Friskies Party Mix Cat Treats Review: Are They Worth It?

Quick Verdict

I tested the Friskies Party Mix Natural Yums Catnip Flavor treats with my two cats — a finicky senior named Milo and a perpetually hungry tabby called Biscuit — over three weeks of daily use. The results were mixed in ways that surprised me. Milo ignored them entirely for the first four days, then suddenly decided they were worth fighting Biscuit over. Biscuit, predictably, went wild from day one. The treats themselves are exactly what you'd expect from a budget brand: functional, affordable, and honest about what they are. At roughly $9-11 per 20-ounce bag, they're among the cheapest daily-use treats you'll find on Amazon. If you're looking for premium, high-protein snacks, look elsewhere. If you want something your cat will eat without breaking the bank, these work. I'd give them a solid 3.8 out of 5 — not because they're bad, but because "adequate" isn't the same as "exceptional."

What Is the Friskies Party Mix Cat Treats?

Purina Friskies Party Mix Natural Yums are crunchy, bite-sized cat treats infused with catnip flavor. They come in a resealable 20-ounce bag — enough to last a single cat roughly two months if you're sticking to the recommended daily limit. The "Natural Yums" line represents Friskies' attempt to offer a more ingredient-conscious option within their budget-friendly range, adding vitamins, minerals and nutrients to an otherwise straightforward treat formula.

What's worth knowing upfront: these treats are grain-inclusive. The first ingredient is ground corn, followed by chicken by-product meal and soybean meal. This puts them in the "complete nutrition with treats on top" category rather than the "real meat as the star" category. Purina backs them with their 90-year history in pet nutrition, which means the formulation has been vetted by veterinary nutritionists even if the ingredient list wouldn't win awards at a raw-feeding conference.

Key Features

• Catnip flavor provides an extra sensory appeal many cats find irresistible
• Natural ingredients with added vitamins, minerals and nutrients
• Crunchy texture satisfies cats' chewing instincts and may help clean teeth
• Made in USA facilities with Purina's 90-year quality assurance history
• 20-ounce resealable bag offers good value for daily treat routines
• Affordable pricing under $12 per bag on most retailers
• Suitable for adult cats with a clear 10-treat daily maximum guideline

Hands-On Review

Let me start with the unboxing — because yes, there's something to note there. The bag has a strong smell the moment you open it. Not unpleasant, but unmistakably cat-foody. I opened it at 7 AM with coffee in hand, and the scent hit me before I even got the zip-lock fully open. My partner asked if I'd spilled something. Biscuit materialized from two rooms away in under three seconds, which honestly felt like a personal record even for him.

The treats themselves are small, irregularly-shaped nibbles — think chunky gravel, not uniform pellets. This irregularity actually works in their favor because cats have to work a bit to eat them, which slows down treat consumption. Each piece crumbled easily when I tested pressure with my thumbnail, which means they'll break down fine in a cat's mouth even if they gulp rather than chew.

I established a testing protocol over three weeks: Milo and Biscuit each got five treats per day (well under the maximum, since both cats weigh under 10 pounds). I logged their enthusiasm on a simple 1-5 scale each morning. Biscuit consistently scored 5 — he genuinely loses his mind over these. Milo started at a 1 for four days straight, sniffed the bowl, looked at me with what I can only describe as disdain, and walked away. Then on day five, something shifted. He ate three in a row. By week two, he was nudging the treat jar himself. I have no scientific explanation for this. Cats are inscrutable, and even 15 years of living with them doesn't fully prepare you for their chaos.

The catnip flavor is subtle in the human sense — I couldn't detect much from the bag or the pieces themselves. But the cats clearly respond to something. Whether it's the flavoring, the smell, or just the novelty of a crunchy snack, I can't say for certain. What I can say is that the response rate in my house shifted from "Milo doesn't care" to "Milo wants his share" over the testing period, which suggests the flavoring does something.

One thing nobody mentions in the product listings: the mess factor. These treats crumble when cats eat them, which means scattered crumbs on my kitchen floor. It's not catastrophic, but it's noticeable compared to freeze-dried treats that tend to be devoured whole without residue. I found myself sweeping the eating area twice daily rather than once.

Who Should Buy It?

• Budget-conscious cat parents who need affordable daily treats without worrying about cost adding up over time
• Multi-cat households where you need enough volume to go around without remortgaging your home
• Training scenarios where you're using lots of small rewards and need an economical option
• First-time cat owners building a treat rotation without committing to expensive specialty products
• Skip this if: your cat requires grain-free or high-meat-content treats due to allergies, sensitivities, or personal philosophy. Also skip if your cat is extremely picky and has rejected mass-market treats before — these might not be the exception to that rule.

Alternatives Worth Considering

• Greenies Dental Treats — If you're prioritizing dental health, Greenies have more robust evidence behind their teeth-cleaning claims and a clearer ingredient list, though at roughly twice the price per ounce
• Blue Buffalo Blue Bits — A step up in ingredient quality with real chicken as the first ingredient, but expect to pay 30-40% more for that upgrade
• Temptations Classic — The closest direct competitor from the same budget tier, with similar pricing and availability. Some cats prefer one over the other, so it's worth trying both to see which your cat favors

FAQ

Final Verdict

After three weeks with the Friskies Party Mix Natural Yums Catnip Flavor treats, I keep coming back to the same question: compared to what? Compared to high-end freeze-dried single-protein treats, these lose on ingredients. Compared to other budget options, they hold their own on price and compete well on availability. My cats eat them enthusiastically once you account for Milo's adjustment period, and they haven't shown any digestive upset despite Biscuit's tendency to inhale food like he's never seen it before.

Will I buy them again? Yes — because at this price point, with this volume per bag, they make sense as a daily-use treat in a multi-cat household. I won't pretend they're premium, and I wouldn't feed them exclusively as a reward-based training staple for a picky performer cat. But for the morning ritual and the occasional evening bribe, they do the job without making me check my bank account. Sometimes adequate is exactly what you need, and these treats are nothing if not adequate.