Thinking Of Switching To Home Cooked Diet

[Ashouldnt]

I have two cats that are currently on a diet of bozita/feringa wet and whiskas dry. I've recently become awRe that whiskas is terrible and have been trying to give them less and up their wet food.

I've also been thinking of giving home cooked diets a go but am unsure where to really start.

Also curious if home cooked diets need anything changing for kittens? Mine have just turned 6 months

 

[orange&white]

I don't cook my cats' food, but there are lots of resources/recipes for home cooked food here: Home-Cooked Cat Food Resources

My kitten just turned 1 year yesterday. I raised her on a raw diet from 4 months old. I let her eat all she wanted of balanced raw food. By 6 months, I moved her to 3 meals a day. She's looking a little too "fluffy" at 1 year, so I've changed her mixes to lower fat/higher protein to keep her at a healthy weight. She still eats all she wants.

Meat, bones (or calcium source), organs and a few supplements. Your cat will likely thrive on the diet, not just survive.

 

[Ashouldnt]

I don't cook my cats' food, but there are lots of resources/recipes for home cooked food here: Home-Cooked Cat Food Resources

My kitten just turned 1 year yesterday. I raised her on a raw diet from 4 months old. I let her eat all she wanted of balanced raw food. By 6 months, I moved her to 3 meals a day. She's looking a little too "fluffy" at 1 year, so I've changed her mixes to lower fat/higher protein to keep her at a healthy weight. She still eats all she wants.

Meat, bones (or calcium source), organs and a few supplements. Your cat will likely thrive on the diet, not just survive.

Awesome! Thanks for the advice, information and encourGement

 

[shadowsrescue]

I started home cooking last year in early spring. I just didn't want to try raw. I went with the supplement EZ complete to mix into cooked chicken thighs and the cooking liquid. The directions were easy to follow and my cats really enjoyed it. I did this for a few months, but I have 6 cats so using the EZ complete got way too expensive. I switched to purchasing all of my own supplements. It has worked out really well.

My cats enjoy chicken, pork, turkey and rabbit. I have one cat who cannot eat beef so I chose not to mess with it. I still feed Wellness canned food once per week. I do this to keep it in the rotation just in case. When I am gone for a few days, it is easier for the pet sitter to feed canned food than the home cooked.

Do your research. Their is so much information in the link that was provided above. My only issue now is that I really need a chest freezer! I look for sales on meat as well as ordering online. Now my freezers are packed with cat meat and cat food with no room for human food!

 

[orange&white]

I feel your pain. I have 3 freezers now. Just spent most of last Saturday reorganizing and defrosting two of them because pork loin is on sale at 97 cents, beef steaks at $1.97 and chicken at 87 cents. An extra freezer pays for itself in a month or two with sale shopping.

 

[shadowsrescue]

A chest freezer is on my wish list!

 

[Ashouldnt]

I started home cooking last year in early spring. I just didn't want to try raw. I went with the supplement EZ complete to mix into cooked chicken thighs and the cooking liquid. The directions were easy to follow and my cats really enjoyed it. I did this for a few months, but I have 6 cats so using the EZ complete got way too expensive. I switched to purchasing all of my own supplements. It has worked out really well.

My cats enjoy chicken, pork, turkey and rabbit. I have one cat who cannot eat beef so I chose not to mess with it. I still feed Wellness canned food once per week. I do this to keep it in the rotation just in case. When I am gone for a few days, it is easier for the pet sitter to feed canned food than the home cooked.

Do your research. Their is so much information in the link that was provided above. My only issue now is that I really need a chest freezer! I look for sales on meat as well as ordering online. Now my freezers are packed with cat meat and cat food with no room for human food!

Great! Have you ever tried Alnutrin? That’s the one I’ve looked at most and am sending off for a free sample as soon as I have the card printed

 

[shadowsrescue]

Are you wanting to do home cooking or raw? I thought Alnutrin was for raw only. EZ Complete can be used for both. You might want to check with Alnutrin first as I am not certain.

 

[Ashouldnt]

Are you wanting to do home cooking or raw? I thought Alnutrin was for raw only. EZ Complete can be used for both. You might want to check with Alnutrin first as I am not certain.

It says that it can be used with raw or cooked as long as raw weight is used for the weight of the meat.

How expensive/easy is it to make your own supplement?

 

[shadowsrescue]

It is truly easiest to begin with a premixed supplement. I did this to determine if my cats would like the home cooked food as well as determining my level of commitment. It was best for me to start with the premixed and then move to my own supplements.

The cost of supplements will vary depending on where you purchase them. I did all of my online and the initial cost was high, but they will last me 6-12 months. I follow the recipes for chicken, pork, turkey and rabbit that are on one of the links provided above.

 

[Ashouldnt]

It is truly easiest to begin with a premixed supplement. I did this to determine if my cats would like the home cooked food as well as determining my level of commitment. It was best for me to start with the premixed and then move to my own supplements.

The cost of supplements will vary depending on where you purchase them. I did all of my online and the initial cost was high, but they will last me 6-12 months. I follow the recipes for chicken, pork, turkey and rabbit that are on one of the links provided above.

Okay, thanks. I’ll try alnutrin and see how that goes

 

[BrattyBratBrat]

We use Alnutrin with eggshell calcium for boneless meat (they also have a meat with bones supplement) and you don't have to use raw meat weight for their recipe. If you go to their site and use the nutrition calculator, you use the same amount of Alnutrin whether you put in raw or cooked. We do 4lb muscle meat, 1lb organ meat, to the specified amount of Alnutrin. If you want to break it down further, I believe you use 6.7 grams of Alnutrin per 1lb of meat whether raw or cooked. Raw is my goal but you need really high quality meat for that (we will be using Hare Today Gone Tomorrow meats) you shouldnt feed grocery store meat raw, or at least I wouldnt.

 

[amysuen]

I started home cooking last April and it's not hard, just time-consuming. Like others have said, there are tons of resources here for raw and home cooked food, plus lots of helpful people to answer your questions, even the dumb ones. (I know from experience!)

The most important thing is to make sure you have a well-balanced recipe. With kittens, if your recipe is good the only thing you need to do is make LOTS more food than you think they'll eat!

 

[Ashouldnt]

We use Alnutrin with eggshell calcium for boneless meat (they also have a meat with bones supplement) and you don't have to use raw meat weight for their recipe. If you go to their site and use the nutrition calculator, you use the same amount of Alnutrin whether you put in raw or cooked. We do 4lb muscle meat, 1lb organ meat, to the specified amount of Alnutrin. If you want to break it down further, I believe you use 6.7 grams of Alnutrin per 1lb of meat whether raw or cooked. Raw is my goal but you need really high quality meat for that (we will be using Hare Today Gone Tomorrow meats) you shouldnt feed grocery store meat raw, or at least I wouldnt.

Is there a difference between Alnutrin with Calcium and Alnutrin with Egg Shell Calcium?

 

[Ashouldnt]

I started home cooking last April and it's not hard, just time-consuming. Like others have said, there are tons of resources here for raw and home cooked food, plus lots of helpful people to answer your questions, even the dumb ones. (I know from experience!)

The most important thing is to make sure you have a well-balanced recipe. With kittens, if your recipe is good the only thing you need to do is make LOTS more food than you think they'll eat!

Awesome! Thank you!

 

[BrattyBratBrat]

Is there a difference between Alnutrin with Calcium and Alnutrin with Egg Shell Calcium?

Sorry about the delay in answering, the Alnutrin with calcium is sourced from food grade limestone as opposed to egg shells

 

[Ashouldnt]

Sorry about the delay in answering, the Alnutrin with calcium is sourced from food grade limestone as opposed to egg shells

No problem, so the egg shell is best?

 

[BrattyBratBrat]

I don't know if one is better over the other. The calcium may be a bit different, like eggshell is calcium carbonate and maybe limestone is another form and maybe one is better absorbed, I think I read that somewhere. Whatever the case may be, we currently use the eggshell calcium.

 

[Ashouldnt]

I don't know if one is better over the other. The calcium may be a bit different, like eggshell is calcium carbonate and maybe limestone is another form and maybe one is better absorbed, I think I read that somewhere. Whatever the case may be, we currently use the eggshell calcium.

Okay, thank you.