Transitioning your cat to a homemade diet can be a rewarding way to show extra love and cater to specific dietary needs. However, creating a complete and balanced homemade diet requires thorough research, careful planning, and often, consultation with a veterinary nutritionist. This guide explores the considerations for making homemade cat food, recommends using premix supplements to ensure nutritional completeness, and provides five sample recipes to help you get started.
Assessing Homemade Cat Food Recipes
Before embarking on the journey of making homemade cat food, it’s crucial to understand that not all recipes are created equal. Many online recipes may lack essential nutrients or present them in an imbalanced ratio. When evaluating a homemade cat food recipe, consider the following red flags:
- Lack of expert formulation: The recipe was not developed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist or an expert in veterinary nutrition.
- Missing nutritional information: The recipe doesn’t provide nutrient values or appear to be formulated according to AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) minimums.
- Oversimplification: The recipe is too basic and doesn’t include supplements or a variety of ingredients to meet all nutrient requirements.
- Unclear portioning or calorie estimates: The recipe lacks instructions for portioning based on your cat’s needs or estimations of calorie content.
- Supplemental feeding only: The recipe explicitly states it’s intended for supplemental feeding and not as a complete diet.
Unless you are a veterinary nutritionist, it’s highly recommended to follow a well-researched recipe rather than creating one from scratch. Nutritional balance is paramount, and achieving the correct levels of trace nutrients can be challenging without precise ingredient selection.
The Advantage of Using a Premix Supplement
Replicating a wild feline diet with precise ratios of muscle meat, organs, and bone is complex. Different animal organs have varying nutrient profiles; for instance, liver from duck or lamb is richer in vitamin A than chicken or pork liver, but it might lack sufficient copper. To address these nutritional complexities, many cat owners opt for premix supplements, also known as meal completers. These are specifically formulated to fill nutritional gaps when combined with fresh meat.
When choosing a premix supplement, consider these factors:
- Veterinary Nutritionist Formulation: Prioritize premixes developed by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, as they possess specialized knowledge in animal nutrition.
- Complete and Balanced Nutrition: Ensure the premix is formulated according to AAFCO or FEDIAF (European Pet Food Industry Federation) nutrient requirements. Some products are only for supplemental feeding or require additional ingredients.
- Specialized Formulas: Look for premixes that offer options for different life stages or specific health concerns, such as reduced phosphorus for kidney support in senior cats.
- Diet Type Compatibility: Select a premix designed for the type of diet you intend to feed, whether it’s ground meat, or a combination of meat, organs, and bone.
Five Sample Recipes for Homemade Cat Food
The following recipes offer a starting point for homemade cat food. Some utilize premix supplements, while others rely on ingredient variety and individual supplements. It is strongly advised to work with a veterinary nutritionist to tailor any recipe to your cat’s unique needs.
1. Raw Ground Rabbit Recipe (using Alnutrin for Meat & Bone)
This recipe uses Alnutrin’s “Meat & Bone” premix, designed for use with whole rabbit or chicken that includes bone and organs.
Ingredients:
- 1 pack (4g) Alnutrin for Meat & Bone
- ¼ cup (60g) water
- 1 lbs (454g) ground raw rabbit meat & bones
Instructions:
- Process the rabbit carcass into 1-inch meat pieces and small enough bone pieces for grinding.
- Grind the meat, bones, and organs together.
- Whisk Alnutrin and water, then stir into the ground rabbit mixture.
- Divide into portions and freeze.
2. Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Recipe (using Balance It® Carnivore Blend® premix)
This recipe was created using the Balance.it recipe builder, providing a high-protein, low-carbohydrate option.
Ingredients:
- 3 ⅜ oz. (96g) Turkey breast, meat only, cooked
- 1 ⅝ tsp (7g) Canola oil
- ⅖ ml (0.37g) Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet Liquid
- 5/16 cup (63g) Sweet potato, baked
- ⅛ tsp (0.75g) Morton Iodized Salt
- ¾ tsp (3.07g) Balance IT Carnivore Blend
Instructions:
- Roast turkey breast and bake sweet potato until tender.
- Combine weighed portions of cooked turkey and sweet potato.
- Add supplements and mix thoroughly.
- Portion immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
3. Cooked Meat Recipe (using EZComplete Fur Cats)
EZComplete Fur Cats requires only boneless meat and water, offering the option of serving the food raw or cooked. This recipe uses cooked ground beef.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. (907g) ground meat, cooked
- ½ cup (53.3g) EZComplete Fur Cats
- 1 ½ cups (12 oz.) water
Instructions:
- Cook ground meat in a slow cooker with water until thoroughly cooked.
- Shred or finely chop the cooked meat.
- Stir in EZComplete until fully mixed.
- Divide into portions, ensuring even distribution of cooking juices, and refrigerate or freeze.
4. Ground Chicken Thigh with Bone and Organs Recipe (from Feline Nutrition Foundation)
This recipe involves grinding raw meat with bone and organs, supplemented with various nutrients.
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:
- Prepare chicken thighs (removing skin and bone from a portion), chicken meat, organs, and crush bones.
- Grind these ingredients along with salmon oil capsules.
- Whisk egg yolk with other supplements, then pour over ground ingredients and mix well.
- Portion and freeze in airtight containers.
5. Prey Model Raw Diet Recipe (from Little Carnivore)
The Prey Model Raw (PMR) diet follows an 80% meat, 10% bone, 10% organs ratio, with added supplements (PMR+). Variety in animal ingredients is key.
Ingredients:
- 220g white meat (e.g., chicken, turkey, rabbit)
- 220g red meat (e.g., beef, lamb, duck, veal)
- 100g hearts (e.g., chicken, turkey)
- 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 (e.g., kidney, spleen, brain)
- 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 and crush bones if necessary for grinding.
- Grind ingredients in the specified ratio or separately, then weigh.
- Use a calculator and your cat’s body weight to determine feeding amounts and supplement dosages.
- Portion and freeze in airtight containers.
- Measure and mix supplements with thawed food just before serving.
Essential Supplies for Homemade Cat Food
Preparing homemade cat food efficiently requires the right tools. A reliable meat grinder is invaluable for processing ingredients. Additionally, high-quality premix supplements and fresh ingredients are essential for ensuring a nutritionally complete and safe diet for your feline companion.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Cat Food
Is homemade cat food safe?
Yes, homemade cat food can be safe when properly prepared and stored. However, precautions must be taken, especially when working with raw meat, to prevent foodborne illnesses. This includes thorough cleaning of surfaces and utensils, and frequent hand washing.
How much does homemade cat food cost?
The cost of homemade cat food can vary significantly based on the chosen ingredients, the amount fed, and whether the diet is cooked or raw.
Is raw cat food better than cooked?
While raw cat food is considered biologically appropriate by many animal nutritionists, it carries a risk of bacterial contamination. Cooked diets eliminate this risk. The best choice depends on your research, your cat’s needs, and your comfort level.
How much should I feed my cat?
An average adult cat typically requires around 200 calories per day, which translates to approximately 6 ounces of homemade food. However, this amount can vary based on the food’s calorie content and your cat’s individual needs. Consulting your veterinarian and using online calorie calculators can help determine the appropriate feeding amount.
