Last updated Jan 9, 2025
Easily one of the most recognizable brands of lickable cat treats on the market, Churu cat treats are made by Japanese brand Inaba and sold around the world. Churu cat treats are rich in hydrating moisture and the meaty (or fishy) flavor cats love, but are they a safe and healthy choice for your cat? Find out in this detailed brand review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Inaba Churu on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Inaba Churu and graded it according to the Cats.com standard. Here’s how it rates in each of six key areas:
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 9/10
- Ingredient Quality – 8/10
- Product Variety – 9/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 8/10
Overall Score: 8/10
We give Inaba Churu cat treats a 47 out of 60 rating or a B+ grade.
About Inaba Churu Cat Treats
Churu cat treats are made by Japanese brand Inaba. Inaba Foods is a family business founded in 1805 by Yoshizo Inaba. The company initially specialized in harvesting seafood but expanded into the pet food market in 1958. Several decades later, in 1989, the Churu brand was born.
Inaba’s Churu cat treats are designed to be lickable—they’re formulated with high levels of moisture and sold in small tubes. Churu treats feature chicken or fish flavors, and are sold primarily in variety packs. Inaba markets these treats as an interactive alternative to traditional cat treats, though they can be used as meal toppers or to disguise medication as well.
Today, Inaba products are sold worldwide. The company’s website is available in over a dozen different languages. Cat owners can find Inaba Churu treats in stores across the country and online from major pet suppliers and retail chains.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
All Churu products packaged for sale in North America are produced in Saraburi, Thailand at the company’s wholly-owned and operated, state-of-the-art plant. These facilities follow the same quality assurance procedures as a U.S. human food plant. Inaba’s packaging materials have special oxygen-blocking properties to protect the food and your cat’s health.
The tuna in Churu treats is pure, whole muscle skipjack tuna which is responsibly harvested in western Pacific waters. Each batch of wild-caught tuna arrives at the processing facility with a certificate of origin specifying where and how it was harvested. Inaba only works with fisheries that employ dolphin-friendly fishing techniques, in accordance with the best practices of environmental responsibility and sustainability.
Inaba sources cage-free chicken from family farms close to the company’s facilities in Thailand. All the other natural ingredients in Churu fillet broths and purées are sourced in Thailand.
Recall History
We didn’t find any recalls for Churu products in the United States in either the AVMA or U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) databases. It’s harder to be certain whether there have ever been any recalls in other countries. We didn’t find anything online to suggest that there had been.
What Kind of Cat Treats Does Churu Offer?
Inaba makes hundreds of products for both dogs and cats. The Churu line of treats, in particular, is a low-calorie, grain-free line collection of high-moisture treats. All of Churu’s products are intended for supplemental feeding with the exception of Churu Meal Toppers. These provide complete and balanced nutrition according to AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult cats.
All Churu cat treats feature chicken, fish, or seafood flavors and most appear to be multi-protein recipes. Many of the products in the Churu line have a smooth puree-like texture while others are described as broths, bisques, or stews. The only non-lickable products in the Churu line are Churu Bites which are soft treats wrapped around a creamy filling.
Here’s a list of Churu cat treat product lines:
- Churu Puree Lickable Cat Treat
- Churu for Kitten Puree Lickable Cat Treat
- Churu Pops Moist & Chewy Lickable Cat Treat
- Churu Bites Grain-Free Cat Treat
- Churu Hairball Control Lickable Cat Treat
- Churu Skin & Coat Lickable Cat Treat
- Churu Stew Lickable Cat Treat Pouch
- Churu Broth Lickable Cat Treat Pouch
- Churu Bisque Lickable Cat Treat Pouch
- Churu Grain-Free Meal Topper
Churu cat treats are all sold in single servings, generally in tubes or pouches. Most of the creamy cat treats come in 0.5-ounce tubes while the broths, bisques, and stews come in 1.4- or 1.5-ounce pouches. Churu Bites also come in tubes, each with 0.35 ounces of treats.
Inaba Churu Cat Treats—Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein | Calories Per Ounce | Price | Our Grade |
| Churu Grain-Free Tuna Recipe Lickable Cat Treat | Wet | Tuna | 12 kcal/oz. | $1.24 per oz | B+ |
| Churu Bites Chicken Recipe Wraps Grain-Free Cat Treats | Semi-Moist | Chicken | 37 kcal/oz. | $2.17 per oz | B |
| Churu Meal Topper Tuna with Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Cat Food Topper | Wet | Tuna | 22 kcal/oz. | $2 per oz | A- |
#1 Inaba Churu Grain-Free Tuna Recipe Lickable Cat Treat
Inaba’s most popular Churu cat treats are the creamy lickable cat treats that come in tubes. They’re available in a wide range of flavors, most featuring chicken and/or fish. This Tuna Recipe is one of the few single-protein options and it contains little more than water, tuna, natural flavor, and some starch to thicken the puree.
Each tube contains about 6 calories, so it’s a low-calorie treat option that lasts longer than the typical crunchy cat treat. These lickable treats offer a great way to spend a little quality time with your cat, petting them as you squeeze a little out of the tube at a time. They can also be used as meal toppers or mixers.
Ingredients
Water, Tuna, Tapioca, Natural Flavors, Guar Gum, Natural Tuna Flavors, Fructooligosaccharide, Vitamin E Supplement, Green Tea Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Tuna
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca, Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with a single animal protein
- Good source of hydrating moisture
- Low in calories (6 kcal/tube)
- Free from artificial additives
What We Didn’t Like:
- Guar gum may trigger loose stools in some cats
#2 Inaba Churu Bites Chicken Recipe Wraps Grain-Free Cat Treats
If your cat prefers chewy cat treats, Churu Bites might be a good option. They consist of a soft treat wrapped around a creamy center. There are four flavors—chicken, tuna, tuna with salmon, and tuna with scallop—but they all have the chicken-flavored wrap. Like Churu’s creamy cat treats, Churu Bites have a pretty simple recipe.
The formula appears to be primarily meat-based with protein from chicken, tuna, egg white, and scallop. There’s also a little starch from tapioca and guar gum to create the right texture for the wrap and the creamy center. Carrageenan, while once considered a questionable ingredient, is generally safe in the form it’s used in pet food products.
These treats are higher in calories than Churu’s lickable treats, with about 13 calories per 0.35-ounce tube. They’re still sold in multi-packs and Chewy also offers a bundle of three flavors.
Ingredients
Chicken, Tuna, Water, Tapioca, Egg White, Sodium Caseinate, Scallop, Guar Gum, Natural Scallop Flavor, Natural Chicken Flavor, Natural Flavors, Yeast Extract, Carrageenan, Vitamin E Supplement, Paprika Oleoresin (color), Green Tea Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Tuna, Egg White, Scallop
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca, Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Relies primarily on animal proteins
- Individually packaged to keep treats fresh
- Chewy outside with a creamy center
- Free from artificial additives
What We Didn’t Like:
- Costs over $5 per ounce
- Guar gum may trigger loose stools in some cats
#3 Inaba Churu Meal Topper Tuna with Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Cat Food Topper
Churu Meal Toppers appear to be the only products in the Inaba Churu line that are complete and balanced according to AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult cats. Each tube only contains about 11 calories, however, so they wouldn’t be an economical choice as a staple diet. They’re a great choice if you’re worried about adding to your cat’s calorie intake without benefiting their overall nutrition.
This recipe features tuna as the primary ingredient (after water) with supplemental protein from chicken and salmon. Measured as dry matter, it provides nearly 47% protein and about 23.3% fat. It’s a high moisture recipe and appears to be easily digestible for cats.
Ingredients
Water, Tuna, Chicken, Tapioca Starch, Salmon, Natural Flavors, Guar Gum, Natural Tuna Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Paprika Oleoresin (color), Green Tea Extract, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate), Vitamins (Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K Activity), Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Ingredients We Liked: Tuna, Chicken, Salmon
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca Starch, Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Complete and balanced for adult cats
- Contains nearly 47% dry matter protein
- Rich in hydrating moisture
- Low-calorie meal topper (11 kcal/tube)
What We Didn’t Like:
- Guar gum may trigger loose stools in some cats
What Do Customers Think of Churu Cat Treats?
Inaba Churu cat treats are incredibly popular and generally receive positive reviews. On Chewy.com, the lowest average rating for a product in the Churu line was 4.3 out of five stars at the time of this review, but most were in the 4.6- to 4.8-star range.
Something customers sometimes complain about with Churu cat treats is that it can be difficult to tell the recipes apart at a glance. One of our readers shared an experience in which they purchased the same Churu product at different times, both from Chewy. The product contained added taurine the first time but the second time did not.
Positive Reviews
“My cat is crazy about this stuff and comes running as soon as he sees the packet in my hand. Being able to hand feed him is such a great bonding experience. Sometimes though, it can get a little messy when trying to push the product to the top.” – ED reviewing Inaba Churu Chicken Recipe lickable cat treat on Chewy, December 5, 2024
“We have an elderly cat that requires medication twice a day. We have found that this is the ONLY product that we can safely disguise the pills where he doesn’t spit them out and just eat the “treat”.” – Evelyn reviewing Inaba Churu Bites Chicken Recipe on Chewy.com, July 18, 2024
Negative Reviews
“Not only will my cat not eat them (guess they don’t taste very good), but it’s none too pleasurable for his human, either. These treats are slimy and sticky. They put them in these skinny little sleeves, and because they’re so sticky, they won’t fall out of the sleeve. So you have to dig around in there with your finger, then it gets caught under your nail.” – SPN-Baby67 reviewing Inaba Churu Bites Chicken Recipe on Chewy.com, November 23, 2024
“Cat wouldn’t eat the treat. It was runny and smelled awful.” – Jonathan reviewing Inaba Churu Tuna Recipe lickable cat treat on Chewy.com November 2, 2024
How Much Do Churu Cat Treats Cost?
Churu cat treats are moderately priced for a product that uses human-grade ingredients. It’s the individual packaging that drives up the price, though bulk sizing is available to help keep costs down. The per-ounce price for Churu lickable cat treats ranges from $0.70 to $2.50, depending on the flavor and the quantity.
A 4-pack of 0.5-ounce Churu lickable cat treats costs about $4.50-$5, putting the per-item price over $1. The per-item price drops significantly when you buy in larger quantities. For example, a 24-pack costs around $27, a 48-pack around $45, and a 72-pack around $68.
Inaba’s limited selection of Churu broths, bisques, and stews are sold in pouches about double the size of the tubes for a similar per-ounce price. Inaba Churu Bites and Rolls are also sold in multi-packs of individual portions and are priced between $2 and $2.50 per ounce.
Where Are Churu Cat Treats Sold?
Inaba doesn’t sell Churu cat treats directly through the brand’s website, but you can find retailers near you using the Store Locator or by clicking the Find It Now button on the individual product page. The best places to find Churu cat treats online are Chewy.com and Amazon.com.
You can also shop for Inaba’s Churu cat treats in stores at Petco or Walmart. Other independent pet retailers may sell Churu products as well, but availability will vary.
Overall, Are Inaba Churu Cat Treats a Good Choice?
Inaba Churu lickable cat treats are overwhelmingly well received by cats—even picky eaters—and customers generally seem to think they’re worth the cost. If you don’t want to risk wasting money on a pricey treat, start with a 4-pack. Each serving is individually sealed which means you don’t have to deal with messy leftovers or struggle with portions.
One of the downsides to Inaba Churu treats is that they’re all made with chicken or fish, so they might not be appropriate for cats with food allergies. Even the few single-protein recipes are processed on shared equipment, so cross-contamination could be a concern.
If you want to spoil your cat with an extra-tasty snack or you’re looking for a high-value treat to motivate training, distract during disliked activities, or hide medication, Churu treats could be a great option.
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