Best Cat Treats and Lickable Treats in 2026 Including Churu, Temptations and Greenies
Last updated: October 22, 2026.
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- Pick the treat by job: lickable purees for bonding and picky eaters, crunchy-and-soft treats for rewards, dental and hairball treats for a daily routine, and freeze-dried treats only if you accept the food-safety trade-offs.
- Veterinary guidance is simple: keep treats to about 10% of your cat’s daily calories. For a typical 10 lb adult cat that is roughly 20 calories a day.
- Only dental treats accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) have shown dental benefits, and none replace brushing or a dental exam.
- This guide is based on reading customer reviews on Amazon and published veterinary advice. We did not test these treats ourselves.
Most cats do not need treats, but most owners love giving them. Treats help you bond with a shy cat, reward a cat for getting into the carrier, hide a pill (after checking with your vet) or simply say “good morning.” The trick is choosing treats that fit your cat and not letting the calories sneak up on you. Below are five popular options, from budget to premium, with what buyers say about each and who should skip it.
Check with your veterinarian before changing your pet's food or adding a supplement.
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How we picked these treats
We looked at highly reviewed and widely bought cat treats in Amazon’s pet supplies category on October 22, 2026 and read the customer reviews shown on each product page. We paraphrase what buyers report, both the praise and the complaints. We did not buy or test the products, so treat this as research, not a lab test. Every cat is different, and a treat one cat loves may be ignored by the next.
1. Lickable Treats
Lickable purees come in squeeze tubes. Cats lick them from the tube or your finger, which makes them popular for bonding, grooming sessions and getting a nervous cat used to a new person.
Buyers describe cats that come running at the sound of the package. Reviewers use Churu to socialize shy or newly adopted cats, to get a cat to eat when it was off its food, as a topper on dry or wet food and as a way to deliver medicine. The variety pack gets credit for letting you find out which flavors your cat likes. Review complaints are mostly about cost over time and cats that become demanding about getting one daily.
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Reviewers say their cats go wild for these, and some prefer them to pricier tubes because the smell is milder than fish-based varieties. A few buyers were surprised by the packaging, which comes as several small boxes of tubes rather than one big bag, so read the count before you buy.
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Who should skip lickables: cats on a prescription diet unless your vet agrees, and owners who tend to give several tubes a day. Calories add up quickly in small packages.
2. Crunchy and Soft Treats
This is one of the most widely bought cat treats. Buyers say cats come running when they shake the container, which makes it useful for calling a cat inside or crate training. Owners like the resealable tub and the large size. Some use it to help coax a cat into taking supplements. Complaints are rare and mostly about shipping damage or cats that do not like a particular flavor.
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Who should skip it: owners who give treats by the handful. A big tub makes it easy to overfeed, so count out the day’s treats in the morning.
3. Dental and Hairball Treats
Dental treats are often marketed for clean teeth. Banfield Pet Hospital notes that only treats approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council have demonstrated dental benefits, and that they are not a substitute for brushing or professional dental care. The VOHC accepted-products list for cats (updated August 2026) includes “Feline Greenies Feline Dental Treats” for tartar control. Always check that the exact product you buy matches the product on the VOHC list.
This is the Greenies line that matches the VOHC-listed dental treat name, so it is the one to look at if tartar control is your goal. It has fewer reviews than the other products here, so we lean on VOHC and vet guidance rather than buyer opinions. Reviewers on the broader Greenies feline range praise the small size and the way picky cats accept them.
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This is a different Greenies product aimed at indoor cats and hairballs. Buyers report a drop in hairballs for some cats, say that it is easy to portion, and describe even picky or toothless cats eating them. One reviewer noted that their cats sometimes vomit them up, which can happen if a cat eats too fast. Do not count on this one for tartar control; check the product label and VOHC list.
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Who should skip dental treats: cats with painful teeth or gums should see a vet instead, and cats that gulp treats whole should have smaller portions.
4. Freeze-Dried Treats (Premium, With Caution)
Single-ingredient freeze-dried treats are popular with owners who want a simple, high-protein snack. There is an important safety point, though. Banfield explains that freeze-dried treats are essentially raw meat that has not been cooked to kill bacteria, and the CDC does not recommend feeding raw pet food or treats to dogs and cats. The FDA has also posted recalls of freeze-dried pet treats for possible Salmonella contamination. If you have young children, an older adult or someone with a weakened immune system at home, skip this category or talk to your veterinarian first.
Buyers say their cats are “obsessed”, like that there is a single ingredient and find the treat useful for training and for crumbling over wet food. The common complaints are the price, small bag counts and size. Some reviewers say the hearts are large and hard, so cats have to chew, and one owner cut them in half. Several recommend supervising your cat while it eats them. Because the product is raw, wash your hands and any surfaces after handling.
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How many treats are too many?
Banfield’s rule of thumb is that treats should make up no more than about 10% of your cat’s daily calories. They give the example of a typical 10 lb adult cat needing about 200 calories a day, which means about 20 calories from treats. Because many treats are only a few calories each, that sounds like a lot, but a lickable tube or a handful of crunchy treats can quickly use it up. Ask your veterinarian about the right calorie target for your cat, especially if your cat is overweight, a senior or has a medical condition.
Common mistakes
- Treating with every meow. Cats learn quickly that asking works. Pick set times.
- Ignoring calories on tiny treats. Add them up for the day.
- Expecting dental treats to replace brushing. They do not.
- Giving human food. Many human foods are too salty or fatty, and some are toxic to cats. See our guide to foods your cat should never eat.
Check with your veterinarian before changing your pet's food or adding a supplement.
- INABA Churu Lickable Cat Treats (variety pack)
- Hartz Delectables Squeeze Up Lickable Treats (with catnip)
- Temptations Classic Crunchy and Soft Cat Treats
- Greenies Dental
- Greenies Feline SmartBites Healthy Recipe, Indoor (chicken)
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Frequently asked questions
Are lickable treats bad for cats?
Banfield says they are not bad, and cats usually love them, but portions matter because the calories add up.
Do dental treats really help with tartar?
Some do, but not all. Look for the VOHC seal and keep brushing and vet dental checkups in your plan.
Can I use treats to give my cat a pill?
Soft or lickable treats can work for some pills, but not every medication can be given with food. Check with your veterinarian first.
Are freeze-dried treats safe?
They are raw. The CDC does not recommend raw pet food or treats, so weigh the risk, especially in homes with children or people with weak immune systems.
Related guides
- Foods Your Cat Should Never Eat
- Why Do Cats Bite Each Other’s Necks?
- Best Cat Scratchers by Material
- Best Cat Water Fountains
Sources
- Banfield Pet Hospital, “Healthy cat treats: What to know about treating safely” (https://www.banfield.com/kitten-hub/picking-cat-treats)
- CDC, “About Pet Food Safety” (https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/pet-food-safety.html)
- Veterinary Oral Health Council, “VOHC Accepted Products for Cats” (https://vohc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/VOHCAcceptedProductsTable_Cats-8-5-26.pdf)
- FDA, Foodynamics freeze-dried pet treats recall notice (https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/correction-foodynamics-recalls-raw-dog-barkery-bellepepper-cats-and-kanu-pets-brand-freeze-dried-pet)
- Amazon customer reviews for the products above, read October 22, 2026
This article is general information for pet owners, not veterinary advice. If your pet seems sick, or you are unsure, call your veterinarian.
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