Last Updated on January 8, 2024 by Amanda P. Brown
Even though several veterinarian-approved pet foods are on the market, feeding homemade cat food usually leaves the pet owner feeling satisfied. Another benefit of cooking your cat’s food at home is the peace of mind that you’re doing everything possible to ensure their long, healthy, and happy lives.
Cat owners are increasingly turning to make their cat food, and it’s a decent option, provided you can make it work. Fortunately, you can now get Vet Approved Homemade Cat Food Recipes right here in this article.
Vet Approved Homemade Cat Food Recipes
Table of Contents
Here are the top Vet Approved Homemade Cat Food Recipes to help you with your pet’s care. These foods have been specifically formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of cats.
If you’re looking for a specific protein, you can add or eliminate components like liver, heart, skin, or other supplements from the recipe.
1. Raw Chicken and Salmon Recipes
Ingredients
- Water: 2 cups
- Raw chicken liver: 50g
- Raw salmon: 100g (with bone)
- Raw egg: 1 whole (with shell)
- Raw chicken wings: 700g (bone-in, skin-on)
- Raw beef kidney: 50g
- Raw chicken heart: 100g
- Taurine supplement: 1 teaspoon
Process:
- Chop the organ meats as well as the salmon into bite-sized parts and grind them.
- Slice the chicken wings to fit the grinder.
- Put a bowl directly underneath the grinding device. At this point, the flesh and the organs should feed through.
- Combine all of the ground mixtures in a large mixing container.
- Add taurine, water, and egg, and mix it well.
- Pour the mixture into individual serving containers and store the rest in the freezer.
2. Mackerel Recipe
Ingredients
- Chicken broth or water: 1-2 tablespoon
- Brown rice: 1 tablespoon, cooked
- Canned mackerel: 1 cup
- Sunflower seed oil: 1 tablespoon
Process:
- In a food grinder, combine all ingredients and process them until completely smooth. Check to see that everything has been properly integrated.
- After the ingredients have been combined, you can either serve it right away or put it in the freezer for up to three days.
3. Raw Chicken Thighs With Bone
Ingredients
- Springwater: 8oz.
- Salmon oil: 4000mg
- Iodized salt: 1 ½ teaspoon
- Chicken thighs with bone: 5 pounds
- Raw chicken heart: 14oz.
- Raw egg yolk: 4
- Chicken liver: 7 oz.
- Vitamin E: 200 IU
- Vitamin B complex: 200mg
- Husk powder: 4 teaspoons (optional)
- Taurine: 2000mg
Process:
- Remove the skin from half of the chicken thighs, but keep the rest of the meat intact.
- Discard one-quarter of the chicken thighs’ bones. Use water to wash the meat.
- Place all dry supplements in a bowl and combine them thoroughly before using them.
- Stir the water and egg yolks to form a mixture.
- Measure out the chicken heart, thigh meat, and liver after cutting and dividing them into individual portions.
- Feed the meat grinder ingredients using a bowl.
- At times, add the liver, heart, and fish oil capsules; utilize the complete fish oil capsule.
- In a large bowl, stir the powdered psyllium husk with the egg mixture and the ground combination that was already combined.
- Finally, dish out the mixture to serve or store in the refrigerator.
4. Turkey Delight for Cats
Ingredients
- Raw turkey giblets: ½ pound, chopped into bite-sized
- Brown rice: ½ cup, uncooked
- Chopped carrot: ¼ cup
- Iodized salt: ½ teaspoon (optional)
- Water: 11/2 cups
- Chopped spinach: ½ cup
- Corn oil: 2 teaspoons
Process:
- Boil oil, water, and salt in a large pot.
- Reduce the heat to low. Boil rice for 10 minutes.
- Add spinach, carrots, and turkey giblets after 10 minutes of boiling rice. Now, boil it again for 10 minutes.
- Before feeding it to your cat, let it cool down. You can also store leftovers in the refrigerator in a sealed jar.
5. Chicken and Rice Gravy for Cats
Ingredients
- Rice flour: 1 tablespoon
- Rice: ¼ cup
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Chicken broth: 3 cups
- Chicken meat: 1 cup
Process:
- Place the chicken in a pot, add the oil, and cook it over medium heat until it is done.
- Stir rice flour and simmer it unless a paste forms.
- Mix the remaining ingredients. Cook it for a minimum of 10 minutes.
- Set aside to cool before serving to your cat.
6. Almost Spot’s Stew
Ingredients
- Brown rice: 2 cups
- Broccoli crown: 1
- Yellow squash: 3
- Celery: 6 talks
- Chicken: 1 whole
- Zucchini: 2 or 3
- Carrot: 8
- A handful of green beans
Process:
- Clean and rinse the chicken and place it in a big stew pot with enough water to cover it.
- Cut the vegetables into chunks and add them to the chicken— add rice to the saucepan.
- Cook the chicken and veggies until they can easily pierce with a fork and the chicken is almost falling off the bone.
- Remove every single bone from the chicken. This step is crucial because fragmented cooked chicken bones can seriously injure the intestines.
- Transfer the stew to a processor and puree it until the mixture is gritty and around the size of bite-sized pieces.
- Serve it and then place any leftover parts in plastic bags and freeze it.
7. Carrot and Chicken Gravy for Cats
Ingredients
- Carrot: 2 large, grated
- Oil: 1 tablespoon
- Chicken broth: 2 cups
- Pre-hydrated and sugar-free gelatin: 2 tablespoon
- Water: 1 cup
- Dark chicken meat: 1 cup
- Chicken parts: 1 cup
Process:
- Cook the chicken in a medium skillet until it becomes tender.
- Add water, chicken parts, carrots, and chicken stock to a boil in the pot.
- Lower the heat for the last few minutes of the boil. Cook for an additional 20 minutes.
- Allow cooling before serving your cat after cooking for 20 minutes.
Key Nutrients For Feline Diets
Being a good cat owner means knowing what your Cat needs to eat for a healthy life. Ensuring your Cat gets the right nutrients in their homemade food is key to their happiness and long life. Check out this simple guide for what your Cat needs and how much.
| Nutrient | Source | Portion Amount |
| Protein | Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Fish | 2/3 to 3/4 of the total recipe |
| Taurine | Heart and Liver | 200 mg per 5 lbs of body weight |
| Fats | Poultry Fat, Fish Oil | 10-15% of total calories |
| Calcium | Bone Meal, Eggshells, Ground Bones | 1.0 to 1.2% of total recipe |
| Phosphorus | Bone Meal, Eggshells, Ground Bones | 0.8 to 1.0% of total recipe |
| Vitamins | Balanced Vitamin Supplement | Follow AAFCO guidelines |
| Water | Moist Ingredients, Fresh Water | Ensure adequate hydration |
| Fiber | Vegetables, Small Amount of Grains | 1-2% of total recipe |
| Liver | Beef or Chicken Liver (in moderation)| | 1-2 times per week |
| Minerals (Potassium, Magnesium) | Balanced Ingredients | Follow AAFCO guidelines |
| Prebiotics/Probiotics | Yogurt (in moderation) | Small amount as a supplement |
How to Store Homemade Cat Food?
Storing homemade cat food requires careful consideration. Thus, you can maintain its nutritional integrity and ensure your feline companion receives a safe and wholesome diet. Here’s a complete method to store homemade cat food properly.
1. Choose the Right Containers
Selecting appropriate storage containers is crucial. Choose airtight containers crafted from superior materials like BPA-free plastic or glass. These materials keep air and moisture out, protecting the freshness of the food and preventing deterioration.
The original bag or container can serve as a fat barrier if stored airtight. This assists in maintaining the food’s quality.
2. Refrigeration or Freezing
Refrigerate or freeze homemade cat food in small, manageable portions. This keeps freshness and allows you to defrost only what your Cat requires. Thus, this reduces waste.
Refrigeration is suitable for short-term storage, typically up to 2-3 days, while freezing extends the shelf life up to 3 months. Freezing is particularly beneficial for preserving the nutritional value and minimizing bacterial growth.
3. Labeling and Dating
Label each container with the date of preparation to track freshness and adhere to recommended storage durations. This simple step ensures you use the homemade cat food within safe time limits. Additionally, labeling can be helpful if you prepare various recipes, allowing you to identify the specific ingredients in each container.
4. Avoid Plastic Odors
While some pet owners prefer transferring cat food from the bag to another container, studies have shown that certain plastic containers may impart odors and tastes to the food.
If you opt for storage containers, choose clean metal containers, such as small metal tins or metal garbage cans. If you want to use plastic, leave the food in the original bag in the container. This will aid in reducing odor transmission.
5. Thawing Considerations
If you choose to freeze homemade cat food, plan for thawing. Defrost the food in the refrigerator to guarantee a safe and gradual process. Avoid microwaving since it can cause uneven melting and nutritional loss.
The Pros and Cons of Homemade Cat Food Diets
The advantages of homemade cat food are undeniable, but your cat will only receive the full benefits if you prepare a well-balanced meal. Before you decide whether you should switch to homemade cat food or not, read the pros and disadvantages of homemade cat food outlined here.
Pros-
- Feeding your homemade cat food can give them better nutrients than commercial feeds.
- When you make the food for your cat, you have complete control over the ingredients, which allows you to assure that your cat receives the most nutritious diet feasible.
- If your cat has delicate digestive systems or allergic reactions, you can modify their diet to their specific needs by simply preparing their food at home.
- Homemade cat food is best, especially for older cats with trouble chewing because their teeth are worn down.
- When you prepare your cat food, you can easily incorporate supplements into it to make it more convenient for you to feed your pets.
Cons-
- Making homemade cat food takes a very long time.
- Preserving homemade cat food is a total hassle.
- It can be tough to prepare a well-balanced diet at home. To ensure that your pet gets balanced food, you can only follow a veterinarian-formulated recipe.
- Feeding your homemade cat food is more expensive than purchasing commercial food.
- If your cat has been eating homemade food for some time, it may be challenging to switch to a diet that consists of commercially available products.
Switching your cat to a homemade diet is a big decision to make. It will be worse than a commercial diet if your cat does not obtain the proper nutrition or a balanced diet from homemade food. As a result, before making any nutritional changes, you need always discuss them with your cat’s veterinarian.
Why Do Vets Not Like Grain-Free Cat Food?
Vets do not like grain-free cat food because these foods lack an amino acid called taurine, which is vital for a cat’s heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy.
Do Vets Recommend Wet or Dry Food for Cats?
Canned or dry food is fine for the majority of cats. Tinned food is currently the preferred method of storing food, yet it cannot argue that canned food is superior to dry food. To the untrained eye, kibble and canned food appear to be opposed.
FAQs
How Long is Wet Cat Food Good for After Opened?
Wet cat food typically lasts 5-7 days in the fridge after opening. You need to refrigerate it at 40-45°F. Empty your pet’s bowl of any uneaten moist or canned food within 4 hours if the ambient temperature exceeds 50°F. Ensure your pet’s safety by discarding leftovers after the recommended time frame.
How Long is Cat Food Good in the Fridge?
For homemade cat food, it’s crucial to prioritize freshness. Since it lacks preservatives, aim to use it within 2–3 days for the best quality. Check for spoilage indicators regularly, such as an off odor or color or texture change. Thus, you can ensure your Cat’s safety and enjoyment.
Can Cats Eat Expired Cat Food?
No, cats can’t. Giving your Cat expired cat food is not a good idea, even if it looks okay. The nutritional value can decrease over time, which could be risky for your Cat’s health. Stick to fresh cat food to ensure your furry friend gets the best nutrition.
Can Humans Eat Cat Treats?
No, While eating a small amount of cat treats usually won’t cause immediate harm, it’s not recommended for humans. Cat treats are formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of cats. So, relying on them as a regular part of the human diet may lead to nutritional gaps. Stick to treats intended for human consumption for a balanced diet.
Final Verdict
The veterinarian-formulated recipes will be excellent homemade food for your furry buddy among the thousands of cat foods available. But making homemade food for your cat is a tough challenge if you’re doing it all on your own.
You May also Like to Read:
- Best Homemade Food for Persian Kitten
- Wet Cat Food-26 Question and Answer
- Dry Vs Wet Cat Food Pros and Cons-Well Explained
