Can You Make Your Own Cat Food?

Every cat has an individual need. The idea of providing your feline friend with a healthy diet should be the top of your concern. While it’s almost impossible to make a 100 percent healthy cat diet, you can always try some food preparations that could be ideal for your cat

Interestingly, there are always drawbacks whether you use wet or dry cat food. This can happen due to the flavors, ingredients, textures, and even artificial components. This is the reason why it is impossible to have cat food based on mass-market industrial products.

Also, cats are carnivores by nature. They consume raw meat and not grains. This is a reality that is being overlooked by most cat owners who love to buy kibbles with corn and wheat. If this continues, your feline friend will experience poor metabolism, allergic reactions, sensitivities, stomach upset, poor digestion, excessive weight, and many other possible diseases.

As a matter of rule, cat food should be about what cats originally ate—fish and other prey.

This is the reason why it is not impossible for you to create an ideal menu for your cat.

“For people, homemade meals are almost always healthier than what you can buy ready-to-eat from the store. It stands to reason that the same would be true for our feline friends, right? Not necessarily,” said the pet nutritionists at PET MD.

“It’s a good idea to learn all that is involved in making nutritionally complete and balanced cat food before you rush out and buy a bunch of ingredients. The process may not be as simple as you imagine,” the cat food experts added.

The cat food experts maintained that making your cat’s food at home gives some benefits because you have complete control over the types of ingredients that you use. 

A hungry Bengal cat reaches for food with its paw

“For example, a natural canned cat food will be free from artificial colors, flavor, and preservatives, and it can also be grain-free and made from the types of ingredients you’d use in a homemade cat food,” the Pet MD experts said.

“With the wide range of unique cat foods available (such as duck and potato), it’s also quite easy to find options that will meet the needs of cats with dietary sensitivities. Commercial veterinary diets are made under the strictest quality control standards to avoid cross-contamination that can lead to symptom flare-ups,” they added.

Indeed, you can help your kitty by preparing an ideal menu consisting of what they eat, such as prey and fish. Treat your pet by using essential ingredients in their diet, including fish, chicken, and meat. You don’t have to be a cooking expert to try homemade cat recipes. All you need is half an hour’s dedication and some commonly available items of cookery.

Note: remember to avoid any health issues; cooked meat as the main course should be given once in a while. It cannot be a substitute for your pet’s typical long-term foodstuff.

Following are the top 5 homemade cat food recipes:

1. Homemade Cat Food

Ingredients

Poultry meat/bones/skin, 3 pounds

Chicken liver, 4 ounces

Water, 1 ½ cups

Eggs, 2

Bone meal, 2 tablespoon

Whole psyllium husk, 1 tablespoon

Wysong add life dog and cat food supplement, 1 tablespoon

Welactin fish oil liquid, 10 scoops

Iodinated salt, ½ teaspoon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oven-bake the poultry meat for almost 50 to 55 minutes. Remove the bones from the meat once cooked, and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Take a non-stick frying pan and let the liver cook in it at low flame for at least 20 minutes. Keep stirring the meat. 

For 8 to 10 minutes, boil the eggs. After removing the shells, let them cool for some time. Cut into bite-sized pieces. 

Mix well all the ingredients together.

This recipe serves one cat for nearly 10 to 12 days if the average diet per day is 4 to 6 ounces.

2. Tuna Balls Recipe

Ingredients

Tin of tuna, standard size

Catnip, 1 to 2 tablespoons

Eggs, 2 

Coconut Flour, 2 tablespoon

Water, 2 tablespoon

Equipment

Food blender

Instructions

At 350°F, preheat the oven. Combine all the ingredients, including tuna, catnip, eggs, coconut flour, and water, with the help of a blender. 

Take the blend and shape it into bite-sized round balls. Set the balls in a tray. 

For 15 minutes, put the tray in the preheated oven. Let the food cool down. 

Serve these yummy tuna balls to your cat

3. Raw Chicken Cat Meal

Ingredients

Chicken thighs/bone/skin, 4.5 pounds

Chicken hearts, 14 ounces

Chicken liver, 7 ounces

Water, 2 cups

Eggs (whole or yolks, as per taste), 4

Vitamin B supplement, 200mg

Taurine, 200 mg

Iodinated salt, as per taste

Vitamin E, 200 IU

Preparation Time

40 minutes

Instructions

Remove the bones from the 20% of meat. Grind the rest of the meat, liver, and hearts. Cut the meat into small edible pieces. 

Take a large dish and mix all vitamin supplements, eggs, and salt. Then add water. Whisk the eggs well. 

Combine all three mixtures, sliced meat, supplements with eggs, and grounded meat. Thoroughly mix them all.

The food is ready to serve!

Storage

Keep the leftovers in an airtight container to avoid contamination. You can freeze the meal in the refrigerator for many days.

Pet owner holding bowl with feeding for his hungry cat at home kitchen

4. Homemade Trout Dinner

Ingredients

Trout fish, 1 cup, fully cooked

Egg yolk, 1, cooked

Sunflower oil, 2 tablespoon

Preparation Time

25 minutes

Equipment

Food processor

Instructions

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, including trout fish, egg yolk, and sunflower oil. Mash until blended well. 

Storage

Leftover food can be easily stored for up to 3 days in the fridge.

5. Homemade Feline Breakfast

Ingredients

Non-fat powdered milk, 1 tablespoon

Eggs, medium-sized, 3

Cottage cheese, 3 tablespoon

Grated vegetables, 2 tablespoon

Instructions

In a small amount of water, mix powdered milk. Whisk the eggs well. When done, add eggs into the milk mixture. Pour this mixture into a non-stick skillet. 

On a medium flame, cook until done. Spread cottage cheese and veggies after flipping the cooked mixture. 

Fold it like an omelet. Let it cool for some time. Cut into small bite-sized pieces. 

Preparation Time

15 minutes

Essential Nutrients Needed for a Balanced Meal

Your kitty needs the following essential nutrients for a healthy and balanced diet:

1. Vitamins

The essential vitamins in the feline diet are:

Vitamin A

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin K

Vitamin B1, B6, B12

Riboflavin

Folic acid

Niacin

Pantothenic acid

Taurine 

The most challenging part is to estimate the number of vitamins needed in homemade cat meals. To make this easier, consult a veterinarian and together make a plan for a healthy diet for your beloved pet.

Supplements can be the substitute for any lacking vitamins in food. But it’s always better for your cat to get nutrition from food sources rather than supplementation. Cats lack the enzyme responsible for converting Beta-Carotene (pro-vitamin found in plant sources) into vitamin A; therefore, vitamin A needs to be provided from animal sources (like Liver, kidney, etc.). 

Some rich sources containing Vitamin D for the feline diet are beef liver, tuna, mackerel, and salmon.

Eggs are a good source of vitamin E. Whereas vitamin B is present in the liver, brown rice, poultry, fish, and red meat. Vitamin B is required for the well-being of your cat.

2. Water

Usually, cats don’t drink much water because their wild ancestors gained moisture from their prey while living in dry climates. Since the pet kitty does not prey, they have this little instinct to drink water. Make sure your cat is well hydrated by feeding the kind of foods that are good for retaining moisture. 

gray shorthair cat and food can

3. Fats and Carbohydrates

Fats are essential for the absorption of vitamins and minerals. However, excessive intake may lead to obesity. Similarly, fats are needed to absorb fatty acids, which in turn are needed for your pet’s reproduction, healthy skin, wound healing, etc. An adult cat needs 5 grams of fats daily.

Carbohydrate is a source of energy. There is no specific quantity for the daily intake of carbs, but science suggests it should not be more than 2% of the meal. 

4. Protein

You should be well aware of how much protein your cat needs before trying homemade recipes or ready-made formulas. The daily protein requirement roughly changes with age grading. 12.5 grams of protein per day is needed by an adult cat, as a rule. 

This amount increases with increasing age number. High-protein food is not always the answer, as said by a veterinarian. Feeding your cat the primary rich sources of protein (like chicken, turkey, beef, or rabbit) will be good for enough growth and development.

5. Supplements

It’s always wise to supply nutrients from natural sources rather than supplements, but in case of any deficiency, supplementation plays a key role. That being said, consult your veterinarian before starting a supplement for better advice. Never exceed the recommended dosing.

Ingredients to Avoid in Feline Diet

Onions and garlic are a big NO in your kitty meal. 

Even though cats may need raw food, raw eggs are an exceptional case.

Anything with grapes should never be included in a cat’s diet. 

Chocolate or caffeine is dangerous for your pet’s health. 

Adding sweets or sugar is unhealthy, as they cannot taste sweet anyway.

Conclusion

Trying new homemade recipe treats for your pet is easy-peasy. Newbie cooks can give it a try too! However, the most important thing is to know the need for a balanced diet. You should know the special needs of a feline diet; only then can you should add these nutrients to their diet. The best technique is to feed your cat the high-quality market product and treat them with homemade meals once in a while.

Cats being carnivores, are less prone to diseases when they eat natural products. Consider this before formulating a meal, and do not forget to consult a veterinarian before making any changes in a pet’s dietary habits.