Small kitten cheap food recipes please!

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

Hi everyone,

My 6 week old kitten is small and a little thin for her age. I'm feeding her wet kitten food and kitten treat milk, but I need to add another food item/mix that would be high in calories and nutrition but also cheap and easy for me to make since her food is costing me alot of money and I still have to add something to her diet to help her gain weight.

Does anyone have any suggestions for an EASY recipe or single food item that I can use?
Thanks!

LTS3 · Oct 8, 2015

Are you feeding your kitten enough? It's generally recommended to feed kittens as much as they want to eat. Has your kitten been to the vet and things like worms are ruled out that may be causing the smallness?

Can you try a kitten nutritional supplement? Pet stores sell these. Nutri-cal for Kittens is one brand.

There are home cooked and raw diets you can offer but I'm not sure how cost compares to kitten canned food or if they are high in calories. Raw diets generally cost less than commercial pet foods but you may need to buy quite a few vitamin / mineral supplements to add to the meat and possibly a grinder if you use a recipe that requires ground meat (pre ground meat from the supermarket are not recommended).

Kat0121 · Oct 8, 2015

keats1 said:
Hi everyone,

My 6 week old kitten is small and a little thin for her age. I'm feeding her wet kitten food and kitten treat milk, but I need to add another food item/mix that would be high in calories and nutrition but also cheap and easy for me to make since her food is costing me alot of money and I still have to add something to her diet to help her gain weight.

Does anyone have any suggestions for an EASY recipe or single food item that I can use?
Thanks!

Do you have a crock pot?? I cook chicken to use a a topper for my cats' food. I take a whole chicken (cheap), a package of chicken hearts and gizzards (very cheap) and put them in the crock pot with water. I let that cook for about 12 hours on low. Then I take the chicken out (careful. it will probably fall apart)and let it cool enough to handle. Then I remove and discard all the bones and take the meat (gizzards and hearts included), chop it up and put it in small freezer bags. I warm the chicken before I add it to their food.

Save that broth!!! It is a great addition to her food as well. You'll see that it is a rich, dark yellow. There is so many nutrients in that from the meat and bones. I warm it add that to their food when they are being picky. It's very good for them. If you are in the US, turkeys will be going on sale very soon. You can do the same with that. you just might have to ask the butcher to cut it for you.

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

Kat0121 said:
Do you have a crock pot?? I cook chicken to use a a topper for my cats' food. I take a whole chicken (cheap), a package of chicken hearts and gizzards (very cheap) and put them in the crock pot with water. I let that cook for about 12 hours on low. Then I take the chicken out (careful. it will probably fall apart)and let it cool enough to handle. Then I remove and discard all the bones and take the meat (gizzards and hearts included), chop it up and put it in small freezer bags. I warm the chicken before I add it to their food.

Save that broth!!! It is a great addition to her food as well. You'll see that it is a rich, dark yellow. There is so many nutrients in that from the meat and bones. I warm it add that to their food when they are being picky. It's very good for them. If you are in the US, turkeys will be going on sale very soon. You can do the same with that. you just might have to ask the butcher to cut it for you.

Thanks for your feedback! That sounds very good, but I'm a vegetarian (been one since I was 5) so I don't have any experience with meat and I can't cook it at home because the smell makes me feel sick(I don't mean anything negative, it really does that I think it's because my body isn't used to it)

Might anything else work?

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

LTS3 said:
Are you feeding your kitten enough? It's generally recommended to feed kittens as much as they want to eat. Has your kitten been to the vet and things like worms are ruled out that may be causing the smallness?

Can you try a kitten nutritional supplement? Pet stores sell these. Nutri-cal for Kittens is one brand.

There are home cooked and raw diets you can offer but I'm not sure how cost compares to kitten canned food or if they are high in calories. Raw diets generally cost less than commercial pet foods but you may need to buy quite a few vitamin / mineral supplements to add to the meat and possibly a grinder if you use a recipe that requires ground meat (pre ground meat from the supermarket are not recommended).

I feed my kitten one can of wet food per day or one pouch of wet food(i use fancy feast) and give her milk in between feedings. Is that enough?

Yes, I did take her to a vet, the assistant said the kitten might have worms but that she is too small for the medication.

I can't cook meat because the smell makes me feel sick(again, I don't mean anything negative it's just that my body isn't used to it)

Is there anything I can use other than meat? And yes I will look into the vitamins but they don't have alot of calories do they?

Kat0121 · Oct 8, 2015

keats1 said:
Thanks for your feedback! That sounds very good, but I'm a vegetarian (been one since I was 5) so I don't have any experience with meat and I can't cook it at home because the smell makes me feel sick(I don't mean anything negative, it really does that I think it's because my body isn't used to it)

Might anything else work?

Letting her eat as much kitten food as she wants is good. Keep it available to her at all times. Kitten food is higher in calories than food for adult cats.

Your kitten (and all cats big and small) is a true carnivore. There's no getting around that one. You can try buying some already cooked plain chicken or turkey and giving that to her.

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

Kat0121 said:
Letting her eat as much kitten food as she wants is good. Keep it available to her at all times. Kitten food is higher in calories than food for adult cats.

Your kitten (and all cats big and small) is a true carnivore. There's no getting around that one. You can try buying some already cooked plain chicken or turkey and giving that to her.

I can cook eggs. Are they any good for her?

lisamarie12 · Oct 8, 2015

Congratulations on your little kitten. Cats are obligate carnivores, they must have meat to survive, hence, there isn't anything that you can prepare at home that is non-meat for it to be appropriate for your little carnivore friend.

Duck is a fattier meat. I realize you are on a budget, however, you may want to look into Whole Earth canned cat food, it's made by Merrick but is cheaper than Merrick. Given that it's a premium food (no byproducts, soy, wheat or corn), and also grain free, it's reasonably priced.

It's not kitten food but maybe you could give a bit in addition to what you are feeding.

Otherwise, you may want to consult with your vet for recommendations.

Good luck.

lisamarie12 · Oct 8, 2015

Oh eggs, actually maybe just the egg yolk, not the whites as I think that cooked whites can deplete Vitamin B.

Kat0121 · Oct 8, 2015

keats1 said:
I can cook eggs. Are they any good for her?

Cats can eat eggs in moderation. Moderation for people and moderation for cats is 2 different things though

http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-health-can-cats-eat-eggs-ask-a-vet-food-tips

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

LisaMarie12 said:
Congratulations on your little kitten. Cats are obligate carnivores, they must have meat to survive, hence, there isn't anything that you can prepare at home that is non-meat for it to be appropriate for your little carnivore friend.

Duck is a fattier meat. I realize you are on a budget, however, you may want to look into Whole Earth canned cat food, it's made by Merrick but is cheaper than Merrick. Given that it's a premium food (no byproducts, soy, wheat or corn), and also grain free, it's reasonably priced.

It's not kitten food but maybe you could give a bit in addition to what you are feeding.

Otherwise, you may want to consult with your vet for recommendations.

Good luck.

Thank you

I have a question, is it okay to add dry cat food in her diet to keep it by her side at all times? The brand of cat food that I use that is free of preservatives only provides adult cat dry food. Is it okay if it's meant for adults, only as an addition to her diet?

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

Kat0121 said:
Cats can eat eggs in moderation. Moderation for people and moderation for cats is 2 different things though

http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-health-can-cats-eat-eggs-ask-a-vet-food-tips

Thanks!

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

LisaMarie12 said:
Oh eggs, actually maybe just the egg yolk, not the whites as I think that cooked whites can deplete Vitamin B.

Ah thanks for the tip!

lisamarie12 · Oct 8, 2015

keats1 said:
Thank you

I have a question, is it okay to add dry cat food in her diet to keep it by her side at all times? The brand of cat food that I use that is free of preservatives only provides adult cat dry food. Is it okay if it's meant for adults, only as an addition to her diet?

I personally am not a fan of dry food for cats although I understand those who want to leave it out for free feeding kitten's when the owners aren't around to feed wet several times a day.

There are others options, however.

The adult dry food would be okay to leave out, just try to make sure kitty gets more canned food than dry throughout the day, if possible.

Also remember that kitten's have very sensitive tummies.

You still may want to consult with a vet to determine why kitty is underweight, to make sure there aren't any health issues involved.

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

LisaMarie12 said:
I personally am not a fan of dry food for cats although I understand those who want to leave it out for free feeding kitten's when the owners aren't around to feed wet several times a day.

There are others options, however.

The adult dry food would be okay to leave out, just try to make sure kitty gets more canned food than dry throughout the day, if possible.

Also remember that kitten's have very sensitive tummies.

You still may want to consult with a vet to determine why kitty is underweight, to make sure there aren't any health issues involved.

Alright I went to the supermarket and bought her some dry food to munch on while I'm at university.

The problem is that the vet is terrible. He didn't even mention her weight as being an issue. I'm currently asking around for other vets.

And yes, I will make sure that the dry food is less than the wet for sure.

jcat · Oct 8, 2015

keats1 said:
I feed my kitten one can of wet food per day or one pouch of wet food(i use fancy feast) and give her milk in between feedings. Is that enough?

What's the recommended amount on the packaging? One small can or pouch is definitely not enough for a growing kitten, and she needs food, not milk. Kittens need to eat a lot because they grow so fast.

momofmaxwell · Oct 8, 2015

Hi if your kitten is too small for deworming just how tiny is your kitten? Kittens need kitten food. period.Alot of calories.Food jsut in case you don't know will be the cheap part of raising a kitty.Royal canin baby Cat is superb.High calories ,very palatable.ETC.your kitten will be born with worms.just the way it is.must be awful young as I am seeing them dewormed as young as four weeks old.I understand you being a vegan but please realize a cat is a carnivore.Always.C.

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

MomofMaxwell said:
Hi if your kitten is too small for deworming just how tiny is your kitten? Kittens need kitten food. period.Alot of calories.Food jsut in case you don't know will be the cheap part of raising a kitty.Royal canin baby Cat is superb.High calories ,very palatable.ETC.your kitten will be born with worms.just the way it is.must be awful young as I am seeing them dewormed as young as four weeks old.I understand you being a vegan but please realize a cat is a carnivore.Always.C.

Yes, I do realize that and have mentioned in the post that het main diet is wet kitten food and kitten milk.
I was only asking about additions to her diet.
She was 350 grams, but that was a week ago or so. I'm taking her to the vet for a checkup after she finishes her ringworm treatment so we'll see how she's doing by then!

keats1 · Oct 8, 2015

jcat said:
What's the recommended amount on the packaging? One small can or pouch is definitely not enough for a growing kitten, and she needs food, not milk. Kittens need to eat a lot because they grow so fast.

The problem is that the recommended amount is vague and points to 1 can for my kitty. I have realized that it's not enough so I added dry food as an addition and am going to rely on it more than the milk.

snugglecat · Oct 9, 2015

I don't know why others are missing this but one can of Fancy Feast is only 3 oz of food a day. An adult cat when feeding only canned Fancy Feast needs 2 cans to make 6oz of food.

A kitten should be getting more then 3 oz a day. You really need to increase your kitties food with either more canned or canned and dry food.

Small kitten cheap food recipes please!

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