be unsuitable for kittens and cats with missing teeth. They are also not grain-free.
Hartz Delectables Squeeze Ups Tuna Lickable Cat Treat is a great way to bond with your cat. The squeezable tubes enable you to interact with your feline by hand-feeding them, or you can squeeze the purée on top of your cat’s kibble to entice fussy eaters to devour their meals. Once opened, leftover purée treats can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Although made with real tuna, the purée also contains artificial flavors and isn’t grain-free. Since it doesn’t contain the necessary nutrients to support the healthy development and growth of kittens, it’s intended only for adult cats.
Pros
Squeezable tubes
Real tuna
Can be used as a food topper
Cons
Unsuitable for kittens
Not grain-free
Contains artificial flavors
10. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken & Turkey Cat Treats
High protein, grain-free, no wheat, no corn, no soy
Containing real deboned chicken and turkey, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken & Turkey Grain-Free Cat Treats is inspired by the diets of wildcats. With a focus on natural ingredients, the recipe for these best healthy cat treats is free from grain, wheat, corn, and soy while remaining high in moisture and protein.
Beyond the vitamins and minerals packed into the formula to keep your cat healthy, each treat contains only 1.5 calories to help boost the energy levels of both outdoor and indoor cats without the risk of weight gain.
On the downside, these treats are only available in 2-ounce bags, though multipacks are available. Some cat owners have also noticed that the treats are brittle and leave crumbs everywhere.
Temptations Feline Favorites Classic Variety Pack Cat Treats are a mix of chicken-, seafood-, dairy-, and tuna-flavored crunchy treats with a creamy center. A single treat contains only 2 calories and as a daily snack, works to support your cat’s dental hygiene with the crunchy exterior. Between meals, lock-and-seal pouches keep the treats fresh for your kitty’s enjoyment.
Although these treats are not grain-free, they do contain taurine to promote heart and eye health and other necessary minerals for a balanced diet.
Despite being a 12-ounce box and affordable, each bag is only 3 ounces, so the contents are on the small side.
Pros
Chicken, seafood, dairy, and tuna
Four pack
Supports dental health
Lock-and-seal pouches
Cons
Not grain-free
Only available in small bags
12. American Journey Chicken Grain-Free Chewy Cat Treats
Suitable for both indoor and outdoor cats, the treats only have 2 calories each and make excellent additions to a healthy, balanced diet. Their soft, chewy texture and bite-size portions make them a breeze for kittens, senior cats, and felines with missing teeth to eat. They can also be used to hide pills from cats that refuse to take them.
Sheba Meaty Tender Sticks Tuna Flavored Cat Treats are packed with real meat and easy to break into small, bite-size pieces. With no wheat, corn, soy, or artificial colors and flavors, these treats are healthy snacks for your favorite feline.
Gentle on sensitive stomachs, the recipe contains various vitamins to support your cat’s well-being and healthy lifestyle. They’re also soft and tender, enabling senior cats and those without teeth to eat them with ease.
Individually wrapped in packs of five to preserve the freshness of unused treats, they are available in 10-, 20-, and 30-count multipacks.
These treats are grain-free, but they do contain fish by-products.
Pros
No corn, wheat, or soy
Grain-free
Real meat
Sticks can be broken into bite-size pieces
Cons
Contains fish by-products
14. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Urinary Health Cat Treats
Provided that you have the proper authorization papers from your veterinarian, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Urinary Health Cat Treats are ideal for spoiling your cat and keeping them healthy. These treats come in a resealable pouch to maintain freshness and are high in protein and antioxidants.
Designed to support your cat’s urinary health, these prescription-based treats are formulated with a careful mix of nutrients and vitamins to treat diagnosed medical issues. These treats aren’t meant to replace your feline’s main meals, however, and are best partnered with one of the Purina Pro’s Veterinary Plan diets.
Sold in packs of 12, the Hartz Delectables Bisque Variety Pack Lickable Cat Treats contain three distinct flavors: tuna, tuna with chicken, and tuna with shrimp. Each flavor is blended into a smooth purée that you can feed to your cat by hand, pour in a bowl, or add to their kibble.
High in moisture to keep your furry friend hydrated, these treats are filled with real fish and poultry. Senior cats and felines without teeth alike can eat these without issue.
The variety pack keeps fussier cats interested, and each serving is in an easy-to-open pouch. However, the treats also use artificial flavors and contain grain.
Pros
Variety pack
Chicken, tuna, and shrimp flavors
Cons
Not grain-free
Contains artificial flavors
16. Life Essentials Chicken Freeze-Dried Cat & Dog Treats
High protein, grain-free, limited ingredient diets
Freeze-dried chicken is the only ingredient in Life Essentials Chicken Freeze-Dried Cat & Dog Treats. The production process ensures a high-protein, grain-free formula that is suitable for cats on restricted diets. Due to the simple recipe, there are no chemicals, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Both cats and canines searching for a cheeky snack can eat these treats. However, the pieces are on the large side. You may have to break each chunk into smaller segments for your feline friends to eat without a problem.
Although these freeze-dried cat treats are available in 2-ounce and 5-ounce bags, the price is a little high.
Designed as both food toppers and standalone treats, Fancy Feast Appetizers Cat Treats are served in easy-to-open trays to make otherwise boring meals more interesting. Drenched in a natural fish broth, the recipe is 100% grain-free and contains real, high-quality skipjack tuna and scallops.
The trays are pre-made into proper serving sizes but aren’t resealable to maintain freshness. Flaky in texture, these treats are a good meal topper or side dish but might be too crumbly for use as one-off treats for good behavior.
Paired with dry or wet cat food, these treats can help supplement a healthy, nutritional diet.
Pros
Grain-free
Real tuna and scallops
Cons
Non-resealable tray
A flaky texture might be unsuitable for standalone treats
Fancy Feast Purely Natural Treats Variety Pack Cat Treats are made with 100% natural ingredients. The variety pack includes three flavors: chicken, salmon, and tuna. Each flavor is pre-sorted into portion-sized, easy-to-open packets to prolong freshness. All three varieties can be used as standalone treats for good behavior or as meal toppers.
Using only natural ingredients, these treats are grain-free and high in protein and have no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or by-products. The treats are suitable for indoor and outdoor cats, along with felines on restricted diets.
Although this variety pack contains 10 packets of the three flavors, there are no options for larger portions or bigger multipacks.
Made with freeze-dried minnows, Vital Essentials Minnows Freeze-Dried Cat Treats are gluten-free treats for fish-loving cats. The process of creating these treats means there is no room for additives to be incorporated into the recipe, and the resulting product is 100% natural.
Along with being completely grain-free, these minnow treats are not tainted with hormones, antibiotics, fillers, or flavorings. The simplicity of these morsels is gentle on sensitive stomachs, and the raw fish flavor is a tempting reward for training or the occasional snack.
Only available in 0.5-ounce bags, these treats are expensive compared to other options of the same price.
Pros
100% natural fish
Gluten-free
Grain-free
Cons
Expensive
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Treats for Your Cat
Cat treats might look the same at first glance, but it’s essential to know what’s in your cat’s treats because this can affect their nutrition, calorie intake, and treat preferences. You can learn how to choose the best cat treats with the following considerations:
Image Credit: Nils Jacobi, Shutterstock
Type of Treats
There are tons of cat treats to choose from, and the huge list of options can seem overwhelming at first. It’s not always as simple as offering your cat a dental treat, a freeze-dried treat, or a catnip treat. Firstly, cat treats are divided by textures (wet, dry, crunchy, chewy).
The texture you choose for your cat will depend on your cat’s preferences, health, and dental conditions. If your cat doesn’t want to eat, and they have a lack of appetite, wet treats are a nutritious and enticing option. Cats with dental issues or young kittens might benefit from soft treats, whereas a healthy adult cat will happily enjoy crunch or dehydrated treats.
Aside from the treat’s texture, you also want to understand if there is a health or calming purpose behind it. There are calming treats, dental treats, catnip treats that are meant to relax your cat, and veterinary treats that offer specific aids for certain health conditions. If your pet has a health issue, talk to your vet about what type of treats would be best for them.
Ingredients
Cat treats might seem like a tiny thing to us, but nutritionally speaking, they are nutrient and calorie-dense foods for our cats. You need to consider this when you decide how many treats to give your cat. Remember that cats are obligate carnivores and the nutrients they receive outside of their typical diet should only represent 10% of their total calorie intake.
Take the time to understand what ingredients are used in your cat’s treats. High-quality treats will usually have protein as the first ingredient and will contain a short list of ingredients, most of which should be ingredients you identify. If the ingredient list is filled with words you can’t even pronounce, preservatives, or chemicals, you might want to stay away from those.
Your Cat’s Life Stage
Your cat’s life stage is also influential when it comes to choosing your cat’s treats. As we discussed, treats have calories, and it’s important to respect the amount of calories your cat eats. If you have a kitten, they will certainly need to consume fewer calories than an average cat, whereas if you have a senior cat, treats with vitamins can be more beneficial. Make sure to ask your vet about which cat treats are ideal for your cat’s life stage.
The cat treats we reviewed in this article were chosen by PangoVet’s writers and editors, in collaboration with our experienced veterinary team, based on personal experience with the product, knowledge and expertise about the pet’s care needs, brand reputation, and reviews across multiple retail outlets from other customers that have purchased and used the product. The combination of these factors allows us to gather a wide range of information to help you choose only the best cat treats and ensure you have the most accurate information about these products to promote proper care, health, and well-being of your beloved pets.
Why Trust PangoVet?
PangoVet’s licensed and experienced veterinarians have a knowledge base that extends to all kinds of pets—furry, scaly, and feathered—and want only the best for pets of all shapes and sizes. We also have experienced writers and editors who are pet owners with a variety of different pets, and we love our pets as much as you do. We recognize pets as part of our family. We make sure to only choose products from reputable brands highly rated by customers as well as products that we have personal experience with, to ensure that every cat treat featured in this review is high-quality and safe for your pets.
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe.
