If you've spent any time on cat Reddit, you've seen the videos: a cat latched onto a tube of puréed treat like their life depends on it, eyes dilated to saucers, growling at anyone who comes near. That's the power of lickable treats. They're the one thing that turns every cat — shy, aloof, feral, geriatric, doesn't matter — into a wide-eyed addict.
They're also legitimately useful: great for bonding with new cats, hiding medication, encouraging hydration (most are 90%+ moisture), and rewarding good behavior. Here's every major brand ranked from best to "still pretty good honestly."
The Rankings
INABA Churu
The original. The legend. Churu is the treat that launched a thousand TikToks. It's a puréed tube of chicken, tuna, or salmon that cats go absolutely insane for. The texture is smooth, the smell is potent (to cats, not to you), and the ingredients are clean — no grains, no preservatives, no carrageenan. Available in roughly a million flavors and variety packs.
✓ Clean ingredients · ✓ Massive flavor variety · ✓ Individual tubes = portion control · ✓ 6 calories per tube · ✓ The one all other lickable treats are compared to
Check Price on Amazon →Tiki Cat Stix
Tiki Cat doesn't make cheap products, and Stix are no exception. These are noticeably thicker than Churu — more of a mousse than a purée — and the ingredient lists are short and real. The tuna and chicken versions are single-protein, which makes them solid options for cats with food sensitivities. They're pricier per tube, but the quality difference is real.
✓ Thicker, richer texture · ✓ Single-protein options · ✓ No artificial anything · ✓ Great for food-sensitive cats
Check Price on Amazon →Delectables Squeeze Up
Hartz's Delectables Squeeze Up is the budget king. You squeeze the tube from the bottom and your cat licks from the top — same concept as Churu, slightly chunkier texture, significantly cheaper in bulk. The chicken and tuna flavors are the most popular, and most cats don't seem to have a strong preference between these and Churu. Your wallet will, though.
✓ Cheapest per tube · ✓ Widely available in stores · ✓ Decent ingredient list · ✓ Good for multi-cat households
Check Price on Amazon →Catit Creamy
Catit's version is slightly thinner in texture — almost drinkable — which makes it ideal for kittens and senior cats who might struggle with thicker purées. The tubes are a touch smaller, but the price reflects that. They also make a "Superfoods" version with added pumpkin, which is great for digestive health.
✓ Thin, easy-to-lick texture · ✓ Kitten-friendly · ✓ Superfoods version available · ✓ Affordable
Check Price on Amazon →Temptations Creamy Purrrr-ée
Temptations is the brand your grocery store definitely carries. Their lickable version is decent — not as clean an ingredient list as Churu or Tiki Cat, but perfectly fine as an occasional treat. The convenience factor is real: if you're at Target and your cat needs bribery material immediately, these are right there.
✓ Available everywhere · ✓ Familiar brand · ✓ Comes in multi-packs · ✓ Cats still love them
Check Price on Amazon →Nulo Freestyle Perfect Purée
Nulo is a brand that takes ingredient quality seriously across their whole line, and the purée treats are no different. High protein, grain-free, and they include actual chunks of real meat in the tube — it's more of a "smoothie with bits" than a pure liquid. If you're the person who reads ingredient lists before buying cat food, Nulo is your brand.
✓ Highest protein content · ✓ Real meat pieces inside · ✓ Grain-free, no artificial colors · ✓ Multiple protein options
Check Price on Amazon →Pro Tips
For medication: Squeeze half the tube, insert the pill, squeeze the rest over it. Most cats inhale the treat too fast to notice the pill. Churu and Catit Creamy work best for this because they're thin enough to mask the pill.
For bonding: Hold the tube and let your cat lick from your hand. This is the single fastest way to build trust with a new, shy, or feral-ish cat. Within a few sessions, they associate your hand with the best thing they've ever tasted.
For enrichment: Smear lickable treats on a LickiMat and freeze it. Your cat gets a slow, stimulating, cooling treat that lasts 15-20 minutes instead of 30 seconds.
For hydration: Lickable treats are mostly water. If your cat is a reluctant drinker (most cats are), these are a sneaky way to get more moisture into their diet.