10 Best Calming Treats for Cats in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Vet approved

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

Veterinarian, MVZ

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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There are several ways to address anxious behaviors in cats. One helpful option for anxious cats is calming cat treats.

These treats can be a safer alternative to anxiety medication because they have less severe side effects and won’t alter brain chemicals. Also, cats with chronic illnesses can’t take specific prescription medications, so these cats can also benefit from calming treats that use milder ingredients instead.

Our reviews contain some of the best calming treats that are currently available for cats. We’ll go through the reasons why these are some of the best treats so that you’re prepared and well-informed to find a treat that can safely help your cat.

However, just before we get started, please keep in mind that supplements can potentially interfere with medication regimens. So, make sure to consult with your veterinarian before introducing your cat to new supplements, especially if they have chronic illnesses.

A Glimpse of Our Favorites in 2024

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Pet Naturals Calming Cat Chews	Safe for cats of all ages No drowsiness Good for multi-pet homes	Check Price
Best Value		Aventix Thera-Bites Mellows Cat Chews	Effective for isolated stressful events Works on both cats and dogs No drowsiness	Check Price
Premium Choice		Nutramax Solliquin Calming Chews For Cats	Natural ingredients to stabilize moods Safe for daily consumption Veterinarian recommended	Check Price
Best for Kittens		Pet Hemp Company Hemp Cat Treats	Uses natural and organic ingredients Also promotes healthy skin and coat Delicious salmon flavor	Check Price
		VetriScience Chicken Soft Chews Cat Treat	Specifically designed for cats Veterinarian formulated Fast-acting	Check Price

The 10 Best Calming Treats for Cats

Pet Naturals Calming Dog & Cat Chews is the overall best calming treat for cats for several reasons. First, it’s safe for cats of all ages to consume, so you can get your kittens used to the taste at a young age. Even dogs can eat them, so this is a great staple for multi-pet households to have in their pantries.

The formula contains L-theanine and vitamin B, which have a calming effect on cats. It also has a colostrum calming complex (C3), which helps with cognition and can help regulate daily stress.

Best of all, these chews don’t make your cats drowsy. So, you can give them these treats at any time and still have fun play sessions with them.

One thing to note is that these treats may be a little tough to chew, so you might have to break them apart for older cats. However, it’s safe to give them a little more than the recommended dose. In fact, you can provide more on particularly stressful days, such as during loud thunderstorms or fireworks displays.

The Aventix Thera-Bites Mellows Cat Treat is for specialized use. It can keep your cat calm during stressful situations, such as going to the vet, traveling, or during thunderstorms. All you have to do is feed your cat a chew 30-60 minutes before the event.

The chews have an enticing chicken liver flavor to encourage pets to eat them, and they’re effective on both cats and dogs. When the chews activate, they help your cats stay calm without causing drowsiness.

The main active ingredient is valerian root, which is a supplement often used to relieve anxiety, depression, and poor sleep. The formula also contains EPA and DHA, colostrum bovine, and L-theanine. All these elements help with focus and de-stressing.

These treats aren’t for extended daily use, so they’re for cats who occasionally feel stressed out by isolated events. You can keep them around for a while since they have a decent shelf life of 18 months. This makes Thera-Bites Mellows one of the best calming treats for cats for the money you pay.

Nutramax Solliquin Soft Calming Supplement Chews For Cats & Dogs are behavioral health supplements that come in the form of delicious treats. They can help keep anxious or nervous cats calm around new people, loud noises, and stressful events.

Although this calming treat tends to be more expensive than its competitors, it contains highly effective ingredients to promote relaxation. The combination of Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense helps to lower cortisol levels, which then reduces stress.

Whey protein also contains elements that help reduce stress and produce serotonin, which stabilizes moods. Although it’s a powerful ingredient with calming effects, a cat with dairy sensitivities should avoid whey protein since they most likely won’t be able to digest it very well.

Overall, many veterinarians recommend this chew for anxious or nervous cats because of the smart combination of ingredients. They’re also safe for daily use, so cats with chronic anxiety can benefit from them.

4. Pet Hemp Company Hemp Cat Treats – Best for Kittens

Since kittens can be particularly sensitive to food, one of the best ways to keep them safe is to feed them natural and organic ingredients.  As long as your kitten doesn’t have a chicken allergy, the Pet Hemp Company Hemp Cat Treats are one of the safest options in the market. They contain only natural and organic ingredients and don’t have any GMOs, preservatives, artificial flavors, or additives.

The active ingredient is hemp extract, which can provide many benefits. It can help reduce anxiety and keep pets feeling calm. It’s also effective against inflammation. Hemp oil isn’t the same as CBD oil. Hemp oil is a safe supplement with no THC and contains very little to no CBD.

These chews also contain rosemary extract and salmon oil. These ingredients are great for keeping your cat’s skin and coat healthy.

Although these chews are on the pricier end, they have high-quality ingredients. Your cat can eat them daily, or you can save them for particularly stressful events.

5. VetriScience Composure Chicken Calming Chews for Cats

First, we love that the VetriScience Composure Chicken Liver Flavored Soft Chews Calming Supplement for Cats are specifically for cats. Therefore, they have an enticing chicken liver flavor and have a size and texture that’s palatable for cats.

Veterinarians created this formula specifically for cats with nervousness, hyperactivity, and anxiety. The calming effects of C3 and L-theanine help them to feel calm without taking away their unique personalities. You can also expect to see the treats working within 20-30 minutes.

Your cats can eat these chews daily. You can also double or triple the dosage if you anticipate a highly stressful event, such as moving or traveling.

We do want to note that these chews contain common active ingredients found in competitors’ calming treats. However, there are fewer chews per package, and the price isn’t significantly less than competitive calming treats that come in packages with more chews. Therefore, these chews aren’t the most cost-efficient option.

The Thunderwunders Calming Cat Chews is another calming treat specifically designed for cats, and it’s safe for cats of all ages. They’re tasty treats that you can give to your cat before an anticipated stressful event. They’re not meant for daily consumption, and your cats should eat them for more than 7 consecutive days.

The active ingredient, L-tryptophan, connects with serotonin production, so it can help balance moods. Also, chamomile is a renowned natural ingredient with calming effects.

The formula contains effective components that address stress and nervousness, but it also has a lot of additional ingredients. Some of these additions can boost your cat’s health, but the ingredient list also contains some fillers, such as corn starch and soy lecithin. Therefore, if your cat has a sensitive stomach, this treat may not be the best option for them.

7. Zesty Paws Core Elements Calming Chews For Cats

Zesty Paws Core Elements Calming Chews For Cats are delicious salmon-flavored treats made especially for cats. It has an effective formula that works for cats of all ages, and it uses premium ingredients. It also doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or preservatives.

Along with helping stressed-out cats, the L-tryptophan and chamomile extract in this formula can help soothe and calm down hyperactive kittens. It also contains melatonin, which can help your cats sleep better. However, it can also cause drowsiness.

These daily chews can be good for cats on special diets because the recipe doesn’t contain any corn, grains, soy, or wheat. However, it does contain some fillers, particularly garbanzo bean flour, pea flour, and small amounts of tapioca flour.

8. Paws & Pals Complete Calming Soft Chew Pet Treats

Paws & Pals Complete Calming Soft Chew Pet Treats work to keep cats calm during stressful times. They’re not daily chews, so they have a powerful formula to help your cat power through new situations that may typically trigger their anxiety.

Despite not being a daily chew, these calming treats currently get sold in 180-count bottles. The price is relatively affordable compared to competitors, and the formula contains high-quality ingredients.

Along with addressing stress and anxiety, this formula contains ginger to help with motion sickness and nausea associated with travel.

The chews do have some flavoring in them, but they don’t have a particularly tasty smell. Therefore, picky cats aren’t likely to eat this treat.

NaturVet Hemp Quiet Moments Soft Chews Cat Treat uses a blend of hemp, thiamine, and L-tryptophan to help alleviate your cat’s anxiety and stress. It also contains ginger to relax and soothe upset stomachs. This is an excellent benefit if you know that your cat has to travel and gets motion sickness easily.

These treats do contain melatonin, which can help calm down your cats but also cause some drowsiness. They’re also for cats 12 weeks and older, so they’re not for young kittens.

The chew is soft, but it doesn’t contain any flavors that cats naturally like, so picky cats may not eat it. However, it’s not for daily consumption. They’re the most effective when you give them to your cats 30 minutes before a stressful situation.

10. Licks Pill-free Calming Aid Zen Liquipak Cat Treats

Licks Pill-free Calming Aid Zen Liquipak Cat Treats can be an alternative treat to cat chews if you have a picky cat. It has a delicious roasted chicken flavor that your cat can lap up. If cats are resistant to it, you can quickly and easily administer the liquid directly into their mouths, pain-free. You can also dab it on their paw for them to lick up.

Along with containing tryptophan and theanine, this formula also contains eleuthero root and ashwagandha root. Eleuthero root helps improve stress resistance, and ashwagandha root can reduce cortisol levels.

We also appreciate that this formula only contains human-grade ingredients, so your cat’s eating high-quality food. Be forewarned that the recipe has a strong smell. It might smell unappetizing to humans, but most pets enjoy it.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Calming Treats for Cats

Many cat owners purchase calming treats and hope that their cats’ anxiety or hyperactivity will instantly go away. However, it is going to take a little more work than that to restore a peaceful living situation to your home.

Calming treats can help cats, but it’s important to do your research before buying a jar of these supplements. Here are some key things to remember as you shop for calming treats for cats.

Common Calming Ingredients

Most calming treats use a blend of similar ingredients.

1. Chamomile

Many people know or have heard of chamomile’s calming effects. It’s often in bedtime and stress-relieving tea blends to help reduce stress and provide peaceful rest. Chamomile also helps the digestive system and can soothe nausea and queasiness. However, according to the ASPCA, chamomile is potentially toxic to cats, so we only recommend its use in very measured doses and with discretion.

2. Colostrum Calming Complex (C3)

C3 contains a set of fatty acids that help brain activity and cognitive functioning. It also works to relieve stress. C3 addresses brain activity by stabilizing it so that it calms down hyperactivity.

3. Hemp Extract or Oil

Hemp is a natural supplement known for its calming properties. It doesn’t contain any THC, so your cats won’t experience any psychedelic effects.

Hemp oil often reduces stress and anxiety. It has other additional health benefits, such as reducing inflammation. It also contains high amounts of healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

4. L-Theanine

L-Theanine is another stress reducer. It can help cats relax and lower their heart rate. Because of its effects, it can also help with lowering blood pressure.

5. L-Tryptophan

L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that also works with brain-signaling chemicals. Its relationship to brain chemicals allows it to help reduce depression and stabilize mood swings.

6. Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep cycles. People often use it as a sleep aid. It can have calming effects, but it can also cause drowsiness.

7. Thiamine or Vitamin B1

Thiamine often gets called the “anti-stress vitamin.” It strengthens the body’s immune system so that it can better handle stressful situations. Thiamine often helps with emotional stress and mood swings.

Look for Allergens

A lot of anxious cats may have sensitive stomachs and digestive systems. Therefore, it’s important to find simple ingredient lists that don’t contain common allergens. Some common ingredients that are allergens or difficult for cats to ingest are the following:

Pair Calming Treats with Behavioral Training

Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill that erases challenging behaviors. Therefore, calming treats work best when they’re supplemental to behavioral training and modifying your environment into a more cat-friendly space. One of the most helpful things you can do for yourself and your cat is to understand what’s causing stress.

Cats can feel anxiety or nervousness for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, your cats may need more vertical space to feel like they have a safe observation point. Hyperactive kittens may just need extended playtime or more stimulating toys. Cats can even feel distressed if they’re eating a diet that contains food they can’t easily digest.

If you’re having trouble finding out your cat’s triggers, you can always work with your vet to rule out any medical causes. Then, you can work with a reputable cat behaviorist. When you identify the root cause of your cat’s stress, you’ll have more success with addressing it and using calming chews.

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Conclusion

Based on our reviews, Pet Naturals Calming Dog & Cat Chews is our favorite pick because it has a great blend of active ingredients, and it doesn’t cause drowsiness or affect your cat’s personality.  We also love the Pet Hemp Company Hemp Cat Treats because it uses high-quality natural and organic ingredients for its powerful blend of calming ingredients.

Overall, calming treats aren’t magical pills, but they can be a great supplement that pairs with behavioral training.  Sometimes, it’ll take multiple adjustments to help soothe anxious cats, and calming treats can be another useful item to add to your toolbelt.

Featured Image Credit: DSchmidtArt, Shutterstock