Making your own cat food can be a fulfilling way to cater to your feline’s specific dietary needs and show your love. However, it’s a decision that requires careful consideration and thorough research. Creating a complete and balanced diet for your cat is a complex task, and without proper knowledge or guidance from a veterinary nutritionist, the risks can outweigh the benefits.
This guide will provide you with the information you need to assess homemade cat food recipes, understand the importance of balanced nutrition, and explore different approaches to crafting your cat’s meals.
Assessing Homemade Cat Food Recipes: What to Look For
Before diving into homemade cat food, it’s crucial to consult with your veterinarian. They can assess your cat’s individual needs and help you avoid potential nutritional deficiencies.
Many recipes online lack essential nutrients or have incorrect nutrient balances. Look for these warning signs:
- Lack of Expertise: The recipe wasn’t created by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist or an expert in animal nutrition.
- Missing Nutrient Information: The recipe doesn’t include nutrient values or reference AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) minimums.
- Overly Simple Recipes: A recipe lacking supplements may not meet minimum nutrient requirements, even with ingredient variety.
- Incomplete Portioning Instructions: The recipe doesn’t offer guidance on portion sizes based on your cat’s needs or calorie estimates.
- Supplemental Feeding Only: The recipe is explicitly intended for supplemental feeding, not as a complete diet.
Unless you have expertise in veterinary nutrition, relying on a well-researched recipe is crucial. Achieving the correct balance of trace nutrients requires careful planning and ingredient selection.
The Benefits of Using a Premix Supplement
Replicating a wild feline diet with precise ratios of muscle meat, organs, and bones is challenging. These diets often require multiple animal sources to avoid nutrient deficiencies or excesses.
For instance, duck and ruminant liver are richer in vitamin A than chicken and pork liver. However, relying solely on chicken and pork liver might not provide enough copper.
To simplify the process and ensure nutritional completeness, many cat owners use supplements in their homemade cat food.
Homemade cat food premix supplements, also known as meal completers, are designed to fill nutritional gaps when mixed with fresh meat. These premixes aren’t perfect and require careful selection based on your cat’s needs and your homemade diet plan.
Consider these factors when choosing a premix:
Formulated by a Veterinary Nutritionist
While a recipe developed by a veterinarian is a good start, a formula created by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist is preferable. They have specialized knowledge in animal nutrition.
Provides Complete and Balanced Nutrition
Verify that the premix meets AAFCO or FEDIAF (European Pet Food Industry Federation) nutrient requirements. Some products are intended for supplemental feeding, while others require additional ingredients like eggs or liver.
Consider Specialized Formulas
Some companies offer formulas tailored to specific life stages or dietary needs. For example, a senior cat formula might have lower phosphorus levels to support kidney health.
Consider Your Diet Type
Premixes are often designed for ground or chopped meat. These may contain higher calcium levels than premixes intended for use with ground meat and bone mixtures. Choose a product specifically formulated for your intended diet.
Exploring Homemade Cat Food Recipes
Here are some examples of homemade cat food recipes. Some recipes rely on premix supplements for balance, while others emphasize ingredient variety and individual supplements.
Note: Always consult with a veterinary nutritionist to tailor any recipe to your cat’s specific needs.
1. Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Recipe (using Balance It® Carnivore Blend® premix)
Balance.it offers custom pet food recipes using their premix powders.
Ingredients:
- 3 ⅜ oz. (96g) Cooked turkey breast (meat only)
- 1 ⅝ tsp (7g) Canola oil
- ⅖ ml (0.37g) Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet Liquid
- 5/16 cup (63g) Baked sweet potato
- ⅛ tsp (0.75g) Morton Iodized Salt
- ¾ tsp (3.07g) Balance IT Carnivore Blend
Instructions:
- Roast turkey breast at 350℉ until it reaches 165℉.
- Bake sweet potato until tender.
- Scoop sweet potato flesh and weigh the desired portion.
- Finely chop turkey breast and weigh the required amount.
- Combine sweet potato and turkey.
- Add supplements and mix well.
- Divide into meals, feeding one immediately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
2. Raw Ground Rabbit Recipe (using Alnutrin for Meat & Bone)
Alnutrin offers premixes formulated according to AAFCO nutrient profiles.
Ingredients:
- 1 pack (4g) Alnutrin for Meat & Bone
- ¼ cup (60g) water
- 1 lbs (454g) ground raw rabbit meat & bones
Instructions:
- Cut meat off the rabbit carcass and chop into 1-inch pieces.
- Chop or crush bones into pieces small enough for your meat grinder.
- Grind meat, bones, and organs into a bowl.
- Whisk together Alnutrin and water.
- Stir the mixture into the ground rabbit, divide into portions, and freeze.
3. Cooked Meat Recipe (using EZComplete Fur Cats)
EZComplete Premixes are made with human-grade ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. (907g) ground meat, cooked
- ½ cup (53.3g) EZComplete Fur Cats
- 1 ½ cups (12 oz.) water
Instructions:
- Place ground meat in a slow cooker.
- Add ¼ cup of water per pound of meat, then cover.
- Cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
- Let the meat cool, then shred or finely chop.
- Stir in the EZComplete.
- Divide the mixture into individual portions, and refrigerate or freeze.
4. Prey Model Raw Diet Recipe (from Little Carnivore)
The Prey Model Raw (PMR) diet uses an 80/10/10 ratio: 80% meat, 10% bones, and 10% organs.
Ingredients:
- 220g white meat
- 220g red meat
- 100g chicken hearts
- 100g gizzards, tongue, or lung
- 100g chicken, duck, or turkey neck
- 100g chicken wings or quail bones
- 15g chicken livers
- 15g beef livers
- 70g other organs
- 30g whole sardines in water
- 30g anchovies
Supplements:
- Chelated manganese
- Kelp powder (iodine)
- Psyllium husk (fiber)
- Vitamin E
- B-complex vitamins
- Calcium (optional)
- Zinc (optional)
- Taurine (optional)
- Iron (optional)
Instructions:
- Chop ingredients into 1-inch pieces and crush bones if needed.
- Grind ingredients together or separately and weigh out the appropriate amount.
- Use a calculator to determine feeding amount and supplement dosages.
- Divide the ground mixture into portions and freeze.
- At mealtime, measure supplements and mix with thawed food.
5. Ground Chicken Thigh with Bone and Organs Recipe (from Feline Nutrition Foundation)
This recipe uses raw meat with bone, organs, and supplements.
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. (2.27kg) chicken thighs with skin and bone
- 7 oz (200g) raw chicken liver
- 14 oz (400g) raw chicken heart
- 8 oz. water
- 4 raw egg yolks
- 2000 mg taurine
- 4000 mg wild salmon oil capsules
- 200 mg Vitamin B Complex
- 200 IU Vitamin E
- 1 ½ tsp (8.4g) Lite Iodized Salt
- 4 tsp (8g) psyllium husk powder
Instructions:
- Remove skin from half the chicken thighs and bone from 20-25%.
- Weigh out 4.5 pounds of the remaining chicken and rinse it well.
- Cut the chicken meat and organs into 1-inch pieces and crush the bones.
- Feed these ingredients through your meat grinder along with the salmon oil capsules.
- Whisk the egg yolk together with the other supplements.
- Pour the slurry over the ground ingredients and mix well.
- Portion the mixture into smaller containers and freeze.
Essential Supplies for Making Homemade Cat Food
Using ground meat (or ground meat and bone) with a premix supplement is a convenient approach. Here are some recommended products:
- Weston Butcher Series Electric Meat Grinder: Grinds meat and soft bone quickly.
- Balance It Feline: Formulated by a veterinary nutritionist with recipe calculator.
- EZComplete fur Cats: Just add boneless meat and water.
- Alnutrin for Meat & Bone: For diets containing meat, bone, and liver.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Cat Food
Is homemade cat food safe?
Commercial cat food undergoes processes to eliminate pathogens. When switching to homemade food, take precautions like cleaning surfaces, washing hands, and preventing your cat from licking your face. When properly prepared and stored, homemade cat food is safe.
How much does homemade cat food cost?
The cost depends on your chosen ingredients and the amount you feed your cat. Pricing will vary depending whether you chose a cooked or raw homemade diet.
Is raw cat food better than cooked?
Raw cat food is considered biologically appropriate, but it’s not for every cat owner. Raw meats can contain bacteria. Research and choose the best option for your cat.
How much should I feed my cat?
The average adult cat needs about 200 calories per day, or around 6 ounces of homemade food. Calorie content varies based on proteins and fats. Consult your veterinarian and online calorie calculators.
Making your own cat food requires knowledge, dedication, and careful planning. By understanding the nutritional needs of your cat and following the guidelines outlined in this article, you can create healthy and delicious meals that cater to their specific requirements. Always consult with your veterinarian to ensure your cat’s diet is balanced and meets their individual needs.
