Homemade Cat Food Help

[ckovacs]

I've been reading a lot of articles on making your own cat food. I'm all for it (I just hope it doesn't rob me blind) but I am getting so much back and forth from different articles. I find recipes where people leave out all the added nutrients that cats NEED added. Then I find other recipes that are just confusing.

Can anyone give me an idea of what I'm truly looking at when it comes to making their food? I've read too that if cooked, their meat part of the food should be cooked lightly. It's good for them to have around 75% raw. Which is fine.

I would also like help in finding a good place in getting all the extra stuff needed, like salmon oil and all that extra stuff.

And I'm also confused about including bone in their food. Ugh, I'm just all sorts of backwards.

Please shed some light.

 

[auntie crazy]

There are several different ways to home-prepare cat food, Ckovacs, each with their own pros and cons, supplemental requirements, etc. This possibly accounts for some of the "contradictions" you seem to be encountering.

My recommendation for you would be to review the TCS thread, "Natural Diet Information Resources" or to read the greatly expanded version of the thread's original post in the raw feeding section of CatCentric.org.

Most raw feeders don't cook their cats' foods, primarily because it destroys many of the enzymes, etc. that make raw foods so doggone nutritious to begin with and, therefore, requires the most extensive supplementation.

Once you've decided which method of home-preparing you'd like to use, then come back and ask any specific questions you may have; whoever is experienced in your preferred method can better help you at that point.

Best regards!

AC

 

[mschauer]

I think the hardest part of making homemade pet food is all the contradictary information available about how to do it right. It is especially difficult because little of the information that is available is from authoritative sources.

I strongly urge you to use common sense when evaluating the information you find. Always consider whether you really have any reason to put your trust in any given source.

No matter what you do it is likely that for a while you are going to be worried that there is some major flaw in the diet you have choosen. That is a good thing. It will keep you doing your research. IMO the vast majority of information you find will be just fine to follow at least in the short term so you can go ahead and get started using any of the most common approaches and refine your diet as you learn more.

As for the bone, you must include calcium in the diet. If you aren't comfortable with bone, and are making a ground diet, add a calcium supplement. But keep researching the real bone approach. Bone contains much more than just calcium. It also contains protein and trace minerals.

Any supplements you might need can be found any place vitamins are sold. A specialty store like a health store will, of course, have a better variety.

 

[gerona48]

When our old cat (figurative and literal) became so fussy that we could, literally, find nothing from which she would take more than a bite or two, I asked our vet about raw diet and she recommended Dr. Pitcairn's book which we followed for more than two years....until K.C. went over the Rainbow Bridge.  Now we have two new rescues and the vet said that she would like to see them eat half wet and half dry, so I'm back to making raw diet.  It really isn't difficult; initially, one just has to invest in supplements specifically recommended for the raw diet (including taurine).  I use several recipes from Dr. Pitcairn and freeze it in two day portion sizes.  Primarily, I use organic ground turkey added to homemade polenta and the supplements, as well as the other things recommended for each recipe.  The kitties love it (our old one did as well).  We have never had problems with vomiting or hairballs....either before or now.....and they tolerate the meals completely.  Their poop is fine, their coats are lovely, and they are completely healthy.  Making the raw diet takes me about half an hour once a week which I do not believe is excessive when comparing it to the alternatives of commercially prepared pet foods.  For the dry, we buy either California Natural or Wellness.  

Good luck with the raw diet!