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Tasty treats are a great way to liven up your cat’s day. At my house, everyone gathers for a bed-time treat. We also use treats to reward Max, our grouchy Siberian, for allowing us to groom him. Many of our friends use cat treats to introduce their kitties to new toys.
Whether you’re looking for a simple way to reward your cat or you just want to pamper them with a little extra love, cat treats are the way to go. Of course, some are more nutritious then others, so if you’re feeding your cat particular treats on a regular basis, check labels for ingredients, calories, and where the treats are manufactured or sourced.
Vets recommend that treats and snacks—whether commercially made or homemade—make up no more than 10 percent of your cat’s total calories. Most of your cat’s diet should be a nutritionally complete cat food.
Pixabay/skeeze
We’ve scoured the shelves and the internet to bring you a wide variety of treats, from long-time supermarket-brand favorites to lickable treats and some high-protein freeze-dried goodies, including shrimp and minnows. Read on to see our top 22 picks for cats (and check out our list of treats for kittens).
The Best Cat Treats
No matter how fussy your feline, we bet there’s a least one treat in here that will get them pouncing and purring.
Freeze-dried raw salmon is the sole ingredient in these little protein bites, packed with omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. These treats are perfect for your puppies, too.
These creamy, lickable treats come in little .5-ounce tubes (5 or 6 calories each) and can be doled out by the dab or squeezed on top of your cat’s regular food. Flavor combinations include chicken, tuna, and scallop.
Perfect for training or simply snacking, these freeze-dried turkey hearts are a bite-sized boost of protein, nutrients, and natural flavor. A human-grade treat your cat and dog can share!
Your cat’s dental health is important! Mix wellness with fun—these dental treats feature a crunchy texture to help clean your cat’s teeth and freshen their breath. Available in 2.1-ounce and 4.6-ounce bags, 9.75-ounce tubs, and a 21-ounce jar.
These treats feature delicious tuna as the main ingredient with not a lot of other ingredients in addition. Their crunchy texture will delight most cats.
Low in calories but rich in protein, these freeze-dried chunks contain no artificial additives—just 100% real salmon. And the dog can have a few, too!
With real deboned chicken as the first ingredient, these all-natural treats are loaded with protein and come with a satisfying crunch. The 12-ounce package is ideal if you have a multi-cat household.
These crunchy, fish-shaped treats are made with fish meal from a variety of fish and enriched with omega-3 and -6 fatty acids from menhaden fish oil and flaxseed.
Made with a single ingredient—human-grade salmon—these freeze-dried cat goodies are grain-free, protein-rich, and naturally loaded with omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.
These tasty little soft bits with chicken and sweet potatoes are formulated especially for kittens, featuring DHA for brain development and omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.
Available in a wide variety of flavors, these tiny crunchy bits have an irresistible taste and are just two calories per treat. You’ll get more than 150 treats for your kitty in a 2-ounce bag.
No complex ingredients here, these treats are simply freeze-dried, wild-caught shrimp. They can boost your cat’s nutrition and satisfy their seafood cravings.
Featuring real chicken and salmon as the top two ingredients, these high-protein cat treats are low in calories and free from byproducts and artificial additives. They’re available in 2- and 8-ounce bags.
Easily one of the most popular brands of cat treats, this mixed bag of Friskies crunchies has several appealing flavors, including chicken and turkey.
At just two calories per treat, you can feel good about feeding your cat these tasty bites in tuna, shrimp, and salmon flavors. They’re crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, creating some texture and flavor contrast. The resealable container keeps them fresh.
Is your cat not nibbling on enough greens? These soft cat treats feature salmon as the main ingredient and include nutrient-rich supplemental ingredients such as wheatgrass and fish oil. Not all kitties go for these, but the ones that do are just wild about them! Check out other flavors including turkey and duck, roasted chicken, and tuna.
With real chicken as the number one ingredient, these crunchy bits are free from byproducts, fillers, and artificial additives.
How could you pass up the opportunity to see your cat batting around actual minnows before pouncing and devouring them? These featherweight freeze-dried cat treats are nutritious and low-calorie, supporting healthy body weight.
Support your cat’s dental health with these crunchy salmon-flavor bits designed to clean their teeth and control tartar.
At the unanimous request of my cats, I’m including crunchy Whisker Lickin’s on this list. I’ve never met a cat that wasn’t tempted by these, which makes them handy for training purposes.
Sold in a variety pack of three flavors, these all-natural cat treats have less than two calories per treat and a simple ingredients list that includes chicken and tuna meals and indicates nutritional quality.
Further Reading
Featured image via Pixabay