Dry Cat Food Recipes

Organic, wholesome, homemade---these words are being applied to everything, even cat food. But is the concern about overprocessed food just a fad, or does it have staying power? While undoubtedly there are huge advantages to organic, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables, and hormone-free meats and dairy products, is avoiding everything that comes in a box or bag necessary? If you decide you want to make homemade dry cat food, you must take into account all of your cat's nutritional needs.

  1. Homemade vs. Store-bought

    • Moderation is a key to life. There is no danger in making your kids homemade macaroni instead of boxed macaroni, but when pet food is brought into the homemade genre, caution must be taken. True, cats of long ago would feed off of the wild, but today's domesticated cats rely on people for food. Makers of commercial pet foods include the essential nutrients cats need to maintain a healthy body. Making your own cat food can put your cat at risk of nutritional deficiency. But if you desire to make homemade cat food as a way to show your feline love, go for it. However, do not completely replace a diet of quality commercial foods. Instead, unless directed otherwise by a veterinarian, supplement the commercial product with your own food or use it as an extra treat.

    Cat Nutrition

    • Just like humans, cats require daily intakes of vitamins, minerals and calories. An adult cat should consume around 360 calories per day. Of those, 12.5 grams should be crude protein. One of the biggest nutrient risks in homemade cat food is the lack of the nutrient taurine, which could have a detrimental effect on the condition of a cat's heart. The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences has devised a lengthy list of feline daily nutritional needs (See Resources). As long as the recommended nutrients are found in your homemade cat food (or supplemented with a pill), it can act as a replacement for commercial food. However, to save you the trouble of calculation, the commercial products list these nutritional contents (and more) on the package.
      There are many opponents to commercial dry-food products who suggest complete raw-food diets (www.catinfo.org/makingcatfood.htm). However, a cat's diet should not be completely replaced with homemade cat food until consulting your vet.

    Dry Food Recipes

    • For a recipe for dry kitty kibble, visit the Cat Kibble link in the resources below.

      For a dessert, try liver cookies: Combine half a cup dry milk, half a cup wheat germ and 1 tsp. honey. Add a 3 1/3-oz. jar of strained liver baby food or blended liver and stir until mixed. Form small balls, place them on a greased cookie sheet, and flatten them with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for eight to 10 minutes.