Homemade food for your cat: healthy, simple and economical
Guest post by Jodi Ziskin
Over the past few years working with clients and providing public demonstrations and seminars focusing on holistic nutrition for our furry companions, I have discovered that many people are curious about making homemade food for their cats (cooked or raw). However, they are frustrated and confused by conflicting information from a variety of sources.
Common misconceptions about making homemade food for cats
Making homemade food for cats is very time consuming
It actually takes less time than driving to the pet food supply store and back – usually less than a half hour for four days worth of food. Of course, if you have more than two cats, it can take a little bit longer (but not much). Some people prefer making food in bulk (freezing in four day portions) and others prefer making fresh food daily. Personally, I am happy making food once every four days. Cooking time can be greatly reduced by using frozen organic vegetables or steaming extra veggies when preparing foods for you or the human members of your family.
Making homemade food is too expensive
If you are currently feeding your cat a premium canned food that is fit for human consumption, you may be surprised to learn that homemade is much less expensive. If you are feeding an average brand of kibble (never recommended), homemade will cost more but can potentially save you a considerable amount of money in vet bills.
Using $4.00 as the base price of hormone-free/antibiotic-free poultry and meat per pound (you can find less and more expensive), the cost of feeding homemade food for cats is roughly $1 per day, per pet. Buying meat in bulk can reduce prices considerably. Organic poultry and grass-fed meats can be more expensive, but again – buying in bulk can significantly reduce the cost. I always recommend using organic vegetables and fruits (pumpkin is considered a fruit; some cats like blueberries, too). Using frozen vegetables saves money and offers convenience, too.
An average sized cat (9 – 12 lbs) will eat around four-to-five ounces of homemade food per day (two meals per day is recommended, three for some cats). That is much less than the recommended amount of canned food. Homemade food is nutritionally dense; therefore less food is needed to meet nutritional needs. No two cats are the same and portions will vary. The rule of thumb for portion size goes like this: serve four tablespoons of food (1/4 cup) per meal, based on two meals per day. If your cat doesn’t finish everything on his/her plate, it is too much. Next time reduce the serving size by a tablespoon. If your cat finishes everything and sort of look at you like, “Hey, I need more,” give him/her more.
Homemade food doesn’t provide complete nutrition
Poppycock!
In addition to meat, vegetables and sometimes fruits (pumpkin is awesome for cats), I emphasize adding an omega 3 oil (Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Pet is my personal preference), taurine and food-based vitamins and minerals (for proper calcium ratio and to add back what is lost during cooking). I also recommend daily use of a probiotic and digestive enzyme.
It is important to rotate proteins and vegetables to offer your cat a full spectrum of nutrients. You don’t need to go crazy – switching between two or three proteins (let’s say chicken and buffalo, or turkey, beef and rabbit) is fine. Green vegetables can alternate between broccoli, kale, spinach and zucchini. Use pumpkin one batch and sweet potatoes the next. It becomes second nature very quickly.
It is best to work with a holistic or integrative veterinarian or nutrition specialist for personalized recipes as well as supplement suggestions so that your pet’s individual needs are met.
One of the great advantages of preparing homemade foods for your cat(s) is that you have complete control over the ingredients. You can be confident that there are no artificial colors or flavors or flavor enhancers. You also know that the meats are human grade, not from diseased, dying, dead or drugged animals. You know the omega 3s are cold-pressed and aren’t rancid because you added them after cooking. You know that the vegetables are free from pesticides. You know there are no fillers or cheap ingredients like corn, wheat, barley, sorghum and soy.
Another big advantage of a real food diet for pets – low odor and much smaller stools. Because the food is full of nutrients that the body can digest, absorb and assimilate, there is less waste. Isn’t that reason enough to make the switch (wink)?
Jodi Ziskin is a Certified Pet Nutrition Consultant who also holds a Master of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition with a concentration in companion animal care. Her mission is to help cats and dogs live healthier and happier. Through her company, Holistic Healthy Pets by Jodi Z, she educates pet parents in their home environment, via Skype/Facetime or by telephone on how to make the best holistic diet and lifestyle choices for their animal companions. Jodi has been featured in articles appearing in Animal Wellness Magazine, Cat Fancy Magazine and Urban Animal (Australia). She is also a Cat Health Writer for examiner.com and a Nutrition Consultant for Lap Of Love Veterinary Hospice.
Photo of Jodi’s cat Obi enjoying his homecooked meal, used with permission.
Jodi has kindly provided two sample recipes – click on the link to access: Recipes for homemade cat food by Jodi Ziskin
This is good information -would be more informative with a recipe or two.
Stacey, I’ve added a link to two of Jodi’s recipes to the post.
But cats are obligate carnivore.
I have been mixing raw (ground dark chicken & chicken livers (from an upper scale store, free cage/no hormones…) with some canned food.
why add vegetables?
D
Unless you’re adding a supplement mix designed for cats, feeding only meat may not be quite nutritionally complete. The veggies can add vitamins and antioxidants. The percentage of veggies should be 5% or less. Think of it as what cats would consume in the wild: the only veggies they would eat are the stomach contents of their prey.
I’m against feeding vegetables to cats as a source of a balanced diet. According to feline nutrition, the main benefit they get out of eating the stomach and intestines of prey is the bacteria, which you would not get from just feeding a cat vegetables. http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-the-stomach-contents-of-prey
There’s some controversy on this issue, Zee. I look for diets with a vegetable content of less than 5%.
I have an 8 year old overweight tabby and a 7 month old kitten…they keep eating each others food food, would I be able to feed them the same recipe so I don’t have to worry about low calorie food and kitten food?
Deneen, yes, you can feed the same recipe to both cats. You’re going to have to adjust amounts so your growing kitten gets enough, and your overweight tabby doesn’t get too much. Depending on how they act at feeding time, you may need to feed them in separate rooms.
Nice info. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while. Do I need to purchase vitamins to mix in with the food though?
Yes, you do, Doris. If you click through on the link for the sample recipes at the end of the post, Jodi has some recommendations. I like the Rx Essentials for Cat multi vitamin.
We totally want to do this – as soon as we get our kitchen back….!
We’d love to hear how you like your homemade food when you get your kitchen back.
Thank you. A keeper =^.^=
Purrs
“Another big advantage of a real food diet for pets – low odor and much smaller stools. Because the food is full of nutrients that the body can digest, absorb and assimilate, there is less waste. Isn’t that reason enough to make the switch (wink)?”
Can you link to a science paper or valid textbook ?
I don’t have any scientific evidence for this, but I’ve certainly experienced it with my own cats, Alex. It’s one of the first things most people notice when they start feeding raw.
Absent the availability of a consulting holistic vet or nutritionist, are there recipes one can use to replicate the “100% Complete” nutrition of premium cat foods?
I believe that no food is “100% complete,” Mr. Mooch. That’s why I recommend variety and rotation feeding – rotating several different brands and proteins to ensure balanced nutrition. We don’t expect any one food to be “100% complete” in human nutrition, and I don’t think we should expect it from pet food, either. Most holistic veterinarians would most likely support this view.
just wondering if these homemade food recipes are ok for a diabetic cat?
I would run the recipe by a holistic veterinarian who is well-versed in nutrition, Dawn. Alternately, services such as PetDiets.com or BalanceIt.com have veterinary nutritionists available who can help you formulate homemade diets for cats with health issues.
Do not follow the advice in this article. People like this give those of us who make homemade food for our cats a bad name. Cats are carnivores–they should not be given vegetables as stated above. It’s also completely unnecessary to vary the meat products they eat. Chicken alone (ground up whole raw chicken–bones and all) with a nutritional supplement (I use Feline Platinum Performance) provides an excellent diet. I’ve had the diet checked out by the vet school at a major research university and they said the diet gives our cat everything he needs. For a better source, see the book “Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life.” It’s written by a vet with decades of experience specializing in feline nutrition. Oh, and our cat’s poop doesn’t smell and he he has a gorgeous coat.
As I said to a previous commenter, there is some controversy about the issue of using veggies in homemade food for cats. I follow Dr. Lisa Pierson’s advice, which is to look for diets that are no more than 5% produce, and 95% or more meat.
We use fish too. Any thoughts about fish protein?
I don’t like to use fish except as a rare treat. Here’s why: http://consciouscat.net/2011/07/18/does-your-cat-love-fish/
I don’t live in the USA. Most of the organic products in my country are imported and they are 4-6 times more expensive. As such, I can’t even afford to eat organic food, let alone my cat…