12 Treats We'd Actually Buy
Real, few-ingredient treats worth the price, not import markup on something ordinary.
A treat isn't held to the same "complete and balanced" bar as a staple food, so the useful question is different: what's actually in it, and is the price honest. Every pick here favors a short, real ingredient list over a long marketing claim, and we've directly ruled out grey-market imports where the same basic product costs two or three times more than a properly-distributed equivalent for no real difference in quality. The standing vet guidance is worth knowing before you start: treats shouldn't be more than about 10% of a day's calories, whatever the bag says.
Showing 12 of 12 picks
Cat Treats
A reasonable place to start if you're unsure
Best for: Cats who respond to a strong, genuine fish smell and flavor, freeze-dried treats tend to be one of the more universally appealing formats for fussy cats.
Best for: Cats who prefer shrimp over fish, or buying in bulk rather than a single small pack.
Best for: An owner who wants a reliable, well-known brand and goes through treats regularly enough that the bulk pack makes sense.
Best for: A cat that prefers a soft, chewy treat texture over a crunchy freeze-dried one, kittens especially.
Best for: A cat with a suspected food sensitivity to more common proteins, where a genuinely novel protein is actually useful.
Jerky & Air-Dried
A reasonable place to start if you're unsure
Best for: Dogs and cats who do well on real meat treats and get bored of a single protein.
Best for: An elimination-diet-style situation, or any owner who wants total ingredient transparency.
Best for: Training sessions, where a small, high-value, strong-smelling treat works better than a bland one.
Best for: Dogs who do well with more variety in their treats.
Best for: Active training sessions with puppies or small-breed dogs, where you need a lot of small, low-fuss rewards.
Dental & Functional Chews
A reasonable place to start if you're unsure
Best for: A dog that needs a long-lasting chew plus a gentle, food-based anti-inflammatory boost.
Best for: Senior dogs, or any dog that needs a real dental chew but can't safely work through a rock-hard one.
Common questions about treats
How many treats can I actually give my dog or cat per day?
The standing veterinary rule of thumb: treats shouldn't make up more than about 10% of daily calorie intake, the rest needs to come from a genuinely complete and balanced food. It's easy to blow past that with high-calorie chews or jerky without noticing, especially with a small dog or cat.