Cooking for your pets may not always come to mind when you can easily buy pet food from the store. But if you want to impress your cat as much as your guests, slash your grocery budget and save from commercial pet food, then making homemade food for cat will prove to be worthwhile.
Cats don’t have a very different diet from humans. They eat meat and fish. They even enjoy the taste of vegetables. Importantly, cooking for cats don’t have to be overly special or complicated. You can use the same cookware and kitchen tools like an air fryer and electric griddle when preparing their food.
However, you have to remember a few things when making homemade food for cats.
- Do not feed your cat with chocolate, pork, garlic and onion. You should also not give him raw egg and milk as well as bones and raw fish.
- Feeding cat with seafood is still a contentious issue since some cats may be allergic. If your cat is not allergic, you may give him seafood dishes like clam chowder occasionally but never on a regular basis.
- Never give dog food to cats. Cats have different protein requirements from dogs and giving your cat commercial dog food may lead to protein deficiency.
- Moderate the amount of tuna due to the possible amount of mercury. You can make use of canned sardines and mackerel in cat food and explore other types of meat like poultry and rabbit.
- Always keep cat food and area of preparation clean and hygienic to prevent potential spreading of germs.
With that said, here are some easy and affordable cat food recipes that you can start cooking for your fur-baby.
Catnip Cat Treat
Cat-lover Vicky wrote about her homemade catnip cat treat which her 12-year old cat Charlotte loves.
Ingredients:
- 5 oz tuna, drained
- 1/3 cup wheat germ
- 1/4 cup wheat germ
- 1/2 tbsp catnip
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 medium egg
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a bowl until it forms into a dough. Meanwhile, place a single layer of parchment paper over a cookie sheet. Sprinkle flour over a flat and clean surface and place dough. Take a small piece of the dough and form it into a small ball. Repeat the process until the rest of the dough is formed into balls. Place balls onto the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove them from oven and let them cool before serving.
3-Ingredient Salmon Cat Treat
This very simple and affordable cat food recipe requires only 3 main ingredients: salmon, egg and flour. Becky regularly cooks this for her cats Scout and Dill.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium egg
- 1 can (10oz) tuna, undrained
- 2 cups wheat flour
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tuna into a food processor and pulse. Place pulsed tuna, flour and egg into the mixer and mix until it forms into dough. Add water if dough is not sticking. Remove a small piece of dough and fit into 3/4-inch of cookie cutter. Repeat process until the rest of the dough is exhausted. Place shaped dough into a lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Allow treats to cool down before serving to cat. Keep the rest refrigerated in an airtight container and keep them for no more than 2 weeks.
Easy Chicken Cat Food
Adapted from Sean Nelson’s recipe, this chicken-based cat food requires little cooking time and minimal effort.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup boiled chicken
- 1/2 cup mixed steamed carrots and broccoli
- Chicken broth – depending on consistency
Procedure:
Combine boiled chicken meat and steamed vegetables into a blender. Add in a few tablespoons of chicken broth and pulse. Add more chicken broth if required until desired consistency is achieved. Let cool for a few minutes and serve to your cat.
Kibble
This is yet another recipe from Sean Nelson, but this time it’s a kibble or dry cat food. This is a great recipe if your cat is a voracious eater because you make a huge batch in advance and refrigerate the rest.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups soy flour
- 1/2 cup yeast
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 can mackerel
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp cod liver oil
Procedure:
Mix all ingredients in a huge bowl until it forms into a dough. When the dough is thick and consistent enough, pull out 1/4-inch pieces and place it into a greased cookie sheet. Bake the treats in 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Once done, remove them from oven and let them cool before serving some to your cat. Keep the kibbles in an airtight container and refrigerate them.
Easy Tuna Treats
This recipe is one of the easiest and fastest one you can make for your cat, but that’s quite a feast to your cat’s taste buds.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup pureed liver
- 1 can tuna, drained
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 1 cup boiled rice
Procedure:
Mix all ingredients into a bowl and form into patties by hand. Serve to your cat immediately while keep the rest in the fridge.
Conclusion:
Evidently, you don’t have to shell out a large sum to keep your cat well-fed and healthy. Even staple grocery and supermarket food can make interesting cat food recipes that your cats will not be able to resist. Another advantage of making your own homemade treats for your cats is that you can diversify the ingredients and their eating experience, making their meals more exciting and balanced.
Don’t forget that your cat needs to be hydrated too, so, a pet water fountain should also be taken into consideration. Fortunately, you can make a simple DIY water fountain like this so you don’t break the bank.