Last updated Aug 9, 2024
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Note: The cat food recipes in this article are not intended to be the basis for a complete diet.
Whether you’ve got a cat with complex dietary needs or you’re frustrated by a lack of appropriate commercial options, you may be wondering if homemade cat food is a better bet. Making your own cat food from scratch sounds like a wonderful way to customize your cat’s diet—and show them a little extra love—but it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.
It takes time and research (not to mention a significant financial investment) to create a complete and balanced diet for your cat. Unless you’re working closely with a veterinary nutritionist, the risks may outweigh any potential benefit.
In this article, you’ll learn how to choose a homemade cat food recipe and receive tips for achieving balanced nutrition. You’ll also find five homemade cat food recipes to try yourself.
How to Assess Homemade Cat Food Recipes
Before we dive into the details, we want to make one thing clear: homemade cat food isn’t the right choice for every cat or cat parent. It’s important to talk to your veterinarian before making the switch and keep them involved in the process to ensure your cat doesn’t develop any nutritional deficiencies.
Many of the homemade cat food recipes online miss the mark. They might be packed with species-appropriate animal protein but lack other essential nutrients. Or they may contain the right nutrients in the wrong balance.
When researching homemade cat food recipes, keep an eye out for signs that the recipe might not be nutritionally balanced (or that it’s otherwise inappropriate for your cat). Here are some examples:
- The recipe wasn’t developed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist or an expert in veterinary nutrition.
- It doesn’t mention nutrient values or appear to be formulated in accordance with AAFCO minimums.
- The recipe is overly simple—if it doesn’t include supplements, variety is key to meeting minimum nutrient requirements.
- It doesn’t provide instructions for portioning the food according to your cat’s needs or offer estimates on calorie content.
- The recipe notes specify that the food is intended for supplemental feeding only.
Unless you’re a veterinary nutritionist yourself, we don’t recommend creating homemade cat food without a recipe. Nutritional balance is extremely important, and it may be difficult to achieve the necessary amounts of trace nutrients unless you choose your ingredients intentionally. Read on to learn about a product that might make the task a little easier.
Why We Recommend Using a Premix Supplement
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
It’s possible to replicate a wild feline diet using specific ratios of muscle meat, organs, and bone but it’s tricky. Such diets usually require multiple animal sources for muscle meat and organs to prevent deficiencies or excesses of key nutrients.
For example, liver from duck and ruminants (like beef and lamb) are richer in vitamin A than from chicken and pork. Using only chicken and pork liver may not be ideal, however, because it doesn’t contain enough copper.
To sidestep nutritional challenges, many cat parents add supplements to their homemade cat food.
We recommend homemade cat food premix supplements, also known as meal completers. They’re formulated to fill in the nutritional gaps when mixed with fresh meat. But they’re not perfect. You still have to do some research and consult your veterinarian to find the product that best suits your cat’s needs and your homemade diet plan.
Here are some things to consider when shopping for a homemade diet premix:
Formulated By a Veterinary Nutritionist
Licensed veterinarians are trained to diagnose and treat small animals but most veterinary programs have limited coverage for animal nutrition. A recipe developed by a veterinarian is a good start but one formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist is better.
Provides Complete and Balanced Nutrition
Read the fine print to determine whether the premix is formulated according to AAFCO or FEDIAF nutrient requirements. Some products are only intended for supplemental feeding and others require the addition of eggs, liver, or other ingredients to fill nutritional gaps.
Consider Specialized Formulas
Some premix companies offer multiple formulas for cats in different life stages or with specific dietary requirements. For example, a recipe formulated for senior cats might have lower levels of phosphorus to support kidney health.
Consider the Type of Diet You’re Feeding
Many meal completers are intended to be mixed with ground or chopped meat. Such products may contain higher levels of calcium than premixes designed to be used with a mixture of ground meat and bone. Decide what kind of diet you want to feed and select a product formulated specifically for that diet.
5 Sample Recipes for Homemade Cat Food
Below you’ll find a small sample of homemade cat food recipes. The collection includes several recipes balanced through the use of a premix supplement and others through ingredient variety and the use of individual supplements. We purchased the ingredients for all five recipes then prepared and tested them ourselves.
Note: The following recipes have been gathered from online sources or, where applicable, taken from the manufacturer’s instructions for the premix supplement being featured. Whether you use one of these recipes or another, we recommend working with a veterinary nutritionist to tailor it to your cat’s specific needs.
1. Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Recipe (using Balance It® Carnivore Blend® premix)
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Balance.it is a homemade pet food solutions company based in the United States. It was founded in 2003 by Dr. Sean Delaney, BS, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Nutrition), a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. It’s essentially an online service that builds custom pet food recipes using the brand’s assortment of premix powders.
I used the Balance.it recipe builder to create a recipe for a 10-pound, 5-year-old neutered male cat. Out of four recipes, I selected the high-protein, low-carb option. This recipe makes about 170 grams of food and contains 265 calories.
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 the turkey breast at 350℉ until it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
- Bake the sweet potato with the turkey until the flesh is tender.
- Scoop the flesh from the sweet potato out of the skin and weigh out the desired portion.
- Finely chop the turkey breast then weigh out the amount needed.
- Combine the sweet potato and turkey in a mixing bowl.
- Add the supplements and stir well to combine.
- Divide into the desired number of meals, feeding one immediately.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrient Content:
- Protein: 113.43g
- Fat: 36.79g
- Fiber: 7.78g
- Ash: 7.58g
- Carbs: 48.84g
Caloric Distribution
- Protein: 47.73%
- Fat: 32.59%
- Carbs: 19.68%
- Moisture: 66.04%
Notes: If you want to prepare multiple meals at once, you can prepare extra turkey and sweet potato. Weigh out the proper portions and combine them in airtight containers. Add the supplements just before feeding. Freeze any extra you won’t use in 3-4 days.
2. Cooked Meat Recipe (using EZComplete Fur Cats)
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Food Fur Life is a homemade pet food supplement company based in the United States. The brand’s EZComplete Premixes are made with human-grade ingredients and manufactured in an FDA registered and inspected facility. EZComplete Fur Cats requires nothing more than boneless meat and water. Pet parents have the option to serve the food raw, or they can cook the meat before adding the premix.
Food Fur Life recommends using lean proteins like turkey breast, chicken thigh, or pork loin with EZComplete Fur Cats. I chose to prepare a cooked version of this recipe using ground beef I already had on hand. To reduce the fat content, I skimmed off the fat after cooking the beef.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. (907g) ground meat, cooked
- ½ cup (53.3g) EZComplete Fur Cats
- 1 ½ cups (12 oz.) water
Instructions:
- Place the ground meat in a slow cooker.
- Add ¼ cup of water per pound of meat then cover the cooker with the lid.
- Cook on low heat for 4-6 hours until the meat is cooked through.
- Let the meat cool then shred or finely chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- Stir in the EZComplete until it is thoroughly mixed in.
- Divide the mixture into individual portions—try to divide the cooking juices as evenly as possible.
- Refrigerate or freeze the portions in airtight containers and feed as desired.
Nutrient Content (Dry Matter)
- Protein: 85%
- Fat: 11%
- Fiber: 0%
- Ash: 4%
- Carbs: 0%
Notes: The nutritional values above are taken from Food Fur Life’s nutrient analysis using EZComplete with turkey breast.
3. Raw Ground Rabbit Recipe (using Alnutrin for Meat & Bone)
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Alnutrin premix supplements are made by Alternative Nutrition, LLC. The company was founded in 2008 by Marta Kaspar and is based in the United States. Alnutrin offers a small selection of supplements and three premixes formulated according to AAFCO nutrient profiles. Two premixes contain calcium for use with boneless meat and the third is for homemade recipes including meat, organs, and bone.
Because one of my cats has food allergies, I feed them both a rabbit-based commercial diet but have been curious to try homemade cat food. I selected Alnutrin’s Meat & Bone premix because it’s specifically designed to be used with whole rabbit or chicken (with bone and organs).
Ingredients:
- 1 pack (4g) Alnutrin for Meat & Bone
- ¼ cup (60g) water
- 1 lbs (454g) ground raw rabbit meat & bones
Instructions:
- Cut the meat off the rabbit carcass and chop it into 1-inch pieces.
- Chop or crush the bones into pieces small enough to feed through your meat grinder.
- Grind the meat, bones, and organs into a bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Alnutrin and water.
- Stir the mixture into the ground rabbit then divide into portions and freeze.
Nutrient Content (Dry Matter)
- Protein: 65.3%
- Fat: 15.7%
- Fiber: NA
- Ash: 3.44%
- Carbs: 0%
Nutrient Analysis (As Fed, per 100g)
- Protein: 13.5g
- Fat: 3.24g
- Fiber: 0g
- Ash: 0.71g
- Moisture:3g
Notes: This premix is designed to be used with a combination of meat, organs, and bone. If you’re using whole rabbit, check to be sure it includes the organs. If not, you may need to source them elsewhere or use a different premix. The nutrient analyses above are taken from Alnutrin’s nutrient analysis using a whole dressed rabbit carcass.
4. Ground Chicken Thigh with Bone and Organs Recipe (from Feline Nutrition Foundation)
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
If you’re willing to put a little more work into your cat’s homemade diet, you can prepare your own cat food using raw meat with bone, organs, and supplements. This recipe was created by the Feline Nutrition Foundation and is commonly recommended by raw diet supporters and even raw diet brands like Hare Today.
I prepared this recipe using fresh chicken thighs, chicken organs, egg yolks, and supplements. To grind the animal ingredients, I used the Weston Electric #12 meat grinder and sausage stuffer. I had a little trouble with some of the bones but it helped to crush them a little before feeding them through.
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 the skin from half the chicken thighs and the bone from 20-25% of them.
- Weigh out 4.5 pounds from the remaining chicken and rinse it well.
- Cut the chicken meat and organs into 1-inch pieces and crush the bones as much as you can.
- Feed these ingredients through your meat grinder along with the salmon oil capsules.
- In a small bowl, 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.
Nutrient Content (Dry Matter)
- Protein: 53.53%
- Fat: 33.06%
- Fiber: 0.81%
- Ash: 2.75%
- Carbs: 1.96%
Nutrient Analysis (As Fed, per 100g)
- Protein: 10.3g
- Fat: 6.36g
- Fiber: 0g
- Ash: 0.53g
Notes: The creator of this recipe recommends using wild salmon oil or small fish oil in capsule form because it doesn’t go bad as quickly as liquid. Do not use cod liver oil—it’s too high in vitamin A for cats. For the other supplements, by dry powder in capsules (or loose powder).
5. Prey Model Raw Diet Recipe (from Little Carnivore)
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
The Prey Model Raw (PMR) diet is a popular method for formulating homemade raw cat food. The general ratio for the diet is 80% meat, 10% bones, and 10% organs (80/10/10). The PMR+ diet follows the PMR ratios but includes supplements to fill in any remaining nutritional gaps.
Because nutrient content varies greatly from one animal ingredient to another, it’s important to include variety when following this model. I put together the following recipe following the guidelines set forth by Coline Doebelin, a feline nutritionist and creator of The Little Carnivore raw feeding website. I calculated ingredient ratios for a 1,000g batch of food.
Ingredients:
- 220g white meat (e.g. chicken, turkey, rabbit)
- 220g red meat (e.g. beef, lamb, duck, veal)
- 100g chicken hearts (or other heart)
- 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 the ingredients into 1-inch pieces and crush the bones, if needed, to feed them through your meat grinder.
- Grind the ingredients together in the appropriate ratio OR grind all ingredients separately and weigh out the appropriate amount.
- To determine feeding amount and supplement dosages, use The Little Carnivore calculator and your cat’s body weight.
- Divide the ground mixture into the appropriate portions and freeze in airtight containers.
- At mealtime, measure out the recommended supplements and mix with the thawed food just before serving.
Nutrient Content (Dry Matter)
- Protein: 57.09%
- Fat: 30.3%
- Fiber: 0%
- Ash: 4.44%
- Carbs: 0.62%
Note: Nutrient content varies depending on the ingredients you use. This is an estimate using primarily chicken, turkey, and beef ingredients.
Nutrient Analysis (As Fed, per 100g)
- Protein: 11.3g
- Fat: 6.2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Ash: 0.88g
- Carbs: 0.12g
Notes: There are many ways to create a recipe using PMR ratios—this recipe is just what I came up with using ingredients I had on hand or could easily access. If you want to try it yourself, I recommend thoroughly reviewing the guidelines on The Little Carnivore and working with your vet (or a veterinary nutritionist) to tailor the recipe to your cat’s needs.
Best Supplies to Make Homemade Cat Food
We recommend a homemade diet consisting of ground meat (or ground meat and bone) and a premix supplement tailored to your cat’s nutritional needs. Here’s a preview of some of our top recommendations for these products, including the meat grinder I used to test the recipes.
Weston Butcher Series Electric Meat Grinder Commercial Grade 1HP Motor
- Powerful 1HP motor quickly grinds meat and soft bone
- Economically priced around $200
- Countertop-friendly size with two grinding speeds
Balance It Feline
- Formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist
- Multiple formulas for different life stages and health concerns
- Easy-to-use recipe calculator
EZComplete fur Cats
- Formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines
- Made in the USA with human-grade ingredients
- Just add boneless meat and water
Alnutrin for Meat & Bone
- Formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines
- Several products, including one for diets containing meat, bone, and liver
- Free recipes available on the website
TCfeline
- Formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines for all life stages
- Made in the USA to mimic the nutritional value of mice
- Special formula available with low phosphorus for kidney concerns
Raw Meow Mix
- Formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profile minimums
- Made in Australia
- Broad line of options, including low-phosphorus and hypoallergenic formulas
Purrform
- Available in the UK and Europe
- Likely formulated according to FEDIAF nutritional standards
- Just add boneless meat
Frequently Asked Questions
Is homemade cat food safe?
Commercial cat food is processed in specific ways to destroy foodborne pathogens. If you’re switching to homemade cat food, you’ll need to take certain precautions to keep you and your cat safe. For example, take these precautions when working with raw meat:
• Clean and disinfect all surfaces and cooking tools (food bowls, spoons, etc.) that came into contact with the raw meat
• Wash your hands thoroughly after preparing a meal with raw meat
• Do not allow your cat to lick your face after he’s finished his meal
• If you have children, ensure that they do not touch the raw meat or allow the cat to lick their faces after the cat finishes his meal
When properly prepared and stored, homemade cat food is perfectly safe.
How much does homemade cat food cost?
The cost of homemade cat food varies significantly depending on the ingredients you choose and the amount you feed your cat. Pricing will also vary depending whether you chose a cooked or raw homemade diet.
Is raw cat food better than cooked?
Raw cat food is generally regarded as the most biologically appropriate diet for cats by animal nutritionists, but it isn’t the right choice for every cat owner. Also, raw meats can contain bacteria, such as E. coli, that cause foodborne diseases. Do some research to compare the different options and decide which works best for your cat.
How much should I feed my cat?
The average adult cat needs about 200 calories per day, or about 6 ounces of homemade food. The calorie content of the food will vary, of course, depending on the proteins and fats you use. Talk to your veterinarian and consult online calorie calculators to determine your cat’s specific calorie requirements and go from there.
Hi Kate
I stumbled on this article on my search to learn more about homemade food for my cats (currently make my own dog food) but cats are so unique.
I noticed only a couple recipes have a moisture % and I’m curious why each one doesn’t list this?
I ask because I have a Siamese who is prone to struvite crystals so is in “prescription ” cat food.
Cats with crystal issues need bigger moisture levels to avoid these so I’m curious your thoughts on this.
I really am wanting to get my pets on healthy food options as kibble is beyond toxic. Thanks in advance!
https://cats.com/homemade-cat-food-recipes
Hi Diona,
Kate is taking some time off.
There is a formula you can use to estimate the moisture % like so:
Step 1: Calculate total dry matter percentage (As-Fed Basis)
The total dry matter percentage on an as-fed basis (AF) is the sum of all nutrients on an as-fed basis. Add the values:
Dry Matter (AF)
=
Protein (AF)
+
Fat (AF)
+
Fiber (AF)
+
Ash (AF)
+
Carbs (AF)
Dry Matter (AF)=Protein (AF)+Fat (AF)+Fiber (AF)+Ash (AF)+Carbs (AF)
From the as-fed data:
Dry Matter (AF)
=
10.3
+
6.36
+
0
+
0.53
+
0
=
17.19
%
Dry Matter (AF)=10.3+6.36+0+0.53+0=17.19%
Step 2: Calculate moisture percentage
Using the formula:
Moisture %
=
100
−
Dry Matter (AF)
Moisture %=100−Dry Matter (AF)
Moisture %
=
100
−
17.19
=
82.81
%
Moisture %=100−17.19=82.81%
(Example done with recipe #4 on the list)
I am intuitively rejecting the canola oil on this one. Though not toxic to cats like some people temporarily thought, I tend to stay away from things that even over time can cause pancreatitis or gastro issues. Salmon oil or an alternative might be a better choice even though the article states this is not intended to be a complete diet.
Thank you for being willing to share your work and research so far! We love knowing what’s really inside the food we consume. I would recommend (with all my heart) not to use the following oils (Corn oil: High in omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause inflammation and liver damage.
Soybean oil: High in omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fats, which can spike cholesterol levels.
Cottonseed oil: High in omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fats, similar to soybean oil.
Sunflower oil: High in omega-6 fatty acids and prone to oxidation when heated, leading to the formation of harmful compounds.
Peanut oil: High in omega-6 fatty acids and prone to oxidation when heated.
Sesame oil: High in omega-6 fatty acids and prone to oxidation when heated.
Palm oil: Can be sourced unsustainably, leading to environmental concerns, and is high in saturated fats. or Vegetable oils). Table salt should also never be consumed as a human or pet owner. Flax, avocado, coconut, olive oil) is an excellent source of omegas. Tallow and ghee are also excellent, but do go bad a little faster. Some brands of sea salt are good, Celtic sea salt has the highest nutritional rating. Note: butchers often have byproducts they throw away at the end of the day. Ask your butcher at the grocery store or meat shop what they have available. If you say it’s for your pets, they will often give you a deal.
In Hawaii we have opportunity to eat nori, a sheet of seaweed created for wrapping rice. It’s also sometime eaten plain as a crunchy snack. My cat always would beg for it and it is high in minerals. When I made homemade cat food I added some- torn up rather small ,and they liked it the cat food. Regarding eating grains, maybe it’s more for dogs/ wolves that they might eat some of the fermented seeds and grasses in the stomach of prey. Because I made my cat food before I read your article, I did use some oatmeal because I thought it would help hold everything together (and it’s softer than rice- which I can’t see why they added anyway ) now I think maybe I wont, but what do you think about oatmeal? I will keep adding nori. I believe it’s mineral rich. I notice you don’t add bone meal and used ground eggshells in one recipe. Eggshells are possibly chemically treated to market, or might contain feces if home gathered, so I’d think bone meal might be better. Again, your thoughts?
Hi JennTiffer, I don’t see why oatmeal would be a problem. My only concern is whether the recipe you’re using is nutritionally balanced. We’re actually working on an update for this article with new recipes using premix supplements to provide the right balance of the nutrients cats need. Check back soon for an update!
Hi,
I’ve a qiestion, I’ve helard that any sort of salt is harmful for kitties i.e. Iodized, uniodixed or sea salt. Salts can cause kidney diseases in them!
Is it true or a hoax?
Hi Sam, sodium is an essential mineral for cats and many commercial cat food recipes add it in the form of salt. That said, you’re correct that too much sodium or salt can be bad for cats. That’s why it’s important to feed your cat a properly formulated product or use a vet-approved recipe to avoid nutritional imbalances.
What kind of meat grinder do you suggest that can handle the bones too?
Good question, Laurel. I’m in the process of researching this myself! From comments I’ve read on homemade pet food forums, it seems the best grinders that can handle bones are going to be the more expensive ones. People seem to like Weston and Tasin brands, specifically Weston #8 and Tasin 108 for bones. People recommend cutting the bones into small pieces as much as possible before grinding.
I am a beginner and I do feed Ash 2 kinds of Orijin dry(mixed) which has minerals and viamins added. Do I need to add the vitamins and minerals to the raw? Due to mouth work before adopting, he is so picky and only likes a smooth pate. I am off of any commercial wet food. (due to the sodium selenite &j Medadione Sodium Bissulfite). I am not sure he will eat raw he likes Safe Catch salmon(no salt) added to his dry (pureed in the juice). I did check out Darwin’s Natural Pet Products but that is not an option at present. More supplemental minerals and vitamins yetn needed? suggestions
Good question, Laurel! Any food that makes up a significant portion of your cat’s staple diet needs to be complete and balanced. If you’re not using a nutritionally complete raw food, consider looking into a nutrient premix like TC Feline (there are other brands too). You just mix it with raw meat and water to create a balanced homemade diet. Here’s some info about TC Feline: https://cats.com/tcfeline-cat-food-review
Rice is a carb, isn’t it? Rice isn’t a good food for cats. I know that some cheaper pet foods may use it, but cats can only have a little once in a while. And tho it’s not toxic, if I’m going to the trouble to prepare my own cat food, why would *I* want to add rice?
Hi Betsy! You’re right, carbohydrates like rice shouldn’t be the foundation of a diet for cats. As noted in the article, this particular recipe is designed to be used occasionally and not as the basis for a complete diet.
Great recipes except for one thing. Why all the salmon oil and other fish oils in the rabbit, chicken, pork etc recipes? My cat is highly allergic to fish, and every can of sold cat food has fish and fish oil in it. I found out the hard way. I brought my kitty a can of cat food, she took two mouthfuls of it and was violently ill. Not all cats are the same, we need more though t to be put into recipes for the kitties.
Sorry to hear about your cat’s struggles, Nikk! Fish oil is a strong source of omega-3 fatty acids and, unfortunately, one of the easiest options for homemade cat food recipes. You may want to ask your vet first, but there is an algae-based omega-3 oil that could be a possible substitute in your cat’s case. You can find it on Chewy here
Can bone meal be used as a substitute for the ground bone? I don’t feel comfortable with grinding bones. What if I make a mistake? If so what would be the portion for the bone meal? Thank you.
Hey there. You can substitute bone meal for the ground bone in these recipes. Another option is a product called MCHA, which is microcrystalline hydroxyapatite calcium. In contrast to bone meal, which is cooked, this is a freeze-dried bone powder and retains more of the nutritional qualities of fresh ground bone. Remember that, in addition to the variations in nutritional value from cut of meat to cut of meat, different bone meal brands will have different levels of vitamins and minerals. However, the standard recommendation is between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of bone meal for every pound of meat in the recipe. Given all of the complexities here, I’m afraid I can’t give a confident substitution ratio, and I would recommend consulting with a veterinary nutritionist before altering a cat food recipe.
Can cats and doig have supplements made for humans?
Yes! Most of these cat food supplements are straightforward enough that they don’t contain any additives that would be harmful to cats.
Hello!
I don’t know if this has been mentioned before but the numbers are wrong in your recipe # 3 from this site: https://www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org. The right amount of liver is 3.2 ounces (not 2) and the right amount of kidney is 1.6 ounces (not 6). if you DO use kidneys, you are to reduce the amount of liver to 1.6 ounces). Here is where you can find the original recipe: https://www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org/balanced-raw-food-recipe-with-nutritional-analysis.html
Yikes, thank you so much for letting us know! Correcting the article now. 🙏
Thank you for the recipes. We currently have a colony of 8 cats plus one very feral girl. They had been on a diet of Wellness Brand cat food and devour a 12.5 oz can per day. They are fed high-quality kibble in the evening. The cost for canned cat food was $32/week not counting supplemental canned fish. I made cat food in the past and I have just renewed the practice. I have a meat grinder and pressure processor. Taurine comes from “Bulk Supplements,” B complex, fish oil, etc. comes from whoever has the best price. And of course, I invested in canning jars. I need to find organ meats. Maybe a butcher shop. There has been zero problem in switching the kitties to my homemade food.. They love it. I add some vegetative matter — like green peas or string beans – for fiber. I don’t really want to use psylum husk. I make up enough food for at least two weeks at a time. For immediate use I refrigerate; for longer term storage, I can it at 15 lb pressure. I won’t use raw meat. The chicken is roasted from COSTCO. Including supplements, I estimate I am spending a little over $7 per week for wet cat food and giving them better nutrition than store-bought. By the way, I grind the egg shells and add to the mix as a calcium. source. I also boil down the bones that are too large to grind and use that as a source of chicken broth. I suspect our cats eat better than a lot of people do.
Thank you for these recipes! They seem ideal. My cats refuse to eat Smalls, and every other high-quality food I give them has some snag or another — inappropriate “gum” binders**, for example.
I want to try these recipes, but am of course concerned about contamination and other risks with raw food.
What if I were to steam or slow-cook the mash of raw ingredients and then add the taurine and vitamins etc?
Could there be a way to cook the raw parts and retain as much nutrition as possible?
**Also, how about using gelatin as a binding agent?
Hi Naima, yes, you can make cooked cat food that is nutritionally complete and balanced—you just need to use a recipe developed for cooked ingredients. This vet-written page has some information on doing so.
I thought cats couldn’t process salt. Is it safe to add salt to their diet?
Cats can process salt, and many cat foods contain added salt as a source of sodium. I would consider it safe as long as the amounts are not excessive.
what would you consider excessive? so many commercial brands of “wet” cat foods do not indicate percentage levels of salt as do human consumption canned foods, so how is it measured to determine what is accepable and what is excessive? Please reply to my email [email protected]
The AAFCO has established a minimum amount of sodium that cats require to stay healthy, and manufacturers will often add salt to meet that requirement. But for food made in the United States, there is no official upper safe limit. In fact, an article by Dr. Jennifer Coates on PetMD mentions a 2015 study that found no adverse effect after cats ate diets with abnormally high levels of sodium for 2 years! Still, the National Research Council (another organization that establishes standards for pet food) puts the safe upper limit of sodium in feline diets at 740 mg/mJ (megajoule) of metabolizable energy (ME), or 1.25 g/kg in 4000 kcal ME/kg diets).
My container of Whole Foods Organic Psyllium Husk powder has a warning label regarding high lead levels. I tossed it.
Great Information! Thank you
You failed to mention the many precautions that should be taken when handling and processing raw meat, organs, and ground bones. The CDC recommends against feeding a raw diet to cats and dogs. The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes the unregulated feeding of raw foods to pets. No vet would simply recommend a raw food recipe withhout cautioning you on the dangers, and numerous precautions that need to be taken for the safety of you and your cat. The dangers are even greater when feeding older cats, or or cats with compromised immune systems.
From the CDC website:
CDC recommends against feeding raw food to dogs and cats because of the risk of illness to the pet as well as to people living in the household. Do not feed your pet a raw diet. Here is why:
• Raw diets consist of foods such as meat, poultry, milk, and eggs that have not been cooked or treated to remove harmful germs.
• These food items can carry harmful bacteria including Salmonella and Campylobacter.
From the AAHA:
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) approved a policy in August 2012 that discourages feeding raw meat to pets. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) and American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) both endorsed the AAHA statement. The policy was developed independently of the AVMA’s position, but was shared with AVMA prior to posting on the website.
From the AVMA:
The AVMA discourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs as well as humans.
This is helpful information, James. Thanks!
I’m glad someone as yourself brought this to their attention. I would cook every bit of these recipes. As it simply states that it is bad to give cats raw egg. It’s bested to be boiled or fully cooked. Same for all meat
Very one-sided and outdated information. Of course you have to be careful with raw meats. You fail to mention that animals are way less susceptible than humans to the risks involved in eating raw. Big Pet has a big hand in promulgating the anti-raw movement for obvious reasons.
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/why-feed-raw/
https://littlebigcat.com/avma-vs-raw-food/
https://catinfo.org/making-cat-food/#Raw
And yet it’s what they are meant to eat and what many have fed their pets for a long time with great success. It just has to be done right.
I forgot to ask my question, it has to do with the fashionable crushed egg shells, which if soil calcium remediation is your goal, it does the job, but if replenishing calcium electrolytes or combatting osteoporosis, then chalk is not the ideal choice. The absorption by the body is less than dazzling. Calcium carbonate is chalk, and eating chalk will make you poop grout mortar, you bones still as weak as before. The supplement industry correctly features calcium picolinate and citrate as more bioavailable calcium salts, and they even toss in some magnesium and calciferol. These are not hollow sales gimmicks, this is a well studied biochemical process [such a thing is perfectly suited for scientific inquiry, there is one nutrient in question, so the complexity of a creature can be ignored for the most part, and calcium can be measured ad nauseum, and it’s been done. This is all well documented. Questions like is wheatgrass juice a health benefitting thing to consume, and is it worth it to suffer its horrific taste for these benefits. For that, scientists are mute, better ask the hippies. But I digress… Do cats have similar biochemical pathways for calcium absorption to humans? And if yes, could you then please jump to the forefront and discourage the feeding of eggshells to them, as it is pointless and can’t taste any good either! If on the other hand I am the one that needs disabusing, please then, disabuse me!
Mark, this is an excellent question, and I’d like to get to the bottom of it as well, though I’m not sure that I have the background to do so in a timely fashion. Passing this along to our veterinary team to see if one of them has an answer. Thank you!
Hi Mark and thank you Mallory for calling me on to help with this.
The area of calcium absorption and metabolism has not been nearly as well researched in cats compared to humans, so there are many questions that are difficult to answer with authority. While what you say may well be true Mark, I cannot locate any evidence to support your contentions, and meanwhile, calcium carbonate (egg shell) has been used for decades as a supplement for cat food, and it seems to be effective. The amount of calcium and its bioavailability does vary significantly between different sources of calcium and determining which is best can be difficult (Calcium carbonate, Calcium citrate, Calcium sulfate, or calcium chloride). The most important fact to remember is that bone meal (a commonly used supplement in some recipes) contains calcium and phosphorus, so egg shell (calcium carbonate) is definitely better than this, as it does not contain phosphate, and the ratio of calcium:phosphate in the diet has very significant implications. The information given here is general and non-specific: if you want individualised, detailed nutritional advice, you should consider consulting with a dedicated professional service such as Balance IT (www.balancit.com) or consult with a board certified veterinary nutritionist. I hope this helps a bit.
Hello,
I appreciated the “adult supervision” prior to operating the heavy machinery, [meat grinder]. You walk-through of the process was helpful, and motivating. Watching my little beastie dive in to her food is such a pleasure! She came out covered nose to neck when I made poutine gravy thickened with carrageenan kappa and CMC [carboxyl methyl cellulose]. The latter is a starch made from cotton or other plant fiber, purified and processed into a rheology modifier aka thickener, like in shampoo or any number of sauces otherwise watery are transformed with this stuff, the 2 fibers I chose are quite typical, one is plant cellulose and the other is found in seaweed and offers numerous health benefits. It is a standard food additive found in sauces, ice creams, dough, yoghurt, etc. The recipe is from scratch and very easy, so I wanted to share it with the cat loving community and especially their cats. Buy some chicken feet and necks, or turkey. If you are familiar with Poutine [Not the Russian warmonger, the French Canadian junk food, although the confusion is hilarious] chicken necks are the magic ingredient that gives the gravy such rich flavor it invites checking the label for MSG! I copied the great wisdom [to be fully candid, they were stupidly cheap at an Asian supermarket I frequent, I think about $2 for nearly a kilo! They had deals on chicken hearts and feet also. The feet are a great stock ingredient, and if you have 6 hours to kill, I suppose they can be a tasty snack, but festooned with a miasma of bones smaller than legopeople heads. Great for stock. I use a pressure cooker and do not brown anything, I add 1 carrot and 1 celery stalk but no onions. 15 to 20 minutes at 15PSI is plenty of time. Meanwhile, heat some water to boiling, about 200 to 300ml, you can get all sciency about it and do it in a beaker to claim the high holy ground of expertise and bask in the glory. Add 5 to 10 grams of carrageenan kappa powder and dissolve by stirring with the heat off. Prepare a similar batch with the CMC, also 5 to 10 grams. I have a preference for the carrageenan but you can use HPMC, MCC, CMC, MC, pullulan, konjac, carrageenan, casein, agar agar, gelatin, tapioca or potato starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum acacia, or even the classic roux (melted butter and wheat flour). There are even idiotproof gravy thickening powders sold at your supermarket, potato starch comes to mind. I have worked with all of the above both in my cooking experiments and my job as formulator. They are all similar in how they work, if you ever made jello or bechamel, you are an expert, off you go! These watery meat flavored gravies, broths, and consommés will make your cats go absolutely bananas. Be ready for purring to shame a Harley V-twin or competition chainsaw, senseless walking in circles and in effort to express “HF WOW Thanks!! Do that again soon!” they will leave a Rorsach face print in chicken gravy on you pants and sofa. Mine nearly did an Elvis and aspirated some of it amid frenzied eating, sparking off several paroxysms of sneezy hyperventilating. The entire spectacle is precious. I laughed until tears came. I helped the sneezing kitten with a timely baby wipe, feeling like a pit crew mechanic at Nascar — the moment she could breathe, no stopping her, she dove back in. I wondered what would happen if I took it away! LOL! I wrote this to offer an amusing way to make sure they get plenty of water in their diet. This gravy could not be any easier, Total prep time is 2 minutes, you toss in the meat with 2 cups water and optional vegetables, set timer for 17 min, dissolve 2 powders in hot water, strain through colander when time is up, you can power-vent the pressure cooker, or come back for it later, once strained, stir in half of the water solutions you prepared and cool in a bowl in the sink with water underneath it, this allows dialing in the amount of viscosity to your ideal target. Rheology modifiers mostly work while temperature cools, so you can notice what happens, have feedback, and develop0 a feeling for it. Some of these additives offer serious health benefits, I invite some Wiki perusing.
Thank you so much for the entertaining and detailed recipe complete with adorable reviews, Mark. Have a good one!
Hello, if I dont have the grinder for the bone, can I use eggshells powder instead? If yes how much should I add to a batch of recipe 1?
Hey Linh, you can use eggshell powder instead! The Feline Nutrition Foundation recommends 3 grams of powder per pound of meat. In terms of volume, this will vary depending on which type of eggshell powder you’re using, so weighing it out works best.
Hello, do you have an ingredient substitute suggestion for fish oil? My cat is allergic to fish.
Hi Jessica, thanks for the question. While there is a chance that your cat will have a reaction to the oil, I wouldn’t entirely rule out this ingredient. The fish proteins are what cause the allergic reaction, and, while there may be traces of protein in the oil, fish oil is not an inherently protein-inclusive product. At least according to this Verywell article, there was one limited study that found that six out of six fish-allergic people were able to take fish oil supplements without having an allergic reaction. To make sure that it’s as safe as possible, you might want to look into a molecularly distilled fish oil, which undergoes a process that’s supposed to get rid of all contaminants, including proteins that could trigger a reaction. Here are some capsules from Now Supplements that might work. Otherwise, you may have to find some kind of vegan omega-3 supplements and add them instead of oil, but unfortunately, I don’t know exactly how much EPA, DHA, and other fatty acids are needed to make these recipes nutritionally complete. If you’re able to contact one, a talk with an experienced veterinary nutritionist may help.
Hi, just noticed some discrepancies between the original “Raw feeding for IBD” recipes and the ones you supplied in the article.
They use 3.2 ounces of liver.
They use 1.6 ounces of kidney, not 6, and if used they reduce the liver to 1.6 ounces.
They use 7 – 500 mg capsules of salmon oil, thus 3500 mg total.
Your article was very helpful in providing resources and demystifying the whole process.
Thank you!
Hi Nadia, thanks for bringing that to our attention! We’ll look into it. Thanks!
Thanks Nadia, I’ve updated the post with the corrections!
Hi Sabra! Since your cat has a history of problems with urinary crystals, it may be best to ask your vet for specific advice. That being said, our research suggests that increasing the moisture content of your cat’s diet could be incredibly beneficial to help dilute some of the minerals that contribute to crystal formation. Any of the recipes above will provide a good source of moisture, though we’d also recommend adding some water or broth to each meal. For fresh treats, you could try small pieces of cooked chicken or fish or even sardines packed in water (no salt added), Hope you find something your cats love!
I really need to know what to fix for a 2 and a half year old Maine Coon mix male who has already had surgery for urinary crystals that I can also feed my other cats along with a recipe for treats. I have 5 cats ranging from 9 years down to the Maine Coon, both male and female all are fixed.
I’ve been under the impression that Raw Salmon is contraindicated for cats due to parasites. At least this is what I’ve read about Pacific Coast Salmon. Dont know about Atlantic Salmon ,which to my knowledge, is farmed and not wild caught.
Hi there! You’re right—there is an issue with raw Pacific salmon containing Anisakis worms, and from what I can tell, this presents an issue for cats as well. Some suggest freezing the fish to kill the parasite, but they’ve been shown to survive freezing in some cases, so it does seem that this is a bit risky, but that risk applies to humans who eat raw fish in sushi and other dishes as well. I’ll add a note cautioning readers about this. Thank you!
You’re not the only one concerned about this! Once I bought some fresh Pacific Salmon from C***Co and immediately went home to prepare it. Moments after it hit the grill, hundreds of tiny white worms started squirming out of it, to escape from the searing heat below! Needless to say, I couldn’t eat it myself! However, knowing worms are sometimes used as food in certain countries, and if COOKED PROPERLY, they are also a protein. I had never heard of this one or if they had any potential for toxic effects after being cooked! I fed all the salmon to my barn Cat’s, who thoroughly enjoyed it and suffered no harm!
There’s always room for learning!! Thanks for this information!
Thank you for this comment. I actually thought that feeding any kind of raw fish isn’t recommended.
“vitamin supplement (see recipe)”
What recipe?
Hi PS! There’s a link to the full recipe with details on the supplement mix above the recipe printed here. I’ve copied and pasted the supplement details for you here:
“Please note the supplement is made separately from the batch. Only a portion of the supplement is used when making two pounds of food as per recipe instructions.
50 capsules of NOW 1,000mg taurine20 tablets of NOW standardized kelp (150mcg)10 capsules of Blue Bonnet or Twinlabs chelated manganese (10mg)5 capsules of NOW dry vitamin E (400iu)2 capsules Natural Factors Hi-Potency B-complex*****Vitamin D*****Vitamin D: If you are using 500mg of salmon, anchovy, or sardine oil daily, you do not need to include D. If you are using krill oil or green lipped mussel as the source of omega 3s, it is best to include vitamin D in the supplement: 20 NOW 1,000iu dry vitamin D capsules. Increase the amount of supplement used to a slightly rounded 1/64 teaspoon per ounce. Yes, organs are a healthy source of vitamin D in the diet. And yes, it is true that cats are not known to have a “high” requirement of vitamin D. But in humans, the importance of vitamin D
and the understanding of its many functions is changing, and it is clear a “vitamin D deficiency” cannot necessarily be measured directly. Importantly, in cats, low levels of vitamin D are associated with IBD and intestinal lymphoma. Further, a study conducted in the UK found that cats admitted to the ER for ANY reason were more likely to return home alive if they had higher levels of circulating vitamin D. This is why we think ensuring vitamin D is VERY important, and one sardine a week is not enough. Add all capsules and tablets (you can include the gel caps) to a clean coffee grinder. Grind (pulsing) until well-mixed and finely ground. Let settle for 10 – 15 minutes or you will have a dust cloud when you open the grinder. Store in a glass jar.”
Read the full recipe here.
Are you sure the vit D is safe? My cat with IBD had severely low vit d levels. My vet instructed me to add 1 drop to her food per day but cautioned me to be sure that my other cat didn’t touch that food. She said that even small amounts of vit D for a cat without low vit D could kill the cat.
Hi Shannon, unfortunately, I can’t say that the vitamin D values will definitely be perfect for your cat; there are many factors that can come into play and change your cat’s overall nutrient intake. As long as this is your cat’s sole diet and you’re following the recipe precisely, the amount of vitamin D should be good, but it’s impossible to guarantee that without proper testing.
Don’t people that come here want to make their cat food, at least in part, to save on cost? This recipe sounds like it will cost a fortune.