Treats aren't just for spoiling—they're the ultimate tools for training, bonding, and hiding that daily pill. This guide breaks down the healthiest, most effective treats on the market so you can reward your feline friend without compromising their waistline.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Maria Chen, DVM — Feline Nutrition & Internal Medicine — updated July 17, 2026. 14 years of clinical experience in feline nutrition. Member of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP).
Cat treats are way more than snacks — they're your secret weapon for clipping claws, teaching tricks, hiding medication, and building the bond that makes a cat choose you as their person. Walk into any pet store and you'll face a wall of bags, tubs, and tubes in every color. Some are genuinely healthy. Some are feline junk food with a fancy label. The right treat for your cat depends on its age, weight, health status, and what you're using the treat for.
This guide covers what makes a treat "good," the eight categories of treats available in 2026, and the seven best products for different uses.
A Note From My Practice
In fourteen years of feline medicine, I've seen treats both cause problems and quietly solve them. A few cases that still come to mind when I counsel owners:
- The "free feeder with treats" cat. A 14-pound domestic shorthair named Biscuit came in for a weight check. His owner insisted he ate "almost nothing" — but Biscuit was free-fed kibble and got Temptations every time he meowed. Once we tallied the calories, treats were running about 35% of his daily intake, not 10%. We switched him to a measured meal plan with freeze-dried chicken training pieces. He dropped two pounds in five months with no other changes.
- The senior cat with a "suddenly picky" appetite. A 13-year-old Maine Coon, Oliver, was "off his food." Bloodwork was unremarkable, but his dental exam told the real story: stage 2 dental disease with painful gingivitis. We used soft treats and Churu during his recovery to keep weight on; once the dental was treated and we added a daily VOHC-accepted Greenies, his appetite came back fully within three months.
- The chicken-allergic cat on an elimination diet. A patient with chronic itching was put on a novel-protein trial that wasn't going anywhere — until the owner realized she'd been handing out freeze-dried chicken treats the entire time as "rewards." Switching to a single-protein treat (Vital Essentials minnows) was the missing piece. The itching resolved over the next eight weeks.
These patterns shape every recommendation in this guide. Where the science is solid I cite it; where it's a judgment call based on what I've seen at the exam table, I'll say so.
What Makes a Cat Treat "Good"?
A high-quality treat should:
- Be made primarily from animal protein (not plant-based)
- Have a named animal protein as the first ingredient
- Be free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
- Match your cat's life stage (kitten, adult, senior)
- Address the use case (training, dental, joint health, etc.)
- Be within your cat's daily calorie budget (10% of total calories)
- Be low in unnecessary fillers (corn, wheat, soy as primary ingredients)
Treats to avoid:
- Anything with "animal digest" as the primary ingredient
- Treats with sugar or caramel color
- Dog treats (different nutritional profile)
- Treats with unspecified "meat by-products"
- Anything with garlic or onion (well-established feline toxins that damage red blood cells); xylitol should also be avoided, as it is a documented canine toxin with limited feline-specific safety data — see the Pet Poison Helpline xylitol guidance
The 8 Types of Cat Treats
1. Crunchy Biscuit Treats
Dry, biscuit-style treats. Long shelf life, easy to dispense, good for clicker training. Typical calories: 1–3 per treat.
2. Soft / Chewy Treats
Higher moisture content, more palatable for picky cats. Often used for pill administration. Typical calories: 2–5 per treat.
3. Freeze-Dried Protein Treats
Single-ingredient freeze-dried chicken, salmon, or liver. High in protein, no additives, very high palatability. Typical calories: 1–3 per treat.
4. Dental Treats
Textured to scrub teeth as the cat chews. Active ingredients (sodium tripolyphosphate, zinc) help reduce tartar. Typical calories: 5–10 per treat.
5. Lickable / Tube Treats (Churu, Inaba)
Pureed treats in single-serve tubes. Very high palatability, used for bonding, pill administration, and medicating difficult cats. Typical calories: 6–14 per tube.
6. Catnip / Silvervine Treats
Treats infused with catnip, silvervine, or valerian root. Used for play and enrichment. Generally low calorie. Typical calories: 1–3 per treat.
7. Functional / Supplement Treats
Treats with added supplements (joint support, urinary health, hairball control, calming). Used for specific health needs. Typical calories: 2–5 per treat.
8. Cat Grass / Greens
Wheatgrass or oatgrass for indoor cats. Not really a "treat" but provides fiber and helps with hairball management. Typical calories: negligible.
How Many Treats Per Day?
The 10% rule: treats should be no more than 10% of your cat's daily calorie intake. The Cornell Feline Health Center allows a slightly broader ceiling of 10–15% for occasional use in otherwise-balanced cats, which I agree with for households where treats are truly occasional.
| Cat weight | Daily calories | Max treat calories | Approximate treat count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 lb (3.6 kg) | 180–220 kcal | 18–22 kcal | 6–10 small treats |
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | 200–250 kcal | 20–25 kcal | 8–12 small treats |
| 12 lb (5.4 kg) | 220–270 kcal | 22–27 kcal | 9–14 small treats |
| 15 lb (6.8 kg) | 250–300 kcal | 25–30 kcal | 10–15 small treats |
For training-heavy households (clicker training, frequent rewards), use the smallest training treats possible (freeze-dried minnows, broken-up freeze-dried chicken) to maximize treat count without blowing the calorie budget.
The 7 Best Cat Treats of 2026
1. PureBites Freeze-Dried Chicken Breast — Best for Training
Ingredients: 100% freeze-dried chicken breast Calories per treat: ~1 (for a 2 g piece) Best for: Training, sensitive stomachs, single-ingredient diets
PureBites is the gold standard for freeze-dried single-ingredient treats. Just chicken breast, freeze-dried. No additives, no fillers, no preservatives. Cats go nuts for them, and the small pieces are perfect for clicker training. Use 1–3 pieces per training session.
Pros: Single ingredient, very high palatability, low calorie Cons: Expensive per ounce, must be stored dry
2. Greenies Feline Dental Treats — Best for Dental Health
Ingredients: Chicken meal, ground wheat, etc. Calories per treat: 5 (one treat) Best for: Daily dental care
Greenies are the most clinically tested dental treat for cats. The VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) accepted formula is supported by published trials showing reductions in tartar and plaque accumulation. The texture is designed to scrub teeth as the cat chews. Most cats accept them readily.
Pros: VOHC-accepted, widely available, palatable Cons: Plant-based fillers, daily limit recommended
3. Inaba Churu Puree — Best for Pill Administration
Ingredients: Tuna, natural flavors, taurine Calories per tube: 6 (one tube) Best for: Pill administration, medicating difficult cats, bonding
Inaba Churu is a pureed tuna treat in single-serve tubes. Most cats find it irresistible, which makes it perfect for hiding pills. The squeeze-tube format is also useful for syringe-feeding sick cats. Made with wild-caught tuna.
Pros: Very high palatability, useful for medicating, low calorie Cons: Single-use plastic tubes, expensive per serving
4. Feline Greenies SmartBites — Best for Hairball Control
Ingredients: Chicken meal, natural fiber, psyllium Calories per treat: 2 (one treat) Best for: Hairball-prone cats
The SmartBites formula adds natural fiber and a small amount of lubricant to help move hairballs through the digestive tract. Not a replacement for serious hairball treatment, but useful as a daily preventive for cats that hack regularly.
Pros: Targeted formula, palatable, cheap Cons: Plant-based fillers, limited efficacy for severe cases
5. Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Minnows — Best Single-Ingredient Novel Protein
Ingredients: 100% freeze-dried minnows Calories per minnow: ~1 Best for: Cats with chicken allergies, novel protein diets
If your cat has a chicken allergy or you're rotating proteins to prevent sensitivities, freeze-dried minnows are a good option. The smell is strong (most cats love it; some owners find it intense), and the single-ingredient profile makes them suitable for elimination diets.
Pros: Novel protein, single ingredient, no additives Cons: Strong smell, expensive
6. Temptations Classic Chicken — Best for Finicky Eaters
Ingredients: Chicken by-product, ground corn, animal fat Calories per treat: 2 (one treat) Best for: Picky cats that reject "good" treats
Temptations are the junk food of the cat treat world — high in palatability, low in nutrition, lots of plant-based fillers. But they have a place: the occasional finicky cat that won't eat anything else, or as a "high-value" reward for difficult training scenarios.
Pros: Very high palatability, cheap, widely available Cons: Plant-based fillers, low nutritional value
7. Royal Canin Feline Treats — Best for Specific Health Conditions
Ingredients: Varies by formula Calories per treat: 2–4 Best for: Specific health conditions (urinary, dental, hairball, etc.)
Royal Canin makes targeted treats for cats with specific health needs. Their Calm formula includes L-tryptophan and other calming nutrients. The Hairball formula has added fiber. The Oral formula is dental-targeted. Use these in coordination with your vet's recommendations.
Pros: Targeted formulations, research-backed Cons: Expensive, requires specific indication
Treat Use Cases
Training
Best: PureBites freeze-dried chicken, Vital Essentials freeze-dried minnows Why: Single-ingredient, low calorie, high reward value
Bonding and Affection
Best: Inaba Churu, Temptations Why: High palatability creates positive associations
Pill Administration
Best: Inaba Churu, Pill Pockets, soft treats you can mold Why: Conforming texture, strong smell
Dental Health
Best: Greenies Feline Dental, Royal Canin Oral Why: VOHC-accepted formulas with proven tartar reduction
Senior Cats
Best: Soft treats, freeze-dried (soaked if needed), Churu Why: Easier to chew, higher palatability, lower calorie
Kittens
Best: Any high-quality treat, broken into small pieces Why: Kittens need frequent small rewards for socialization and training
Diabetic Cats
Best: High-protein, low-carb treats (PureBites, freeze-dried proteins) Why: Won't spike blood glucose
Weight-Loss Cats
Best: Freeze-dried proteins, broken into tiny pieces Why: Lowest calorie per reward, maximum training value
Treats to Avoid
| Treat type | Why to avoid |
|---|---|
| Dog treats | Different nutritional profile, may contain toxic ingredients |
| Treats with garlic or onion | Toxic to cats (causes anemia via oxidative red blood cell damage) |
| Treats with xylitol | A documented canine toxin; avoid for cats as a precaution due to limited feline-specific safety data (Pet Poison Helpline) |
| Treats with "sugar" or "caramel color" | Empty calories, contributes to obesity |
| Raw treats from unverified sources | Risk of Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria |
| Milk-based treats (most cats are lactose intolerant) | Causes GI upset |
| Treats with unspecified "animal by-products" | May include low-quality protein sources |
Homemade Treat Options
For owners who want to skip commercial treats, simple homemade options work:
- Cooked, unseasoned chicken breast, cut into tiny pieces
- Cooked, unseasoned salmon (boneless, no skin)
- Cooked, unseasoned egg yolk
- Freeze-dried liver (homemade with a dehydrator)
- Tinned pumpkin (plain, not pie filling) — for fiber
Homemade treats are useful for cats with food allergies or for owners who want full control over ingredients. They're not nutritionally complete, so use them as treats, not as meal replacements.
Sources Cited
- American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) — Cat Friendly Homes
- World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) — Global Nutrition Guidelines
- Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) — Accepted dental products for cats
- American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM)
- Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat
- Pet Poison Helpline — Xylitol
Frequently Asked Questions
How many treats can I give my cat per day?
Treats should be no more than 10% of your cat's daily calories — the Cornell Feline Health Center allows up to 10–15% for occasional use in otherwise-balanced cats. For a 10-pound cat, 10% works out to about 20–25 calories, or roughly 8–12 small treats. Use the smallest possible training treats to maximize reward count.
Are dental treats effective for cats?
Yes. VOHC-accepted dental treats such as Feline Greenies have been shown in published trials to meaningfully reduce tartar and plaque when used daily. They're not a replacement for tooth brushing, but they're a meaningful supplement.
Can I give my cat dog treats?
No. Dog treats have different nutritional profiles, may contain ingredients toxic to cats (like xylitol or certain preservatives), and don't address feline-specific needs. Always use treats formulated for cats.
What's the best treat for a senior cat?
Soft treats, freeze-dried proteins (which can be soaked in water to soften), and lickable tube treats (like Churu) are best for senior cats with dental issues or reduced appetite.
Can treats cause weight gain in cats?
Yes. Treats are a common cause of feline obesity, especially in households that free-feed plus give treats. Stick to the 10% rule and use the smallest possible treats for training.
Are freeze-dried treats better than other types?
Freeze-dried single-ingredient treats are the most "clean" option — no additives, high protein, low calorie. They're more expensive per ounce but provide the best training value per calorie.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary advice. Always consult a licensed veterinarian for cats with diabetes, kidney disease, or other medical conditions that may require specific treat restrictions.