The scores
Inaba Churu Tuna Recipe Lickable Cat Treats: A/90 — Excellent. Water-first lickable-puree at 91% moisture; hydration treat with natural preservation.
Tiki Cat Stix Tuna in Chicken Consomme Cat Treats: A/90 — Excellent. Tuna-first lickable-puree with chicken broth and chicken; protein-dense panel with natural preservation.
How the ingredients compare
Both are lickable-puree cat treats but they target different physiological roles:
Inaba Churu: Water, Tuna, Tapioca, Natural Flavors, Guar Gum, Natural Tuna Flavors, Fructooligosaccharide, Vitamin E Supplement, Green Tea Extract
Tiki Cat Stix: Tuna, Chicken Broth, Chicken, Sunflower Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement
Inaba Churu’s water-first formulation is the operative design choice. By weight, the product is roughly 91% moisture (water plus the moisture content of the tuna), with tapioca and guar gum as thickeners and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) as a prebiotic fiber. The panel is short (9 ingredients) and the function is dual: it is a treat, but the moisture content at 6 kcal per tube also contributes meaningful water intake. Tiki Cat Stix puts tuna first and chicken third, with chicken broth between — the entire animal-protein panel sits in the top three positions. The longer ingredient list reflects a complete vitamin-and-mineral fortification (taurine, the B-vitamin complex, vitamin A, D3, copper, zinc, iodine), which makes Stix closer to a fortified mini-meal than a true treat. Neither uses artificial colors, BHA, BHT, or wheat — both are clean panels in their respective designs.
Where Inaba Churu pulls ahead
Hydration contribution: Cats are evolutionary descendants of desert species and have a documented low thirst drive (per Bradshaw 2012, Behaviour of the Domestic Cat). Dry-fed cats meet daily water intake at substantially lower volumes than wet-fed cats, and chronic low intake is associated with feline lower urinary tract disease per AAHA guidelines. Churu’s 91% moisture means a single tube delivers roughly 12 mL of water in a high-acceptance vehicle — functionally a hydration treat, not just a flavor treat.
Lower per-tube calorie load: 6 kcal per tube vs 7 kcal per Tiki Cat Stix. For multi-tube treating sessions or cats on calorie restriction, the per-piece difference compounds.
Shorter, simpler panel: 9 ingredients vs Stix’ 22-ingredient fortified panel. For owners doing elimination-diet trials per AAVDC dermatology guidance, Churu’s shorter list is easier to vet against allergen exclusion criteria. Shop Inaba Churu on Amazon →
Where Tiki Cat Stix pulls ahead
Protein density: Tuna in position one and chicken in position three (with chicken broth between) gives Stix a substantially higher per-tube protein contribution than Churu. For cats where treat-time doubles as a protein-supplementing event — senior cats with reduced appetite, kittens transitioning between diets, or cats recovering from illness — Stix delivers a more nutrient-meaningful piece.
Fortified vitamin and mineral profile: The full B-complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin, folate), plus taurine, vitamin A, D3, zinc, copper, and iodine. This pushes Stix from “treat” toward “mini-meal” territory — the supplement panel is closer to what a complete-and-balanced canned food carries than to what other lickable treats in the segment offer.
Real chicken inclusion: The third ingredient is chicken (the muscle meat), not just chicken flavor or chicken broth alone. For cats with single-protein preferences or rotation diets, Stix provides a tuna-and-chicken dual-source profile that Churu Tuna does not. Shop Tiki Cat Stix on Amazon →
The bottom line
Both score A/90 because both achieve what a clean lickable cat treat should: real animal protein, no artificial colors or BHA, natural preservation, and AAFCO-supplemental status with no shortcuts. They are not the same product. Inaba Churu is the hydration tool wearing a treat costume; Tiki Cat Stix is the protein-and-vitamin mini-meal wearing the same costume. For dry-fed cats, the hydration angle of Churu is the meaningful health argument. For wet-fed cats or households where hydration is already adequate, Stix’s protein density is the better fit. Either is among the best cat treats on the rubric — this is a low-stakes choice between two A-tier options.
Read our full reviews of Inaba Churu and Tiki Cat Stix for the complete ingredient-by-ingredient breakdown.