How do you feel after eating a big meal of greasy fast food? Most of us feel a little sluggish, uncomfortable and possibly even bloated. Your pets feel the same way after eating poor quality commercial foods. This simple homemade cat food recipe may not be nutritionally balanced for all cats, but your veterinarian can help you add supplements to provide the nutrients your pet needs.
Making your cat's food at home allows you to have full control over all of the ingredients used. You can choose to use organic ingredients or make a grain-free recipe. I recommend using the healthiest ingredients that you can afford, and adding variety to your pet's diet to keep him healthy and happy.
A homemade diet is not necessarily healthier than a commercial diet. It's important to discuss dietary changes with your vet in order to provide your cat with balanced nutritional meals that will meet his unique needs.
If your veterinarian gives their blessing to feed this recipe, they may recommend adding a few ingredients or some supplements to the recipe to make it nutritionally balanced. You may also need to substitute certain ingredients based on your cat's needs.
Simple Homemade Cat Food Recipe
This recipe uses pork as the protein source. If pork isn't available in your area or you'd prefer to use a different protein source, you can substitute chicken, turkey, duck or fish in its place. You could also wheat, barley or oats in place of the rice in this recipe.
Simple Homemade Cat Food Recipe
This simple homemade cat food recipe only includes four ingredients. It's a good option for pets with food sensitivities or allergies. It's also a great option for cats on a diet. You should consult your veterinarian before switching to this diet to get their advice on whether or not it will meet your pet's unique nutritional needs.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 1.25 cups 1x
- Category: Cooked Food
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Cat Food
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup chopped/shredded pork
- 1/3 cup cooked wild rice
- 1/4 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
- 1 tsp. safflower oil
Instructions
I recommend baking the pork until fully cooked and tender. Once cooked, shred the pork or chop it into bite-sized pieces appropriate for your cat. Boil the rice according to the instructions on the packaging.
Boil or bake the sweet potato with no added ingredients like oil, salt or pepper. Mash it with the skin, because the skin includes some important nutritional benefits.
Once cooled, mix all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. You can serve it to your pet immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 128
- Sugar: .9 g
- Sodium: 33 mg
- Fat: 2.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15.1 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg
How much to feed: I recommend feeding about 1/3-1/2 cup 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 homemade cat food 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. Keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives, so it won't last nearly as long as commercial cat food.
For More Information
We publish many homemade cat food and treats recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips, and advice, see our “Recipes” section.
Furthermore, if you're new to the home-cooked pet food subject, 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.
