
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Stuck in a treat routine? Crunchy snacks still have their place, but the cat world has exploded with creamy, lickable options that add both variety and nutrition to your pet’s day. These smooth purées don’t just offer a fun new way to spoil your cat, but they can also support hydration, encourage appetite, and strengthen the bond between you and your feline friend.
After comparing ingredient quality, texture, ease of serving, and my own two cats’ enthusiastic responses, Café Nära Tuna Flavored Lickable Treats for Cats emerged as my top pick for the best lickable cat treat overall. It delivers a standout combination of high protein, clean ingredients, and irresistible flavor that meets every part of the Cats.com Standard.
At a Glance: The 9 Best Lickable Cat Treats To Buy
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Café Nära Tuna Flavored Lickable Treats for Cats
- Very high protein content
- Clean, limited‑ingredient formulation
- No artificial additives, wheat, corn, or soy
Inaba Churu Chicken with Crab Puree
- Contains added taurine and vitamin E
- Free of grains, preservatives, and artificial colors
- High in protein and moisture
Fussie Cat Chicken with Duck Puree
- High‑moisture purée that helps support hydration
- Simple ingredient list with chicken and duck as primary proteins
- No artificial colors or preservatives
Catit Creamy Salmon Flavor Lickable Treat
- Grain-free
- Made without by‑products
- More affordable than many competing lickable treats
Temptations Creamy Puree Salmon & Chicken Variety Pack
- Smooth, creamy texture that’s easy to lick from the tube or a dish
- Higher fat content than many lickable treats, which can boost palatability
- Affordable and widely available
Hartz Delectables Squeeze Up Variety Pack
- Very high protein content
- Affordable per tube
- Cats typically love the flavor and texture
Friskies lil' Lickables Chicken Lickable Cat Treats
- Cats showed strong interest — this was one of the first treats they reached for
- Smooth, creamy texture that’s easy to lap up
- Affordable compared to many lickable treats
Tiki Cat Stix Chicken & Shrimp in Creamy Gravy
- High in moisture and protein
- Strong palatability and most cats love the taste
Nulo Freestyle Perfect Puree Variety Pack
- Low‑fat formulas with added prebiotics (inulin)
- Versatile: great as a meal topper, bowl‑served treat, or frozen “cat popsicle”
- Hold their shape exceptionally well when frozen
Top Picks Explained
Why Trust Cats.com
At Cats.com, we’ve reviewed over 200 of the world’s most popular cat food brands and hundreds of formulas. Along with honest feedback from our own feline testers, we’ve also spent hours researching feline nutrition, contacting pet food companies, and analyzing product labels.
Based on in-depth research and hands-on experience, I’ve chosen the nine products below as the best lickable cat treats on the market. I examined each product on several fronts, looking at protein and moisture levels, species-appropriateness, texture, and palatability.
Keep in mind, however, that your experience with these treats may differ from my own. It’s helpful to review this roundup through the lens of your pet’s individual preferences, as every cat will have different tastes and nutritional needs. Taking these variables into consideration, I selected treats with a range of flavors, textures, and ingredients to appeal to all kinds of felines.
After purchasing several lickable treats and trying them with my two cats, Amber and Floyd, I chose nine top products that lived up to the Cats.com Standard. I prioritized quality ingredients as well as taste (a treat, no matter how healthy, only has value if your cat will actually eat it).
While each brand will have its own set of pros and cons, I opted for treats with high moisture and protein levels, shorter ingredient lists, and largely favorable reviews from real cat parents.
Our team did not receive these products in exchange for a favorable review—they were purchased with our own money.
Curious about how lickable treats could fit into your pet’s diet? Let’s look at the advantages of lickable cat treats, how to find a good one, and which cats will benefit most from them.
What Are Lickable Cat Treats?

A lineup of the various treats tested for this review. Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Dubbed by many as “Go-Gurt” for cats, lickables are creamy wet treats that come in individual squeeze-up tubes. A large part of their appeal lies in their versatility—lickable treats can be served as stand-alone treats or added to your cat’s meal as a savory topper. For bonding with your cat, these hand-held treats are hard to beat: just open a tube and feed your kitty directly from the package.
Lickable treats boast high moisture content, so they’re a tasty way to keep cats hydrated. In the summer months, they can be frozen for a refreshing meat-flavored “popsicle.” Their palatable taste and texture make lickable treats a good choice for camouflaging medicine or training your cat. Plus, they can help distract kitties during stressful circumstances, like vet visits or nail trimming.
What To Look For In A Good Lickable Cat Treat
Palatability and nutritional value are always top of mind when selecting cat treats. But for lickable treats, in particular, texture plays a major role.
You’ll find that consistency varies from brand to brand—some lickables are ultra-soupy or watery, and others are more akin to creamy peanut butter. The texture that works for you will depend on how you plan to serve these treats. For treats served right out of the package, thicker purees are best. As toppers, or served in a dish, creamier textures will work just fine.
Which Cats Will Benefit Most From Lickable Cat Treats?
Every cat parent’s mileage will vary, but we think the following cats will benefit most from lickable treats:
- Cats with dental issues who struggle with hard, crunchy treats
- Cats on a mostly dry diet who could use a hydration boost
- Sick or inappetent cats who need encouragement to eat
- Picky eaters (as toppers, lickable treats can make meals more appealing)
- Underweight cats who need a calorie boost
- Cats who spend a lot of time alone who could benefit from human interaction
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do cats love lickable treats
Lickable treats, such as soft, creamy, or liquid-based treats, provide a unique sensory experience for cats. The texture and taste of these treats are often appealing to cats, as they have specialized taste receptors on their tongues that respond to soft textures.
Are lickable treats good for cats?
Lickable treats can be good for cats in moderation. soft succulent treats can be a source of hydration, especially for cats who don't drink much water on their own. They can also be a good source of nutrients, such as protein and taurine. However, it's important to choose lickable treats that are made with high-quality ingredients and that are low in calories and sugar.







Which of these cat wet treats would be then best for a CKD kitty?
Hi Mary, thank you for the question. Of these, the Hartz treats come closest, but I would choose the Delectables Senior Bisque 15+ Tuna & Chicken recipe, which is a bit lower in phosphorus. However, none of these are made forcats with kidney disease, so these I would just give them in sensible quantities and talk with your vet about your cat’s specific needs.
P.S. Apologies for the late reply.
I’m confused why higher moisture content is a plus. Wouldn’t that indicate that the product is just watered down?
Good question. I believe this may have been a mistake—we generally think of higher moisture content as a good thing, since it leads to a more hydrated cat, but in a product like this, it’s not necessarily a particularly good quality.
Temptations another big company wasn’t on the List. Were they not good enough to be included? They are less pricy at about .55 per tube.
Hi Jan, we prioritized products with limited ingredients that didn’t contain by-products for this review. That said, Temptations is definitely a popular option and may be a good choice for cat owners seeking a more cost-effective treat. Thanks for sharing!
Temptations is full of “by products” Meat by-products in cat food can be considered low quality and may not be ideal for cats because: Quality, The rendering process used to create by-products can change or destroy natural proteins and enzymes. Origin, It can be difficult to know the species of animal that the by-products come from. Nutritional value,The nutritional content of by-products can vary significantly. Health, Unnamed by-products can negatively impact a cat’s spleen, kidneys, brain, or lungs. In temptations it’s usually the 1st ingredient. I wouldn’t give those to my cats. Look at the ingredients before you buy!
How often can null be fed to the cat? The directions do no SPECIFY !
Any treat should be limited to 10% of your cat’s daily calories. There’s no harm in feeding it daily as long as 90% of your cat’s calories come from a complete and balanced diet. Hope that helps!
Your video was excellent!! It was exactly what I wanted to know and in a CHART even (Love). Thank you I will go with Nara because Radish is 11 and weighs 18 lbs. Delectables will be my backup because you can buy it almost any grocery store.
We’ve tried all of these except Hartz Delectables (not a fan of Hartz products), and by far have found the Cat It Creamy brand to be the best, almost like cat crack mine coming running. They also like most of the others but they hit different. Found these on sale in costco and costco.com, at an amazing value, and recommend these to all my family and friends, in ALL flavors, you can’t go wrong here. I’m surprised to not see these higher on your chart, as it’s where I first found out about them and coulda sworn they were ranked #1 overall, well at least they are in my felines meows
I was surprised that you didn’t include Nara’s “yeast extract” as a con. Usually that is just another name for MSG. Also you pointed out natural flavours, xanthan gum, tapioca starch in some brands and not others. I found the pro/con lists inconsistent and therefore not very useful.
Good points Susana, We’ll review the article based on your feedback
EXACTLYY. every single item had a bad ingredient yet it wasn’t always mentioned even if the same thing was mentioned as a con for a different item on the list
Where would the KittyUp puree treats fall in this ranking? I see from your 10 best cat treats review that it is the best puree treat.
They seem solid, we’ll consider them for the next article update
One additional point on the ranking. Those treats with lower protein and higher water content were ranked lowest. Those are actually the best for a cat with kidney or urinary problems. Maybe the choices could be categorized by dietary needs as well? I so appreciate what you do, and being able to find out what’s best for my cats. 😻
My neighbor gave me a brand to try, “wholehearted” and the chicken one only has chicken broth, chicken, tapioca starch, natural flavors (?) and vitamin e supplement. My cat loves it so I’m going to try to find some in my local store. Also I would have liked to have known if any of the featured treats you had are available in stores as opposed to only online.
Another con for churu that you missed, gives some cats really bad diarrhea
Retired, now lite assisted living apt. We both come from Cat Families & we’ve had cats most of our 50yrs together. We just adopted a 10-month old Tuxedo from a friend’s granddaughter.
I’ve seen these “Lickable Cat Treats”* in cat vids but knew nothing about them. Thank you for your explanation and reviews. Really cleared things up for us.
*best searchable string
Sadly, these all contain some kind of gum, so not for me with IBD. Wish you could find some without this digestive disturber. I don’t like throwing up!
I won’t buy Churu or Inaba products because of their very poor employee and labor practices. I wish you would also consider those things when you review.