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The cost of cat food is one of the biggest factors to consider before adopting a new pet.
With that being said, providing the best nutrition should be one of those factors as well.
However, when done properly, making a cheap homemade cat food recipe for your cat is the best way to provide top-quality nutrition without breaking your budget.
As long as it's nutritionally designed with the help of a veterinarian nutritionist, I will always recommend fresh food for cats over canned cat food.
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Moreover, when thinking about the expense of homemade cat food, you have to first think about the quality of the food you'll be making.
You will use whole foods without artificial fillers, preservatives, dyes, or harmful ingredients.
Furthermore, making your cat's meals also allows you to cater the food to his needs.
If your feline friend has allergies or food sensitivities, you can ensure the food you create won't upset his stomach.
However, when making a cost comparison, homemade cat food needs to be compared to a high-quality commercial diet made with natural, whole-food ingredients.
In this detailed guide, you can find more information on calculating the cost of homemade pet food.
Cheap Homemade Cat Food Recipe
Always remember discussing any dietary changes with your veterinarian is important, especially a switch to homemade food.
Your vet will evaluate the recipe(s) you plan to make for your pet and offer recommendations for supplements that may need to be added to make the food 100% nutritionally balanced.
Homemade Kitten Food?
First, I'd like to say depending puppies and kittens have very specific dietary essentials to grow into a healthy adult.
So I will preface with if you have newborn kittens, then NO, do not feed them homemade kitten food.
Wait until after 6-8 weeks before you go ahead and make homemade kitten food.
PrintCheap Homemade Cat Food Recipe
While this recipe is made with relatively inexpensive ingredients and is a healthy option for most felines, it may not be a good fit for your cat. The best thing that you can do is consult your veterinarian and/or a feline nutritionist. They can help you to better understand your cat's unique nutritional needs and find recipes that will meet those needs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1.5 cups 1x
- Category: Cooked Food
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cat Food
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic chicken (skinless and boneless)
- 1/2 cup chicken liver
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup shredded zucchini
- 1/4 tsp. coconut oil
Instructions
Cut the chicken into small pieces that are appropriately sized for your cat. Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan. Brown the chicken and chicken liver over medium heat.
Remove from the heat and add the cooked brown rice and zucchini. Stir until thoroughly combined. Once this cheap homemade cat food recipe has cooled, you can serve it to your pet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/3 cup
- Calories: 116
- Sugar: .1 g
- Sodium: 21 mg
- Fat: 2.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.8 g
- Fiber: .7 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
How much to feed: I recommend feeding about 1/3-1/2 cups of food daily.
This recommendation is for 2 servings per day.
This is just a guideline.
Typically cats do not overeat, but some cats do.
Your cat may not overeat dry kibble, but the enticing whole-food ingredients of homemade food may cause him to eat more than he should.
How to store: You can store the leftover cheap homemade cat food recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze it in an airtight container for storage of up to 3 months.
Furthermore, keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives, so it won't last nearly as long as commercial cat food.
Benefits of Homemade Cat Food
Moreover, there are still a lot of health benefits in switching to homemade cat food.
However, is it better than commercial cat foods?
However, one is not better or worse than the other.
In making homemade cat foods, you're more in control of the outcome of the food.
Also, this can be an option for cats with digestive problems or food allergies.
It is easier for you as the owner to sort the ingredients to avoid.
Moreover, cats that eat fresh foods tend to have healthier coats and skin.
Cooked vs Raw Homemade Cat Food
Furthermore, planning a homemade cat food diet can take much work.
If you plan on a raw homemade cat food diet, you still need to consider some things.
Choosing a raw diet is more complicated.
For example, some bacterias are in raw chicken that can harm cats.
It's best to consult with a veterinary nutritionist to ensure that all the raw food you feed your cat is healthy and safe.
Moreover, raw bones are much harder to chew than cooked bones. This can lead to broken teeth and other stomach problems.
Cheap Homemade Cat Food: FAQs
Is it Cheaper to Make Cat Food at Home?
It may cost more to make your own cat food than buying canned or dry kibble.
Making food at home can be more expensive depending on the products you choose (which must be vet-approved).
Always remember to do extensive research or even check with your vet to ensure that changing cat diets is in your cat's best interest before making a decision.
Can I Put Egg in My Cats Food?
Cats can indeed eat eggs. For cats, fully-cooked eggs are a terrific nutritional treat.
It's easy to digest eggs, and they are a great source of protein.
Additionally, they consist of essential amino acids that maintain your cat's muscle mass and leanness.
If possible, avoid giving your cat raw eggs because doing so can cause a few issues.
Can Cats Eat Rice?
Yes, but only in small amounts. Cats are meant to eat meat and are not used to eating or digesting grains.
Furthermore, rice should be given to cats rarely because too much carbohydrate can lead to diarrhea.
Moreover, too many carbs can also lead to obesity. And this can lead to other health problems, such as diabetes.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treat recipes every month.
For more recipes, pet food cooking tips, and advice, see our “Recipes” section.
Furthermore, suppose you're new to the home-cooked pet food subject.
In that case, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade pet food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
Cheap Homemade Cat Food: Before You Go
We all want what's best for our cats.
Sometimes, we can be on a tight budget to buy cat food brands.
This is where a cheap homemade cat food recipe comes in handy.
Cat food recipes can be a bit tricky.
With the proper procedure, you can make high-quality fresh food for cats.
However, if done wrong, it can lead to health issues.
Moreover, expensive or cheap, our cats deserve the top-most quality they deserve.
READ MORE:
- Recipe: Healthy Homemade Cat Food with Turkey
- Recipe: Homemade Cat Food for UTI
- Recipe: Homemade Cat Food with Pork
