Cats

Cat Paste Treats and Lick Sticks: How to Serve Them, How Many to Give and How to Make Them Last

Three ways to serve a lick stick, how many fit in your cat's day, and how to make one last longer.

By 6 min read
Tabby cat licking a lickable paste treat from a purple FreezPaw toy

Cat paste treats are the snack most cats will cross the house for. Open a lick stick and even the cat who ignores you all day tends to appear at your feet. The trouble is how fast it disappears: a few licks, and your cat is looking at you for the next one.

Used well, a paste stick is more than a quick bribe. Spread on a lick pad or frozen inside a toy, the same treat turns into an activity your cat has to work at. Here is what cat paste treats are, three ways to serve them, how many to give and how to make one stick last.

Cat paste treats are smooth, lickable treats sold in single-serve sticks. Serve them straight from the stick as a quick reward, spread on a lick pad for a slower snack, or frozen in a FreezPaw toy for a much longer session. Count them in your cat's daily food: the guideline on Freezbone's sticks is up to 50 grams of FreezPaw fillers a day for an average adult cat, with meals adjusted to match.

What are cat paste treats and lick sticks?

Cat paste treats go by a lot of names: lick sticks, lickable treats, cat treat sticks, liquid treat sticks. They are all the same idea. A smooth, wet treat comes packed in a long, thin single-serve stick. You open the end, your cat licks, and you squeeze up more as they go.

The texture is the point. Cats prefer to lick and lap soft food rather than crunch it, so a paste suits the way they already eat. It is also why paste treats make such a good fill for enrichment toys: they spread into grooves, pack into cavities and freeze in place.

Freezbone's own version, the Lickable Cat Paste Sticks, comes in 15 g sticks in tuna, salmon and chicken. A pack of 12 has four of each flavor, and a pack of 24 has eight of each. The sticks are made to fit FreezPaw toys.

How do you give a cat a paste treat?

There are three ways to serve a stick, and each one changes how long it lasts.

Way to serveHowBest forHow long it lasts
Straight from the stickHold the open stick and let your cat lick, squeezing up as they goRewards, bonding, winning over a shy or new catThe quickest
On a lick padSqueeze a thin layer and press it into the groovesA slower snack, cats new to enrichmentLonger
Frozen in a FreezPaw toyFill the toy, then freezeBusy times, long calm sessionsThe longest: up to 45 minutes, per the product page

Straight from the stick is the quickest way to build trust. Food helps a cat link you and a new home with something good, which is why our first week after adopting a cat guide brings in a paste stick early on.

On a lick pad, the same 15 g has to be worked out of every ridge. Your cat slows down without you doing anything clever.

Frozen in a toy, a single stick becomes the longest-lasting treat in the house.

How many paste treats can a cat have per day?

Paste treats are still food, so they belong inside your cat's daily total, not on top of it.

50 gthe daily upper guideline for FreezPaw fillers for an average-sized adult cat, with regular meals adjusted to keep calories balanced. At 15 g a stick, that is no more than three sticks.

“Up to” is a ceiling, not a target. A few practical rules:

  • Take it out of the meal. On a day your cat gets a stick or two, feed a little less at dinner.
  • Smaller cats and kittens need less. The guideline is for an average-sized adult.
  • Watching their weight? Use one stick spread thin, or mix half a stick into their own wet food so the toy smells irresistible without adding much. Our guide to slow feeding for overweight indoor cats shows how to split a ration across toys.
  • Prescription diet, kidney disease or diabetes? Ask your vet before adding any treat.

How do you freeze paste treats to make them last longer?

Freezing is the simplest way to turn a quick lick into a proper activity. Start easy, because cats give up much faster than dogs.

1. Pick the toy

  • A lick pad for a thin, easy first freeze
  • A star or ring toy for a fuller portion

2. Squeeze it in

  • Press the paste into the grooves or cavity
  • Stretch it with a spoonful of your cat's own wet food

3. Freeze thin

  • A short freeze, not overnight, for the first few tries
  • A thin layer suits the way cats lap

4. Build up

  • Longer freezes and fuller toys
  • Only once your cat engages reliably

Freezbone tip

Fill two or three toys at once and keep them in the freezer. On a busy morning, you hand one over in seconds instead of opening a stick by hand.

“I always love a company who not only loves dogs, but also loves cats! All 3 cats love the star and lick treats!”
Lexi P., verified buyer

Which toys work best with lick sticks?

Any of the FreezPaw cat toys takes a paste stick. The right one depends on your cat.

ToyWhat it does with a paste stickGood for
FreezPaw Relax Lick PadPaw-shaped pad for spreading soft fills thinFirst-timers, kittens, quick sessions
FreezTwinkleStar shape, holds up to 50 gA fuller frozen portion
FreezRing Zen Relief ToyRing shape, holds up to 50 gCats who bat their toys around
FreezDrip Flow Slow FeederGrooves where runnier fills freeze in placePaste thinned with a little water
FreezLoveHeart shape, for cats of all agesA first fillable toy

If you are building a small rotation, our roundup of the best cat enrichment toys covers how to mix toy types.

What should you avoid when using lickable cat treats?

Do

  • Count sticks in the daily food
  • Start unfrozen or frozen thin
  • Serve where your cat already eats
  • Give each cat their own toy in a multi-cat home
  • Wash the toy after every use

Avoid

  • Mixing in anything with onion or garlic
  • Dairy as a mix-in
  • Salty store-bought broth to thin the paste
  • A rock-hard first freeze
  • Topping up with extra treats after a full toy

If you want to mix paste with other fills, check our list of cat-safe frozen fills first. It is not the same as the dog list.

Why does my cat lick the paste and walk away?

It is almost never because your cat dislikes it. Usually one of three things is going on:

  • It is too hard. A thick frozen block is a lot of work for a cat. Go back to a thin, short freeze or serve it unfrozen.
  • It is in the wrong place. A new toy in a new spot is two unfamiliar things at once. Put it where your cat already eats.
  • They are simply done. Cats graze. Short visits with breaks in between are normal, so leave it down for a while before you decide it failed.
“My kitten loves all of his Freezpaws. They're great for his bedtime snack.”
Tina K., verified buyer

A paste stick is one of the easiest treats to get right. Serve it slowly, count it in the day, and let a lick pad or frozen toy do the rest.

More for cat owners: our guides to cat treat toys and dispensers and cat lick mats.

Frequently asked questions

  • Yes, as long as you count them in your cat's daily food. For an average-sized adult cat, the guideline on Freezbone's Lickable Cat Paste Sticks is up to 50 grams of FreezPaw fillers a day, with regular meals adjusted to keep calories balanced.

  • At 15 g a stick, the 50 g daily guideline works out to no more than three sticks for an average-sized adult cat. Smaller cats, kittens and cats watching their weight need less, and one stick spread over a toy is often plenty.

  • Yes. Squeeze the stick into a FreezPaw toy or onto a lick pad and freeze it. The product page says a frozen fill can give up to 45 minutes of play. Start with a thin layer and a short freeze so your cat gets an easy first win.

  • Keep portions very small and only once your kitten is fully weaned. If your kitten is very young or has a health condition, check with your vet first.

  • Usually the challenge is too hard, or the portion is in an unfamiliar spot. Go back a step: serve it straight from the stick or spread thin and unfrozen, in the place your cat already eats.

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Written by Freezbone Team

We make freezable, refillable chew toys in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and test every fill and routine on our own dogs before we write about it.

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