The Best Healthy Cat Treats and How Many to Give

The healthiest cat treats are small, mostly meat, and low enough in calories that you can count them. For most cats that means a single-ingredient freeze-dried meat treat such as Thrive 100% Chicken. Add a dental treat if tartar is a worry, or a lickable purée like Churu if your cat needs a pill or drinks too little. Whatever you choose, keep treats under 10% of your cat's daily calories. For an average 4 kg cat that is about 22 kcal a day.

What makes a cat treat healthy?

Cats are obligate carnivores. Their bodies run on animal protein and fat, and they have no real need for sugar, cereals or colourings. A healthy treat respects that and stays small enough not to unbalance the main diet. These are the five things to check on the pack.

1. Calories you can count

This matters more than anything else on the label. Overweight is one of the most common health problems in pet cats, and treats are an easy place for extra calories to hide. Look for a kcal figure per piece or per 100 g. If the pack does not state it, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) advises contacting the manufacturer.

2. Named meat or fish at the top of the ingredients

Ingredients are listed by weight, so the first one tells you what the treat mostly is. "Chicken 100%" means exactly that. "Meat and animal derivatives (including 4% chicken)" means the chicken flavour comes from a small share of the recipe. If the list starts with cereals or wheat, the treat is mostly carbohydrate with meat added. That is not dangerous in small amounts, it just makes it less of a protein treat than the packaging suggests.

3. Few additives

Fewer ingredients make it easier to spot what your cat reacts to, which helps if your cat has a sensitive stomach or a suspected food allergy. For the main meal of such a cat, see our guide to the best cat food for sensitive stomachs. Skip treats with added sugar, artificial colours or a long list of flavourings. Thickeners such as guar gum, used in many lickable treats, are fine for most cats in small amounts but can loosen the stools of a sensitive cat.

4. A size your cat can manage

WSAVA advises choosing a treat of an appropriate size and shape to reduce the risk of choking. Hard dental treats are designed to be chewed, so watch the first few times. A cat that gulps them whole gets the calories without the cleaning effect.

5. It fits your cat's health

If your cat is on a prescription diet, has kidney disease, diabetes or a food allergy, ordinary treats may undo what the diet is trying to do. Ask your vet which treats are allowed.

How many treats can a cat have a day?

The veterinary rule of thumb is that treats should make up less than 10% of your cat's daily calories. WSAVA turns that into a simple table for healthy adult cats at their ideal weight.

Source: WSAVA, guide to feeding treats to your cat. Your vet can work out your own cat's energy needs, which are usually lower for neutered indoor cats.

Here is what that budget looks like in real treats for a 4 kg cat with 22 kcal to spend.

Calories per piece from the manufacturers' packaging and listings. Human food figures from WSAVA.

The surprise for most owners is the human food. One small forkful of tuna or chicken can use up the whole day's treat allowance. If you give more treats than usual, on a training day for example, take a little off the next meal. Several treat makers say the same on their packs.

Freeze-dried, dental or lickable: which type?

Freeze-dried meat treats

Freeze-drying takes the water out of raw or lightly processed meat, leaving a light, crumbly piece that smells strongly of what it is. The best ones are a single ingredient, such as chicken breast, liver or white fish. They are high in protein, easy to break into tiny training rewards and appealing to fussy eaters. You can also crumble them over food for a cat that has gone off its dinner.

The trade-off is hygiene. WSAVA notes that unprocessed raw animal-based treats carry a risk of pathogens such as Salmonella. Some freeze-dried treats are made from raw meat, so wash your hands after handling them. If someone in your home has a weakened immune system, or your cat is ill, ask your vet first.

Dental treats

Dental treats have a hard, porous texture that scrapes the tooth as the cat bites through it. Some have been tested and accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). For cats that list includes Feline Greenies, Whiskas DentaBites and Purina DentaLife, all accepted for tartar control. A VOHC claim covers tartar and sometimes plaque. It does not mean the treat will fix existing dental disease. Daily brushing still does the most, and dental treats are a useful extra for cats that will not tolerate a toothbrush.

Most dental treats are made with cereals as the main ingredient, so they are lower in protein than a freeze-dried treat. Most are also for adult cats only.

Lickable purée treats

Lickable treats such as Churu come in tubes or sachets that you squeeze and let your cat lick from your fingers. They are very wet, which helps cats that drink little, and soft enough for older cats with sore teeth. They are also one of the easiest ways to give medication. For more tips on that, read our guide on how to give a cat a pill.

The downside is that cats can get very keen on them. A tube a day is plenty for most cats.

Crunchy and soft treats

The treats most cats grow up with, such as Dreamies and Temptations, are crunchy shells with a soft filling. Cats love them and the calories per piece are low. Look at the label, though. Dreamies with chicken list meat and animal derivatives with 4% chicken, followed by cereals. Fine as an occasional extra, and the least "healthy" option in this guide.

The best healthy cat treats

What owners say about Thrive

The most common story in reviews is the fussy cat that ignores every other treat and goes wild for these. Several owners with a picky cat and an easy-going cat in the same house say both love them. Even cats that are not keen on chicken reportedly eat them. The steady complaint is price, and owners advise buying the larger MaxiTube or a multipack. A few reviewers liked the tuna version more than the chicken.

What owners say about PureBites

Reviews mostly praise how keen cats are on them, and the maker pitches them as a high-value reward for training. The crumbs are a known quirk. PureBites itself mentions them on the listing and suggests sprinkling them over meals as a topper. Some buyers say a batch was less crisp than they expected, and for the fish varieties a few report more dust than pieces.

What owners say about Dentabites

Dentabites have a very high average rating on Amazon UK, and the reviews keep returning to two points. Cats eat them eagerly, and they are good value for a daily dental treat. Keep in mind that reviews describe how much cats like them. Whether they keep tartar down is something your vet can judge at the yearly check.

What owners say about Churu

The love for Churu in reviews is close to universal. Owners of senior cats with poor appetite say it is sometimes the only thing the cat will show interest in. Many use it to get pills down, and one owner describes a cat that now looks forward to its tablet because a Churu follows. The flip side comes up too. Some cats see through the hidden-pill trick after the first time. Others crave it so much that they lose interest in their normal food, and cat forums suggest offering it every second or third day for those cats. If your cat has a sensitive stomach, start with half a tube.

Also worth considering

Feline Greenies Dental Treats. The best-known dental treat in the US, on the VOHC list since 2005 and about 1.4 kcal per piece. In the UK it is mostly imported, so Dentabites are easier to buy there. Not for cats under a year old.

Purina DentaLife cat treats. Another VOHC-accepted dental treat for tartar, sold in the UK and the US. A good swap if your cat is bored of Dentabites.

The treats side by side

Details from the manufacturers' packaging and Amazon UK listings, checked in October 2026. Recipes can change, so check the pack you buy.

Healthy homemade treats

You do not need to buy treats at all. A few plain foods from your own kitchen work well, as long as you keep the portions tiny.

• Cooked chicken or turkey breast. Plain, without skin, bones, salt or seasoning. A piece the size of your thumbnail is plenty.
• Cooked white fish or salmon. Boneless and unseasoned. Same small portion.
• Tuna in spring water. A teaspoon now and then. Tuna in oil or brine is too rich and too salty, and tuna does not belong in the daily menu.

Keep away from onions, garlic, leeks and chives, grapes and raisins, chocolate, the sweetener xylitol, alcohol, caffeine and raw dough. WSAVA also advises against milk and dairy, because many cats are lactose intolerant, and against bones, cooked or raw. For a fuller list, see what human food cats can eat.

Treats are the extra, the food is the base

The healthiest treat in the world will not make up for a poor main diet. If your cat eats a complete food that suits its age and health, a few good treats are a pleasure without any downside. Read more in our guide on good cat food and feline nutrition. Does your cat react to new foods with vomiting or loose stools? Then start with a single-ingredient treat.

Frequently asked questions