INABA Churu Cat Treats Review: Best Lickable Pick? (2026)
INABA Churu earns its higher per-tube price for cat owners chasing the most reliably appealing lickable treat on the market — Cats.com's nine-product test found cats went straight for it over every competitor except one boutique brand. The formula is grain-free with added taurine and vitamin E, and no U.S. recalls turn up in the FDA or AVMA databases. The trade-off is cost: at roughly 30-50% more per tube than Delectables or Temptations, a 50-tube box goes fast in a multi-cat household, and a handful of cats show loose stools on first use.
Pros
- Cats.com's testing ranked it #2 of 9 lickable treats, with test cats going straight for the tube first
- Grain-free, no artificial colors or preservatives, added taurine and vitamin E
- No FDA or AVMA recalls found for Churu products in the US
- 91% moisture content helps with hydration and is useful for picky eaters or administering medication
- Wild-caught skipjack tuna and cage-free chicken, sourced via dolphin-friendly fisheries
Cons
- Costs roughly $0.75-$0.95 per tube, noticeably pricier than Delectables (~$0.61) or Temptations (~$0.60)
- Some cat owners report softer stools or mild diarrhea in individual cats
Overview
A $40 box of cat treats sounds steep until you count the tubes — 50 of them, in this case, which is the math behind why INABA Churu keeps showing up as the top-selling lickable treat on Amazon. Each 0.5-ounce tube squeezes out a creamy purée cats lick straight from the tip, and the format has become the go-to trick for hiding pills, coaxing a picky eater to finish a meal, or just handing out a fast reward without the mess of crumbly treats.
The ingredient list is where Churu pulls ahead of the wave of squeeze-tube treats it inspired: grain-free, no artificial colors or preservatives, built around wild-caught skipjack tuna and cage-free chicken with added taurine and vitamin E. Cats.com’s independent testing of nine lickable treats ranked Churu the runner-up overall, scoring 9.8 out of 10 and behind only one boutique brand.
Key Specifications
| Format | 50 lickable purée tubes, 0.5 oz each |
| Flavors (this variety pack) | Tuna, Tuna with Chicken, Chicken, Tuna with Salmon, Chicken with Cheese |
| Calories per tube | 6 kcal |
| Moisture Content | 91% |
| Grain-Free | Yes |
| Added Nutrients | Taurine, Vitamin E |
| Shelf Life (unopened) | Room temperature, no refrigeration required until opened |
INABA Churu Lickable Cat Treats Palatability & Cat Appeal
Palatability is where Churu earns its reputation. Cats.com’s side-by-side testing across nine lickable treat brands reported that test cats “went straight for this tube first and stayed focused on it,” describing stronger preference for Churu than for any of the eight competing products tried, including Delectables Squeeze Up and Temptations Creamy Puree. That kind of pull matters beyond snack time — the tubes are widely used by cat owners and some veterinary staff as a distraction treat for nail trims, pilling, or vet visits precisely because most cats won’t ignore it.
The trade-off for that appeal is guar gum, a thickener present in Churu and in most competing lickable treats, which is what gives the purée its lick-friendly texture. It’s a common, well-tolerated additive in pet food, but a handful of owners in the Cats.com comment thread reported softer stools or mild diarrhea in individual cats — not flagged in the official testing, but worth watching for on first use.
Ingredient Quality & Safety
Inaba’s tuna is described as whole-muscle skipjack sourced through fisheries using dolphin-friendly methods, and the chicken comes from cage-free farms near the company’s Thailand production facilities. The formula skips grain, artificial colors, and preservatives, and adds taurine — an amino acid cats can’t synthesize on their own in sufficient quantities — plus vitamin E.
On the recall front, no U.S. recalls for Churu products turn up in either the FDA or AVMA databases as of this writing, and Inaba states its treats are produced in company-owned plants under FDA handling and processing guidelines. The one ingredient that draws recurring questions is green tea extract, used in some Churu lines: independent estimates put the caffeine content at roughly 0.0002–0.0003% per tube, far below any level considered risky for cats, though owners of cats with existing heart conditions may still want to check with a vet before regular use.
How Does It Stack Up Against the Competition?
Here’s how Churu compares to three other popular lickable cat treats, per Cats.com’s nine-product test.
| Feature | INABA Churu | Delectables Squeeze Up | Temptations Creamy Purée | Friskies Lil’ Lickables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (USD) | approx. $0.75–$0.95 | approx. $0.61 | approx. $0.60 | Budget-tier |
| Cats.com Test Rank | #2 of 9 (9.8/10) | #6 of 9 | #5 of 9 | #7 of 9 |
| Grain-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Added Taurine + Vitamin E | Yes | Varies by flavor | Varies by flavor | No |
| Best For | Picky eaters, top-rated palatability | Budget multi-cat households | Widest flavor availability | Lowest cost per tube |
Prices change frequently — always verify current pricing before purchasing.
Is the INABA Churu Lickable Cat Treats Worth It?
For cat owners who want the treat most likely to get a picky eater to finish a meal or hold still for a nail trim, Churu earns its higher per-tube price — Cats.com’s testing found it out-pulled every other lickable treat except one boutique brand, and the ingredient list (grain-free, added taurine, no artificial preservatives) holds up better than most of the budget competition.
Owners feeding multiple cats daily treats should factor in the cost: at roughly 30–50% more per tube than Delectables or Temptations, a 50-tube box goes faster than the price tag suggests in a multi-cat home. If a cat shows loose stools after their first tube, cutting back frequency or switching flavors usually resolves it — but it’s worth watching on the first few uses.
Still comparing cat treat options? See our Best Cat Treats 2026 guide →Still comparing cat treat options? See our Best Cat Treats 2026 guide →
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