Pet food in my area has gone up and the sales are not as good, if at all. The other day, the Kroger I was in had whole chickens on clearance, for 59 cents a pound. I will cook one, discard the bones and skin, dice it up and feed it to my cats, twice a day, instead of their can food. It's cheaper, and it's good for them. No fillers. I will store it in the fridge.
If you do not have multiple cats, as I do, simply put the diced chicken, in a big plastic, Ziploc bag, and get a handful out and zap it on defrost, each day.
By julrobs from North Augusta, SC Editor's Note: Be sure to feed your pets a balanced diet to ensure they are getting the proper nutrition. Chicken can supplement their normal diet but should not be the only source.
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Cats need dessert too! Mix milk, yogurt, mayonnaise, and syrup together well. Bring 1 cup water to boil and mix in Knox gelatin. Set aside.
Make your own cat food by boiling 2 pounds pasta, 2 pound lentils, and 1 pound offal. Cool the mixture and blend to liquidize.
Don't forget to bake for the cat! Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses, egg, oil, and milk. Roll out flat onto oiled cookie sheet and cut into small, cat bite-sized pieces.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My fussy cat has taken to liking the new broths available for cats, but they are expensive for very little and packaged badly so that I always spill a bit getting it out of the vacuum pack. She loves texture and liquid as she tends to lick her food rather than taking bites.
By Pauline D
I got tired of paying for broth awhile back and started making my own. I save all chicken or turkey parts in the freezer. I usually have a lot of backs(back bones hide a number of small glands - adrenal, kidneys et. I pop them out as they have an off flavor), wings and leg bones etc. When the freezer gets crowded I take them all out put them in a pot and fill the pot with water. Simmer for 1 to 4 hours, let cool and strain thru a seive or cheesecloth to remove any small bones. if boiled for 4 hours you will have extracted the mineral content of the bones (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) Now you can reduce the stock until it is the way you like it.
My cat Mamie is having a lot of trouble going to the bathroom; I've looked up her symptoms that are exactly like those of being constipated. I have to feed her wet cat food, because she only has 11 teeth now, and I need "actual recipes" that I can find in stores. I don't mean the "science labeled pills and what not" that I can't find at the store, Walmart, because it doesn't carry those items!
Can someone tell me or even show me a site that will give me an actual recipe to follow so I can make my cat something to help her? Maybe even something for the sassy and picky eater that is currently attacking my computer screen? I would use the food the vet would give us, but she refuses to eat it and literally pushes the bowl away from her and towards the stairs.
Hi Alyssa, my old cat also had problems going to the toilet after an operation to remove his teeth, I ground up 3 small pieces of all bran and added it to his food after 3 days of adding half the ground all bean, he was back to normal. Hope this helps,
You can also add pure pumpkin. Make sure it is not pie filling. You can add 1 tsp to their food. This helps with constipation.
You might try adding slippery elm bark powder to her food.
How do I make homemade cat food?
By Debbie
Many vets have concerns about the balanced nutrition that homemade cat food supplies but are also are concerned about dry cat food as well. If you are conscientious about
Here is a link with information about making your own cat food.
Does anyone have a recipe for a cat gravy? I have a 19 year old and he will only lick the gravy from his food. I have worked for a veterinarian for many years, but we have yet to come up with a good recipe. Sometimes we need to "hide" liquid medication in the gravy mixture. Some medications can be compounded with a certain flavor, but some medications cannot. Thank you in advance.
By Sherri from CA
I am interested too - my 19 1/2 year old cat will only eat the gravy. I just tried a can of cat food, added water and ran it through the blender. She had no interest in it all.
Hello - when my 18 1/2 year old cat went off all solid foods, I began feeding her 'kitten formula' - 2 cups whole milk, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp. corn syrup (opt), pinch of sea salt. Mix everything well and store in airtight container in the fridge. Take out only what your cat will drink for one meal, warm and serve.
I have to give vitamins & meds to a bunch of feral rescue cats everyday. I make "Special Gravy" and they go bonkers for it. I make it fresh each time and serve warm, but you could store it in the fridge. I put the following in a mayonaise size jar in this order: 1/2 cup kitten chow, L-Lysine powder, pro-biotic, fish oil, 2 scoops of Clear Science Powder Gravy, 1/4 cup milk, 2 cans wet can food and 1/4 hot water....i use one of those hand mixers for making smoothies to blend it into a liquid sludge, then add a cup or two of hot water to thin it out.
Adult cats CANNOT tolerate the lactose in milk! They lack the enzyme it takes to process it.
I read that somewhere also. You can buy lactose free whole milk @ the grocery store.
Hi. How much L-lysine, probiotic and fish oil do you use ? Would love to try this
I would like to know this too. And what kind of probiotic and is the kitten chow the dry kind from purina?
I Have one very finicky in & out cat that only wants the gravy and I feed 2 ferals that love 2% milk, they always empty the bowl?
I have a cat with food allergies, which is hard to fight with processed cat food. Does anyone have a healthy homemade cat food recipe they can share without any added chemicals?
By Cris from Central CA
I have a cat that I feed a home made diet because he has epilepsy. He has less seizures on this diet. I use Lisa Piersons raw food recipe from www.catinfo.org. The site walks you through the recipe. I did buy a Tasin meat grinder because you need to grind the bones also, and most grinders cannot handle that. I use the cat vitamins from Only Natural Pets. The cat loves them. My cat has been on this diet for 5 years now and is very healthy. Good luck!
(Submitted via email)
This is not a good recipe for cats and will lead to serious healthy problems. Cats are obligate carnivores and need to have meat in their diets to be healthy. kindlyroot's recipe does not include meat and is missing other important elements such as calcium and taurine that are important for cats.
Beth S.
Turkey breast meat (app. 3 lbs), 1/4" dice
Sweet potatoes (3) (baked & mashed)
1/4 cup each, nutritional yeast, ground flax
3 capsules taurine
1 Tbsp. whey protein powder
2 Tbsp. fish or krill oil
Mix well. Feed about 1/4 to 1/3 cup twice per day.
I just found your recipe. Is the meat cooked or raw? I have tried giving my 17 yr old raw meat in the past and he wouldn't touch it.
Looks good. Where did you find it? Curious about the nutritional supplements..the measurements and what about variations or mixture of other meat and fish? Good to see it has taurine added as well as brewers yeast. Thanks
My 5 month old kitten keeps bugging me for wet food at meal times, but turns her nose up to most of the food I try to feed her. She does seem to like food with gravy, broth and sauces, though.
She usually licks up the sauce, and leaves the meat. Does anyone know some good gravy, broth and/or sauce recipes out there?Cats by nature are fuss budgets about food. That is their charm!
I would keep buying the small containers various wet cat foods from the store before making your own, as especially she is still a growing girlie.
At 5 months old she is still developing and she needs nutrients that may not be in a home made food.
Now, if your vet has recipes, I would trust that over something from the internet. Perhaps the vet has a supplement that can be added into a home food if you decide to go that way, but I wouldn't do anything without asking the vet first.
Our vet gave us a big thumbs down when we suggested home made foods for our fur kids. She gave the OK for occasional treats, but for meals, the big thumbs down. Every vet is different though.
I agree with Pghgirl about sticking with small cans of cat food instead of home-made and I believe most vets agree with this. Dogs may be another story but cats are usually always finicky eaters and what they eat today - well - tomorrow may be another story all together.
There are good varieties now and if you get a better brand she may like one above another but then that "love" may not last very long.
They make pate and gravy mixes but the gravy usually has small pieces of "thing" in it and some cats will eat the pate better.
I mix a few drops of olive oil in my indoor cat's food and this seems to help a little (if she is in the right mood) but I can feed any kind to our outdoor cat and she cleans the plate - every time - so there is just no knowing how cats will react to food.
As long as your cat is healthy and is still eating dry cat food then I do not believe I would be too concerned as they will usually eat when they get hungry (we just don't give them time to get hungry as we cater to their "yowls").
My vet has allowed us and even approved my homemade meal diet for my cats. I have 11 cats and it's hard to get canned and pouched food they all like. And a few of my cats can't handle the meat in the can or pouches. I've been doing this for a few years now and I've done all the research needed on nutritional needs of my babies. Yes I spoke to the vet before hand and cause I had a great understanding of their needs it was a green light but in the end its your decision and vets can only recommend things. If you think your cats are better off eating homemade things go for it. For a suace I usually use a chicken and vegetable stock freshly made every day, to two days. I use chicken thighs with spinach, will sometimes add carrots or broccoli to it to give it better flavour. Don't be scared to throw in some bacon for the salt needs. Bacon is a good treat in small amounts due to having too much salt. In as stock its great as it will give them the salt they need but not too much.
My 3 cats do the same thing, I am looking for a homemade recipe they will like that makes more gravy
I want to make some food for my cat, any suggestions?
By Rob from Boston, MA
I make an all raw diet for my cats. If you are making more than an occasional snack it is good to understand the nutrition requirements for cat food. I got started using the catinfo.org website (see "making cat food"). My cats are thriving after 5 years on this website's recipes. The woman who put this recipe together is a vet and really understands nutrition.
My cat has always eaten canned food, but he is not eating now. What can I feed him? He is almost 18 years old.
By Pam R. from Fishers, IN
I have a 16 yo cat who we have recently had the same problem. I bought him some turkey from the deli section and although I do have to hand feed it to him, he loves it and that is ok with me!
Hello, I would suggest a visit to your Veterinarian for a "Senior" examination. Cats at this age require a different diet. Since cats at this age are not as active, they might require a diet that is lower in calories/protein. To make sure your "Senior" is healthy, please have your Veterinarian do a Senior health panel to make sure there are not any underlying issues that might affect his/her health at this age. Good luck with your fur-baby
Nutritional Consultations
Nature's Farmacy is the best place for nutritional help for cats, dogs and horses!
They also will give you help over the phone or by email.
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FAX 24/7 (770)893-1229
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I am looking for simple recipes for cat food and cat treats. Kitty is a new mummy at 8 months old with 4 kittens still nursing.
By seamus from San Antonio, TX
Click on "Our Recipe Collection", then click on "Animal Treats".
Ther are some great raw food recipes if you are interested. It is a bit more work, but the cats thrive on it. If you want my recipe just let me know. There are several available on the web also. I have been feeding that way for 5 years now.
I am looking for recipes that my elderly and dog can both eat. I need to feed them the same diet.
By Rita C
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Anyone have any recipes for homemade cat food that is cheaper than manufactured? I have several cats and spend about $100 a month feeding them and that is store brand!
