Recipe for homemade cat food:

[ginnyinWI]

In case you want to avoid rat poison!!!

I got the info from a holistic veterinarian book, The Veterinarians' Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats

1) make it half protein, any comb. of:

raw chicken liver
raw ground turkey, chicken or beef (chicken is cheapest)
cooked meat scraps--no bones
eggs, raw or cooked
cottage cheese
yogurt
sardines
tuna
etc.--but not processed meat like ham or bologna.

2) add an equal amount of carbohydrate:

white or brown rice, cooked mushy with plenty of water
leftover plain cooked pasta
cooked or grated raw carrots
cooked green beans
cooked oatmeal or millet
minced cooked broccoli
cooked or grated raw zucchini
wheatgrass, sprouts
fruit if your cat likes it
seaweed
etc.

3) add a bit of vegetable oil--about a half tsp. for a 1-cup batch.

Mix it all together, chopping in food processer if it's too coarse. I also add water and stir until it is wet enough to be poured out of the measuring cup. More water is always good for cats. Serve one cat about 1/4-1/3 cup per meal, more or less. You can use leftovers from your own meals as long as the food isn't too spicy or greasy. Keep it refrigerated, of course.

About the only thing you really need to avoid is onion powder, which is bad for cats for some reason.

Some cats like peanut butter and grape jelly--mine likes a pinch of a PBJ sandwich as a treat!


I've recently put my cats on this diet because one of them is overweight, and dry food is so high in calories for its volume, and because the other one is elderly and I understand that people-grade food is better for his geriatric kidney disease than pet-grade food.

[npincus]

1. I know cats need taurine in their diet

is there enough of that in these recipes?

[ginnyinWI]

6. this is true

I think you can get it as drops from the vet, if you are going 100% off commercial food. But I do still fudge it a little with canned Friskies instead of meat sometimes, and also a sprinkle of kibble now and then, so I figure they're getting it that way.

[npincus]

8. oh yes, your cat is gorgeous! i love Calicos.

I'll have to upload a pic of ours... she's a Turkish Van.

[booksenkatz]

20. Oh, so I'm not alone!

I'm a devoted calico freak. I've had several, and no two are the same. For instance, I could never have another black cat or marmalade cat, because they look too much like the boys I lost; but I can have any number of calicos because they all look so different, so there's no sad memory attachment. That's how it feels to me, anyway. I'd love to see your Turkish Van. Here's my baby who just turned one.

[npincus]

24. oh my, another beauty!

I really love them (calicos). I understand they are all female- is that correct?

here's a pic of my beloved Scarlet, who passed away suddenly on Christmas Day, 2005. She was my cherished pet- she used to sleep with her paws around my throat. Either she loved me or was trying to kill me. (sorry, i know it's a really big file)

I'll have to upload the Turkish Van- we've named her "Pearl", we got her about 6 monhths ago. She was rescued from a kill shelter and had been on the street for awhile.

[booksenkatz]

30. This one's different LOL

I'm not the OP, it's just that our kitties look like they could be sisters!:7

Your dilute is lovely! You must miss her dearly.

It's my understanding that virtually all calicos are female, and the few male calicos who do manage to squeeze themselves out into this world are almost certainly sterile.

I also collect calico figurines, Christmas ornaments, stuffed calicos, you name it -- anything with a calico on it, I gravitate to it!:)

Here is Sybil as a kitten, she lived to be 18 and I miss her so much -- I loved the black spot on her nose!

[npincus]

32. oh my, I feel like a dumb-ass!

next thing you know I'll be invading Iraq!

Sorry... they're all beautiful. I am a cat-o-holic. I have a special place in my hear for Calicos. Our new one doesn't want feline company, otherwise I would want to get a Calico.

:hi:

[booksenkatz]

35. Don't feel like that!

I did a double-take, too, they really look like sisters. If you didn't check the username, I can certainly understand the mistake. As for me, I say the more pics of kitties at DU, the better!!
:hi:

By the way, I was hoping to get some brothers and sisters for our new calico -- our former cat would not tolerate other cats. When we lost him to kidney disease in November, my goal was to have three cats again (I'd like more, but my hubby sensibly draws the line at three). But I don't get the feeling that this calico wants feline companionship, I think she likes the status quo just fine. We'll have to see.:(

[npincus]

27. Here's the Turkish Van (Pearl):

She's got the classic turkish Van markings except only has one spot (at one ear) on her head instead of two.

BTW, my 4 1/2 year old daughter took this photo! She's a very sweet cat but let's you know when she's had enough petting. She's a great hunter.... Curiously, she never lies on her back. She has a lot of behaviors I've never seen in a cat, but they're all individuals, I suppose.

[booksenkatz]

31. Gorgeous!

That tail! And I'm itching to stroke that white fluff right now. She looks soooo soft. I'd like to see a close-up of her eyes, they look golden.

I love cat threads at DU, don't you?:)

Sounds like your little girl is like my son -- he's been an excellent photographer ever since he was a toddler! I think they're born with an eye for it.

[npincus]

33. oh, thank you.

She's an angora hair and very soft- but she generates so much static electricity! When i pet her in the dark I sometimes see sparks! .

it boggles my mind how pet owners can dump their precious pets on the street... I don't get it. Pearl was so close to being euthanized. I thank G-d for people like the woman who rescued her-- she runs a cat shelter out of her small Manhattan apt. I found Pearl on Petfinder.com.

Your kitty was a beauty as well. So so georgous. Meow!

Yes, i love cat threads, too. I can never see enough pics of them!

Take care!:)

[booksenkatz]

36. Pearl

That's a perfect name for her, by the way.

I had an angora back in the 70s, I had totally forgotten about the sparks in the dark, LMAO!!

I send money every month to our local no-kill rescue groups that are struggling. It's the least I can do!

[ginnyinWI]

42. what a stunner!

Where did you find her? Ours came from the pound, believe it or not. She was about 2 years old, and must have strayed from her owners and gotten turned in. Can't believe someone gave her up.

[Lurking Dem]

19. taurine is added to commercial foods

because it is destroyed by heat processing. If you aren't cooking the food, there should be enough taurine.

[WePurrsevere]

55. You can buy it from a few places online if you can't find it locally...

Although we've bought from a couple of other very good online pet supply sites we prefer Revival Animal Health for most things and they carry it:
http://www.revivalanimal.com/search.asp?t=ss&ss=taurine&image1.x=11&image1.y=5

As someone else mentioned it comes naturally in some foods but if you feel extra is needed it's easy and not to expensive to buy and add in.
:)

[Shallah Kali]

59. buy tablets of human vitamin taurine or a kitty multivitamin. cats die without taurin

their heart and eyes will fail.

Here are the gov. standards for kitty nutrition that pet food companies are supposed to meet:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1399&articleid=657

[AirmensMom]

82. You can buy powdered taurine

in stores like Whole Foods or online at iHerb.com.

[thereismore]

2. your cats eat beter than millions of Americans. just sayin' nt

[CrazyOrangeCat]

5. Not if they're getting poisoned.

Guess you missed the point.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

3. Thanks, Ginny!

I think I'm going to try making some of that stuff.

(That's a beautiful ole girl, ya got there!)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Lovely kitty!

My grey and white shorthair, Luckus Cattus Domesticus, told me she wants tuna. And bread soaked in chicken broth. And tuna. And anything that comes out of the refrigerator that she approves. Did I mention tuna?

[ginnyinWI]

9. water squeezed out of the tuna can--the best seasoning ever!

here is my other cat, BTW: (drunk on catnip from the cat scratch pad)

[booksenkatz]

23. LOL

What is it with those scratch boxes?? My kitty spent all last evening on hers (it was new, and this time I bought the huge double-wide). She was on it first thing this a.m., too!

That's a sweet cat you have there.

[ginnyinWI]

37. he is a real sweetie

His name is Tim and he is 17. Sits in my lap every evening and watches Countdown with me. At his age he's like an 80-something person, so I'm really happy he's still with us. He was born at our house in 1989 when the kids were all little--and now they're grown and gone, and all have cats of their own.

[China_cat]

91. They're impregnated with catnip.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

67. What a pretty kitty!

We raise catnip outdoors, and our kitty (and the landlord's half dozen) regularly get drunk on it. We have a greenhouse attached to the front of our flat, and my husband transplanted some of the catnip there. So far, Lucky hasn't found it, though.

[tk2kewl]

7. I think you left out the rat poison

:evilfrown:

[cyberpj]

10. Jake says THANKS! He was running out of ideas of his own.......

[booksenkatz]

25. Cute!!

What a cutie!
:loveya:

[cyberpj]

73. Awww. Thanks. I was hoping someone would notice...

Vain, I know, but there it is.
He's my little guy.

[leveymg]

11. You forgot an ingredient >

Cheese.

Cat's love it.

[DemReadingDU]

16. Our cat has us trained!

She hears us opening a package of cheese, and she meows until she gets some tidbits! :)

[theoldman]

12. Try a good old fat rat. All the nutrition any cat needs.

[crispini]

13. K&R

and bookmarked.

[ginnyinWI]

14. would someone give this one more rec ? Thanks. n/t

[cyberpj]

15. Jake dropped his mouse and clicked to recommend! nt

[StatGirl]

17. For those who prefer grain-free diets, here are two web sites

http://www.catinfo.org

http://www.catnutrition.org

(I once had a cat who was diabetic, and we were able to keep him off of insulin by feeding a very low-carbohydrate diet.)

[booksenkatz]

26. Thanks

Thanks StatGirl for helping -- I'm researching like crazy and I appreciate your links!

[DeepBlueC]

29. that is good info...

I like the look of those grain free frozen foods but I am in Toronto and I have never heard of any up here. Anyone out there have any info on grain free high quality food available in Toronto area?

[ginnyinWI]

39. just a word caution if your cat is older--

My vet says that older cats with kidney failure should not have all-protein diets, because it strains the kidneys. Any cat over about 12 may have the beginnings of it without the symptoms. Symptoms would be drinking a lot of water and peeing more, as the kidneys stop concentrating the urine as well.

[Lurking Dem]

41. I've actually read some debate about that.

Since cats are made to process proteins many are putting their animals with urinary problems on raw meat with great success.

[ginnyinWI]

44. yeah I'm trying to learn more about it.

The vet says feed the lowest protein possible (not easy with a cat, believe me).

The book (mentioned in my OP) says increase the quality of the protein to help the kidneys. And stop feeding dry food, which is hard on their systems--it's kind of like a person eating uncooked macaroni all of the time.

I'm watching how my cat reacts to the better proteins and it seems to be making him feel better and more energetic. He's back to chasing the Calico around a few times a day--nice to see in a 17 year old kitty.

[StatGirl]

50. Researchers are backing off of the "low protein" idea

What I've read, over the past few years, is an adequate amount of protein (enough to meet the cat's maintenance and repair needs), and limited phosphorus.

The restricted protein research was done in rats, and there's been some evidence that the success rate had less to do with the protein being restricted, and more to do with the fact that the rats on the low-protein diets voluntarily restricted their intakes.

Cats with renal insufficiency often don't have great appetites anyway, so there's some room to give them a higher amount of protein as a percentage of the diet. I've corresponded a fair amount with the vet who has the catinfo.org site, and she's pretty much okay with 40-50% of calories coming from protein if the cat is in early renal failure (not end-stage).

Definitely wet food is preferable; there's no point in giving dry food and then having to give extra fluids subcutaneously!

A friend of mine started giving her CRF cat just a bit of raw meat in water, as a side-dish to her kibble, and the cat's attitude and energy level perked up considerably. The cat lived another 2 years after that, and died at age 20 of completely unrelated causes.

[knitter4democracy]

18. I've been seriously thinking of doing this.

My cat is overweight and has already had a kidney scare (she's older). This would probably help with that.

[booksenkatz]

21. Thank you!

Thanks for the recipe. I just switched my girl over from Iams to Innova Evo, she adores it. I'm beginning to incorporate Wellness and Natural Balance products for variety. All this time I thought Iams was so terrific, boy, was I wrong. My mom is switching her 3 cats' diets as well. This entire episode has been a learning experience for many of us. I'd like to think that all of these beloved animals did not die in vain, because their deaths helped educate thousands of us and improve the diets and lives of other animals.

Beautiful calico you have! I adore them.:)

[Gelliebeans]

87. My two girl

kitties are on Natural Balance and they both love the stuff. They mostly eat the dry but about twice a week they get a little dish of Natural Balance wet food. The dog loves the Canine venison and brown rice formula too.
In fact I emailed Natural Balance at the beginning of this whole fiasco with the pet food recall and they assured me and are sending out coupons and other goodies.

[City Lights]

22. Thanks for this ginnyinWI!

Your kitty is an excellent typist, BTW! :hi:

[MzNov]

28. beautiful cat! Also, they need amino acids, vit/mineral supplement

and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
some natural books include bone meal and taurine.

[NAO]

34. Chinese Rat Poisoned Wheat used in US Breadbasket Factories?

Well, now that they know that (at least one major) reason the recalled food is killing pets was that the Chinese were using a banned rat poison on their wheat crops.

Ok, the tainted food was made by a Canadian company - but it was manufactured in US Factories. Iams and Eukanuba tainted food was manufactured in Emporia, Kansas. KANSAS Can someone tell me why wheat is being imported from China to be used in Kansas?

[booksenkatz]

38. Walmartization?

Apparently we've reached a point where EVERYTHING is cheaper if we get it from China.
:shrug:

[piesRsquare]

77. DON'T ASK

I'm not sure we wanna know...!

(I say this half-jokingly, you realize, yes?)

[ContraBass Black]

89. Because it's cheaper than locally grown wheat that is used for human food.

[kestrel91316]

40. Homemade, okay. Raw meats? NOT OK

http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan05/050115ww.asp

http://www.avma.org/communications/brochures/toxoplasmosis/toxoplasmosis_brochure.asp

If you feed raw meat to your pet, you run the serious risk of causing disease problems, some of which are FATAL and some of which can be spread to humans.

Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E coli O157H7 are all well-documented risks of a raw meat diet in animals. Toxoplasmosis is also readily spread via raw meats.

I have a responsibility to promote the public health.

To the DUers who hate vets and believe every word we utter is a lie: I can't make you think rationally and won't even try.

[davsand]

46. I know you are busy right now (I've seen your other threads)

Kestrel,

I even kicked that thread calling for info from human Onco docs because I've been seeing your stuff on here as the pet food thing has unfolded. I know you are working hard to help the animals...

Can you take time offer up any comment about what you would feed your own cats and dogs?


Thanks!


Laura

[piesRsquare]

78. Every Veterinarian I have worked for

as a technician has fed their animals Science Diet.

If I'm not mistaken, I read on another thread that kestrel feeds her animals Science Diet.

A couple of the canned Science Diet foods are on the recall list...the cuts and gravy style. Science Diet in general is nonetheless a high-quality and FORMULATED food, which provides balanced nutrition.

You can also talk to your veterinarian about your pet's specific nutritional needs, and ask what s/he recommends.

My cats are older and have issues with colitis, so they eat prescription diet w/d.

****
Pet food recall updates: http://2blackcats.wordpress.com

[China_cat]

92. Have you ever read the ingredients in Science Diet foods?

Anything that STARTS with 'ground yellow corn' should raise red flags.

[AZBlue]

48. No worries - I love my vet!

Anyone who's devoted their life to taking care of animals is more than "OK" in my book!

[ginnyinWI]

57. I guess it's always hard to know how safe a meat is.

I wonder, is there anything lost when meat is cooked? Enzymes or something?

One advantage to cooking the meat first would be that it doesn't spoil as fast, and isn't as "yucky" to prepare.

I thought dogs' and cats' guts were better able to resist those kinds of bugs--but I suppose there is a limit.

[femmedem]

80. Cooking damages the taurine.

Taurine is necessary for a healthy heart, among other things.

[toadzilla]

60. raw food is highly reccomended by my vet.

not all vets concur on this issue, just thought id put that out there. a fresh raw diet is what my vet prefers. of course the raw meat has to be of good quality though, i feed fresh raw organic meat to my pets and they are thriving.

i <3 my vet.

[piesRsquare]

76. And No Dairy!

Cheeses, yogurt--you're asking for intestinal problems (eg colitis). Cats cannot digest dairy.

I have 23 years of experience in the animal care field, primarily as a veterinary technician, and most cases involving gastrointestinal distress in (non-elderly) cats (esp colitis) were a direct result of dairy consumption.

On Edit: And no fish!

There are plenty of pet foods NOT on the recall list which are safe and healthy--AND provide excellent nutrition.

[hedgehog]

43. CAn anybody make any comments about the proposed homemade food.?

It's spring, and my hens are about to deluge me with eggs. It's be great if I could feed them to the critters.

[femmedem]

93. Yolks are good, but don't feed them raw egg whites.

from www.catinfo.org :

Raw egg whites - Raw egg whites are not to be fed as they contain avidin which binds to biotin in the intestinal tract and prevents it from being absorbed - leading to a biotin deficiency. Cooked egg whites, on the other hand, are an excellent source of phosphorus-free protein. This is a great additive as long as the cat has not shown any allergy/intolerance for egg protein. For cats with gastrointestinal issues, I would suggest omitting the egg whites when first introducing this diet. They can always be added in later as a single change to the diet. That way, any negative reaction can be monitored.


Also, read up on this site about the necessity of bone or bone meal for correct calcium:phosphorus ratio.

Edit to add: My own opinion--but I am not a veterinarian, just someone who's read up on this from quite a few sources--is that this diet includes a high percentage of grains and vegetables which cats don't need.

[Infomaniac]

45. My Vet also recommended baby food

I had an older cat with digestive issues and I didn't always have the time to poach chix boobs, add a bit of homemade chix stock and mix with carbs. My vet recommended baby food and rice mixed so there's another option.

[mimitabby]

47. my healthy cat

<>

Sorry, she's not a calico, but she's cute and healthy, doesn't eat chunked cat food!

[booksenkatz]

51. OMG

What a beautiful girl!! And the pic makes it feel like her kitty toes are right up in my face...love it!!

I myself am incomplete without a kitty in my lap. Thankfully, I work at home.

(It's fun to gum up GD with cat threads, we must be making the haters so mad, but I'm lovin' it!:D)

[Infomaniac]

69. I love gray cats

We have a calico female, a gray male and gray and white female. Love the picture of yours.

[cyberpj]

74. Love those Russian Blues... And bunny feet!

Here's my pal, Jake:

[Lurking Dem]

75. Here's my blue!

[WePurrsevere]

49. TY... May I also recommend Dr. Pitcairn's book & it's recipes for both Cats & Dogs

Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

What a beautiful calico btw... great picture. :D

[Bucky]

52. Will this recipe make my cat computer literate?

[Kurovski]

56. Hehehe...

they already are, they just pretend like they're not so you won't bother them with questions about upgrades, repairs and what-not.

[Kurovski]

53. K&R

Seems like the safest way to go.

Your cat looks like my old Charlotte, gone but not forgotten.

[EFerrari]

54. Thanks, ginny!

[Jersey Devil]

58. My cat prefers linguini with clam sauce

One night my wife made linguini with clam sauce and for some reason we left the room for a second or two, came back and the cat was on the table with her paw above the bowl and strands of linguini hanging from her claws.

Every night when we eat dinner she will sit on a chair in the kitchen and patiently wait for someone to crumble some chicken, fish, beef, etc into a napkin and place on the floor beneath her chair where she'll gobble it up. People say it's bad to give her table scraps but I figure if it hasn't hurt her by the ripe old age of 17 we shouldn't worry about it.

BTW, her absolute favorite is cheese of any kind, particularly parmesan. She will lick every plate in the room if there is a hint of parmesan on them.

[shireen]

61. thank you!

i don't have a kitty but I've forwarded your very important post to a friend who has a sweet little fuzzy (my niece, Holly!)

Are there any natural dog food recipes out there too?

Love the kitty photos! They are adorable!

[Lex]

62. Cats are carnivores.

Should they be eating carbohydrates?

[Shallah Kali]

63. I would think some since they would get it in the inners of the critters they ate plus grass

my cats love for me to grow kitty grass. If I go to long without a fresh batch they rip it right out of the pot! I buy the seeds from the heathfood store organic bulk bins, wheat and barley.

[truedelphi]

64. My husband writes books, and I just write So-o-o

How much does your Furry data entry person charge per hour?

[troubleinwinter]

65. I'd no more feed raw meat to my pet than I would to my child.

Raw ground poultry??!!! At least cook this stuff and leave out the fish.

[Lurking Dem]

66. Your child would not be inclined

to eat a whole dead mouse or the raw viscera of a rabbit either.

[troubleinwinter]

83. I'm sure not.

Whether my pet would be inclined or not to eat a whole dead mouse or the raw viscera of a rabbit, I certainly would not find it to be appropriate food to provide, as it may carry disease or parasites. Animals in the wild tend to live rather short lives partly for this reason.

If I feed meat to my pet, I cook it. Do you wash your hands and cutting board after handling raw poultry? Would you eat raw ground poultry? Feed it to your child? Feed it to your pet?

[Lurking Dem]

94. I would feed raw to my pet

as a portion of his diet if he would eat it. Just like I cook vegetarian for my sister.

My kid has eaten sushi since 2nd grade which I never really understood - I simply don't really care for it that much.

My dad used to eat steak tartar.

:shrug: We are all products of our environment and a cat's system is designed to digest raw food.

[slackmaster]

68. Nice Calico

Here's a pic of mine when she was a teeny kitten:

[TZ]

70. Beautiful cat and nice recipe but...

Raw food? I would be afraid of giving them raw meat. And as I can't cook really I would be afraid I would poison my girls. But thanks for the recipe. I think a lot of people will appreciate it.:silly:

[Bronyraurus]

71. You forgot mouse heads.

[Codeine]

72. An even better recipe

Buy any one of a billion different bags of totally safe cat food. Open. Feed.

Happy cat.

[femmedem]

79. There is a thread in the Pets group with great info on pet food, including raw:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=243&topic_id=4388&mesg_id=4388

[femmedem]

81. Looking more closely at your recipe, I'm seeing a big problem:

no bones or bonemeal.

Most people know cooked bones can be lethal for cats, but raw bones, which don't splinter the way cooked bones do, are usually ground up and included in raw diets. Some people opt to use bone meal instead, but you've got to know how much.

[ginnyinWI]

85. the book does recommend bone meal, but

I've searched stores and can't find any. :shrug: I suppose I could look online--haven't tried that yet. I meant this recipe to be a starting point, and people can and should go out and learn more and refine to their liking (or their cats', actually). Point is, you don't need to feed only commercial food, and in most cases it's healthier not to.

[femmedem]

90. Here is a mail order source for raw food with bones ground in:

http://www.hare-today.com/

I haven't tried it yet, but several people in the Pets group use and recommend this supplier.
It will arrive frozen at your door.

And here is a supplement to mix with meat if you're not including bone or bonemeal:
www.felinefuture.com

I hope that helps! And thanks for starting this thread.

[ginnyinWI]

95. thanks. n/t

[uppityperson]

88. canned salmon or sardines with bones too.

[NNN0LHI]

84. How about mice? My cat eats mostly mice. He has cat food but doesn't eat much

He is a big healthy cat too. About 17 pounds and isn't fat. 10 years old and he can still climb a tree as straight as a telephone pole in a blink of an eye. He really loves his mice.

Don

[ginnyinWI]

86. my cat used to catch and eat them too

When he was younger and we lived in an older mouse-ridden house. He never had a problem. But his mother got worms once from eating birds.

[Maraya1969]

96. How Adorable!

Sweet Little Kitty!