Make sure your cat receives all the vitamins and minerals they require with these vet-approved homemade recipes from PetMD. Doing this will help avoid nutritional deficiencies caused by commercial diets.
Make sure to give your pet plenty of dark meat (thighs ) over white for optimal fat intake. Also try including chicken hearts as these contain taurine, which will increase his/her overall wellbeing.
1. Chicken and Rice
Your cat, as a natural carnivore, needs plenty of protein for healthy living. Most commercial food recipes feature meat as the primary source, yet these products also contain plant-based oils, grains and legumes which may pose health concerns to your feline companion.
This recipe for chicken and rice can provide your cat with an ideal way to increase his or her protein intake with an all-natural, home-cooked meal free of preservatives, which also helps your feline absorb essential fatty acids that contribute to optimal skin and coat health.
2. Salmon Pate
As cats are obligate carnivores, they need plenty of protein and fat in their diet – this salmon pate offers both in an easy to make form!
This recipe calls for poached fresh salmon, but you could also substitute frozen or smoked fish to save time and reduce fat content. Furthermore, for reduced calories add low-fat cream cheese.
Make a simple pate dish even more delectable by adding green onions for subtle onion flavor, followed by finely chopped dill. Serve on crackers or bread sticks as an enjoyable snack.
Home cooking for cats can be an enjoyable hobby, but it is essential that you understand their individual dietary requirements. This requires using high-quality ingredients and following safe food handling practices.
3. Chicken and Tuna
Cats are true carnivores, meaning they enjoy eating protein-rich diets like the wild. With our vet-approved homemade cat food recipes, providing your feline friend with healthy and tasty meals is now easier than ever! These recipes provide your feline friend with meals that mirror what he or she would consume naturally!
This recipe for cats features lean chicken, fresh tuna and other nutritious ingredients in a pate-like texture they will love! Additionally, fish oil provides essential fatty acids not easily available from other sources like plants; bones add the necessary calcium-phosphorus ratio that exists naturally prey. An ideal alternative to kibble!
4. Beef and Vegetables
Cats are carnivorous animals, so it’s vital that their diet includes meat as the main component. Here’s a tasty combination of beef and vegetables!
Avoid corn and wheat as these foods can be highly inflammatory for cats, failing to digest properly, and leading to serious feline health issues, including GI tract issues, itching and allergic reactions.
This dish provides quality protein and veggies such as broccoli which provides vitamins C, K and fiber along with additional essential minerals such as A, calcium and selenium. Broccoli can also help promote dental health in felines.
5. Sardine and Vegetables
Sardines are nutritionally-diverse fish, providing omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin C, calcium and zinc. Plus they’re lower on the food chain than predator fish and don’t accumulate toxic mercury levels like some seafoods do.
Avoid packing your sardines in brine as this can cause sodium ion poisoning in cats; instead opt for oil or tomato sauce-packed varieties instead.
Serve sardines with this easy side dish of garlic-roasted potatoes and Spanish wine for a hearty meal for all the family! Sardines can be quite fishy, so having additional foods available helps balance their flavors.
6. Chicken and Vegetables
Cats are obligate carnivores and need a protein-rich diet. To provide them with optimal nourishment, this recipe utilizes various meats and organs as ingredients in its dish.
Vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants not available through meat alone. Furthermore, this food source contains plenty of water, which aids hydration as well as absorption of vital nutrients into our bodies.
Homemade diets should only ever be offered as occasional supplements to high-quality commercially prepared diets, since homemade items are more difficult to tailor specifically to meet a cat’s individual dietary requirements and may contain ingredients which are toxic or otherwise unsafe for consumption.
7. Beef and Vegetables
As cats are carnivorous creatures, they require protein-rich meals. This recipe combines beef and vegetables for an all-in-one nutritious dish that closely mirrors their natural diet.
Many pet parents believe home cooking for their cats to be a healthier option than store-bought food, however creating a diet which meets all your cat’s nutritional requirements requires planning and sometimes additional ingredients.
Bones are an integral component of feline nutrition, providing essential calcium and phosphorus not found in meat alone. This recipe includes bone meal powder to ensure your cat’s homemade diet is completely balanced.
8. Salmon and Vegetables
Though some insist on feeding their cat large quantities of species-inappropriate vegetables, claiming that these will be digested by its stomach and intestines, this simply is not true. Achieve complete diet for your feline companion through carefully selecting an appropriate and balanced recipe is key to ensure optimal nutrition for their wellbeing.
Homemade cat food recipes that are healthy and balanced must contain sufficient amounts of protein. Protein is essential in aiding absorption of vitamins and minerals while providing energy – essential components in an all-carnivorous diet.
9. Chicken and Vegetables
Cats are carnivorous animals and must rely solely on meat-based diets for sustenance. Feeding your feline vegetables and fruit could result in nutritional deficiencies due to lacking the digestive enzymes to properly break them down; while adding carbohydrates could potentially cause issues like inflammation in their bowel, allergies, struvite crystal formation or oxalate stone formation.
This delicious recipe combines fresh vegetables and lean chicken for an easy preparation that can be served warm or cold. Plus, this dish can easily be frozen for future use!
Though many pet parents choose to prepare meals for their pet themselves, veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists strongly discourage this practice. Home cooked diets often lack key vitamins and minerals needed by animals, making balancing essential supplements more difficult without supplementation.
