homemade cat food... more questions

marie-p

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
2,568
Purraise
1
Location
Unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the
well, I just made a small batch of homemade cat food. I kept it as simple as I could.
once I figure out if Joshua tolerates it and once I read up more on how to do it even better, I'll add to the recipe. For now I'll just feed him a little bit with his dry food.
(I used the recipe here: http://www.api4animals.org/508.htm with chicken)

some questions though. What kind of meats are best for cat?
I think I read somewhere that pork is bad. Anything else?
Is fish ok? (canned, fresh or frozen). What about fish bones? are the small ones safe?

are there any parts of the chicken I should not use (besides the bones)? are chicken hearts ok? what about beef heart?
and what are chicken gizzards? is it ok for cats?

and what are giblets? (I remember seeing some Iams canned food that was "Turkey and giblets". could never figure out what giblets were).

right now I only used deboned chicken legs. Next time I might combine it with some beef and/or other parts of the chicken. Maybe some eggs and fish too.


good news is... my first batch of homemade food passed both kitty taste tests. Kinah just LOVED it (she wont get to eat much of it for now... I prefer to keep her on kitten food for a few more months) and Joshua did eat it after some hesitation (he's very fussy about new foods).
 

pat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 1, 2003
Messages
11,045
Purraise
58
Location
Pacific NW
Hi,
this is an area where I always would defer to published authorites and recipes...I went to remind myself of the recipe at the link you provided (I've seen it before, just not memorized it!) and it answers some of your questions...it lists sardines as okay, canned salmon with bones, does list heart. including beef. I would skip the gizzards though, liver - in the amts. they specify and only I think they mention say once a week (as I recall liver contains vitamin a and cats can get into vitamin a toxicity if fed a diet say of just liver or too much liver too often).

I noticed that the diet formulas given always suggest choosing just one protein source, so vary it up, but I wouldn't combine and use two or three proteins in the same batch (again, I'm no expert...a good book on this - Dr. Pitcairn's as one member suggested or Dr. Strombeck's book, would be helpful).

I'm glad the initial response is positive
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
Originally Posted by marie-p

well, I just made a small batch of homemade cat food. I kept it as simple as I could.
once I figure out if Joshua tolerates it and once I read up more on how to do it even better, I'll add to the recipe. For now I'll just feed him a little bit with his dry food.
(I used the recipe here: http://www.api4animals.org/508.htm with chicken)

some questions though. What kind of meats are best for cat?
I think I read somewhere that pork is bad. Anything else?
Is fish ok? (canned, fresh or frozen). What about fish bones? are the small ones safe?

are there any parts of the chicken I should not use (besides the bones)? are chicken hearts ok? what about beef heart?
and what are chicken gizzards? is it ok for cats?

and what are giblets? (I remember seeing some Iams canned food that was "Turkey and giblets". could never figure out what giblets were).

right now I only used deboned chicken legs. Next time I might combine it with some beef and/or other parts of the chicken. Maybe some eggs and fish too.


good news is... my first batch of homemade food passed both kitty taste tests. Kinah just LOVED it (she wont get to eat much of it for now... I prefer to keep her on kitten food for a few more months) and Joshua did eat it after some hesitation (he's very fussy about new foods).
As for giblets .. the meow mix packet lists it as poultry hearts and livers.. not sure what the aafco definition is ,...

As for liver I like beef just cause it is easier to geet beef liver that was grain feed not by poduct of animal ... If I remember corectly it is no more than 6 ouzes a week per cat for the vitamin a thing Pat mentioned// I have yet to get the book but plan to .. I add egg about once a week it is prefered raw at my house so I dont give it much.... My Kandie love s a mix of beef ( the parts you and I would eat) and fish /// Zoey likes things seprate.. Have you found some good Kitty vitamins>>???
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

marie-p

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
2,568
Purraise
1
Location
Unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the
thanks for the tips

I was able to find some cat multivitamins. I haven't found the digestive enzyme supplement yet or the potassium chloride. I'm keeping an eye out for it.

The health food store had some digestive enzyme supplements but I wasn't sure if they'd be suitable for cats. Maybe I'll take another look at the petstore for cat specific ones.
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
I use human enzymes less junk and dont worry you cant od them on those..

Wheere did you find the kitty viamins?? I am still looking for a good one right now they get a womans multiy...
 

pat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 1, 2003
Messages
11,045
Purraise
58
Location
Pacific NW
Sharky, my vet suggested Pet Tabs for cats, and found them at a decent price at Petdiscounters dot com while their price wasn't the absolute lowest, their shipping rates were the best I found and that made them a good overall price
 
Top