? Home cooked food

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Olive & Paula

Olive & Paula

Member Since 2015
While I'm making pickles this morning, I thought why not home cooked food for kitties. Smokey loves the bone broth and the gizzards and liver mix although it's limited right now because the nutrients are not in it and liver ratio is not correct.

I already can jam, pickles, relish, and applesauce so why not cook for kitties now that I'm home.

So I been to the different sites that have recipes and directions. I really want feedback from people who make their own. I will use EZComplete for nutrients.

Does it matter what pieces of chicken you use? What about pork or turkey? If using organ meat (hearts, liver etc.) do you still use breast meat?

Then freezing it, do you freeze in one day portions or week size portions? In glass container, plastic ware or baggies?

I'm thinking it's very low carb, but how do you figure it out or does it not matter?

I'm tired of manufacturers changing their formulas, trying to get answers on the carbs, kitties not eating it. The foods lists are to outdated and the newer foods are not on it.

Please tell me what works for you. Any tips you have. And of course recipes. Any further nutrient that should be added.

Thank you in advance.
 
Woodsywife said:
While I'm making pickles this morning, I thought why not home cooked food for kitties. Smokey loves the bone broth and the gizzards and liver mix although it's limited right now because the nutrients are not in it and liver ratio is not correct.

I already can jam, pickles, relish, and applesauce so why not cook for kitties now that I'm home.

So I been to the different sites that have recipes and directions. I really want feedback from people who make their own. I will use EZComplete for nutrients.

Does it matter what pieces of chicken you use? What about pork or turkey? If using organ meat (hearts, liver etc.) do you still use breast meat?

Then freezing it, do you freeze in one day portions or week size portions? In glass container, plastic ware or baggies?

I'm thinking it's very low carb, but how do you figure it out or does it not matter?

I'm tired of manufacturers changing their formulas, trying to get answers on the carbs, kitties not eating it. The foods lists are to outdated and the newer foods are not on it.

Please tell me what works for you. Any tips you have. And of course recipes. Any further nutrient that should be added.

Thank you in advance.
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Years ago, my Gizmo kitty started getting digestive problems. He had diahreea and was vomiting no matter what the vet tried or what kind of food we gave him. I read on the internet about raw food. I decided to give it a try. Gizmo's problems went away and we kept him on it for over a year.

I ordered all the supplements and mixed up whatever meats I could find. Sometimes I used ground Turkey or chicken from the store. One time I was given part of a carcus of a goat that the neighbor had to put down. I would follow the recipe and freeze it in ice cube trys. I stored them in Ziploc bags. Every night, I would take enough cubes for the next day. At one time, I got out my pressure canner and canned a bunch of half pint mason jars. That saved freezer space and gave me cat food we could use if the power went out

If I do it again, I will buy the packaged supplements and order the meats specially ground. I think you have a wonderful idea. Since you already can your food, you could can the cat food. Just use a pressure canner and follow all the safety precautions. Ball has a book that tells how to can all kinds of meats, stews and soups. If it's good enough for people, it's good enough for kitties.
 
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I just had a conversation last night with @DebG about the very same thing! She had a lot of helpful advice, I'm sure she'll share it with anyone who is interested!:):):)
 
donnalea said:
Years ago, my Gizmo kitty started getting digestive problems. He had diahreea and was vomiting no matter what the vet tried or what kind of food we gave him. I read on the internet about raw food. I decided to give it a try. Gizmo's problems went away and we kept him on it for over a year.

I ordered all the supplements and mixed up whatever meats I could find. Sometimes I used ground Turkey or chicken from the store. One time I was given part of a carcus of a goat that the neighbor had to put down. I would follow the recipe and freeze it in ice cube trys. I stored them in Ziploc bags. Every night, I would take enough cubes for the next day. At one time, I got out my pressure canner and canned a bunch of half pint mason jars. That saved freezer space and gave me cat food we could use if the power went out

If I do it again, I will buy the packaged supplements and order the meats specially ground. I think you have a wonderful idea. Since you already can your food, you could can the cat food. Just use a pressure canner and follow all the safety precautions. Ball has a book that tells how to can all kinds of meats, stews and soups. If it's good enough for people, it's good enough for kitties.
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Thank you. I will have to check out the pressure cooker way, I never used one and don't have one. That would be good as I don't have much freezer room. I will use the pre-packaged nutrients. Since we don't have a butcher anywhere, I will have to use store bought meat. My area does have a tiny convenience store that dresses the deer during hunting season. I will talk to them to see about getting the organ meats. I do have the Ball book, so I will be read up on it. Thank you.
 
was thinking of starting home cooked food. I will by the premix nutrients. Was wondering if anyone other than the websites had good directions or their recipe. What tips they might have. I was thinking of freezing it then Donna above mentioned canning, so I might do both since I have limited freezer space and many power surges and I can already but never with a pressure cooker. What kind of meats people use and is store bought good enough?

So really any insights would be helpful.
 
Woodsywife said:
What kind of meats people use and is store bought good enough?
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I'm feeding Leda raw, including homemade with Food Fur Life EZ Complete Fur Cats pre-mix, and he's been quite happy with home ground boneless chicken thighs, boneless beef short ribs, boneless pork short ribs, and beef round. I just buy boneless meat that I would eat, and that is on sale, grind it at home (I have a cheap hand grinder), add the premix (mixed with enough water to mix it in easily) and freeze in 1-2 day portions. I'd like to try lamb as well, but haven't been able to find good deals (despite being on an island full of sheep!).
 
Woodsywife said:
If using organ meat (hearts, liver etc.) do you still use breast meat?
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We've just started using EZ Complete about two weeks ago. On their FAQ page, it states you should not add any secreting organs to the diet. It also gives info about how much heart and gizzard to add to other meat if you wish to do so.

I did contact the company to ask about pressure cooking the meat, and they said it was a great way to cook the meat. They also mentioned slow cooking the meat (which is also mentioned in the package directions).

I had thought about canning, too, but I never asked Food Fur Life about it. I wish I would have. Would high temps used in the canning process destroy the enzymes?
 
Hi Lucy- I have one cat Fritz. I feed him 1 to 2 ounces per meal. Mini meals 4 to 5 meals per day. 3 to 6 ounces of food. Rabbit has 154 calories in 4 ounces. Quail has 152. Venison 179.
I believe homemade is better because you know exactly what your cat is eating. No preservatives chemicals etc.
I had no problem with transitioning him from kibble food to raw. He's not a picky eater.
Do you have access to a butcher? If it were me I would go to the butcher and ask for rabbit it's usually frozen. Start out as a treat and see how they do. Then if it's a success buy the frozen partially thaw and add Alnutrin supplements from knowwhatyoufeed.com. There are individual packets that you just mix with water and mix into the meat. With Rabbit you would buy the mix that says to use with meat/bone/organs cuz the rabbit comes that way. Then you could choose to keep buying from your butcher or order from Mary at wholefoods4pets. Same for the quail.
You could also get from the butcher Venison and start as treats and then mix with a supplement from Food Fur Life it's called EZ Complete Fur Cats it's made for meat with no bones. www.foodfurlife.com.
At both websites there is a lot of great info for feeding our kitties.
I buy 3lb packages of Rabbit individually packaged (frozen) and the Quail comes in 1lb packages. I know Mary sells larger quantities.
I partially thaw the meat then mix in slurry (supplement) put into little day portion size containers then freeze.
I need to tell you when you feed raw with the Food fur life supplement they will eat less food as you get all the nutrients cats need.
Carolina at Food Fur Life has a wealth of nutrition info.
With the venison I buy from the butcher in cutlets , I cube into bite sizes mix slurry it's so easy. Fritz loves Venison.
I just bought Buffalo and Lamb to try him on eventually.
Go very slow treats first then small amounts in the Natures Variety Raw. Food Fur Life sends along with the food step by step instructions.
I have never used Natures Variety but I bet it's real close to homemade raw.
Happy to answer any questions you might have..... Sorry if this is way to much info at once,:bookworm: I'm just passionate about feeding a healthy raw diet. As close as to what Fritz would eat out on his own:cat:
Deb!

Fritz's Spreadsheet
Fritz Russian Blue 7/2007 Stray @ 6 weeks Alphatrak2 Raw homemade food Probiotics, miralax as needed
 
Shelly & Jersey said:
We've just started using EZ Complete about two weeks ago. On their FAQ page, it states you should not add any secreting organs to the diet. It also gives info about how much heart and gizzard to add to other meat if you wish to do so.

I did contact the company to ask about pressure cooking the meat, and they said it was a great way to cook the meat. They also mentioned slow cooking the meat (which is also mentioned in the package directions).

I had thought about canning, too, but I never asked Food Fur Life about it. I wish I would have. Would high temps used in the canning process destroy the enzymes?
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I think pressure cooking doesn't destroy but I don't know for sure. I am going to get the sample they offer and I will also ask about the pressure cooking.
 
Woodsywife said:
I think pressure cooking doesn't destroy but I don't know for sure. I am going to get the sample they offer and I will also ask about the pressure cooking.
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Sorry I was unclear. :( They said pressure cooking was good. I'm just unsure about whether canning will destroy the nutrients in the pre-mix (since the mix is added after the meat is cooked).
 
Raw vs Cooked

This subject is one of considerable debate among two - usually strongly divided - mindsets.

The anti-raw folks are afraid of bacteria and parasites.

The pro-raw feeders are afraid of nutrient loss from cooking/processing.

However,it is not necessary tohave such an 'all or nothing' viewpoint and our cats will benefit if people approach this issue with more critical thought and compromise.

Unfortunately, often neither group considers how the meat is sourced and they fail to see that one can strike a balance between the two issues.

Our goal is to feed a diet that nature intended for our carnivores - staying as close as possible to the form and nutritional composition that our cats would eat in a natural setting - while implementing safety strategies as discussed below.

I am not as smart as nature. No human is - even board-certified veterinary nutritionists. None of us know exactly what nutrients and in what amounts are destroyed/damaged with the cooking process.

Because of this fact, I choose to 'split the difference' between semi-cooked and100% raw depending on the source of the meat.

I feed meat from two sources:

  1. rabbit obtained directly from a rabbit producer (wholefoods4pets.com) - fed 100% raw

  2. chicken and turkey whole thighs (never pre-ground) from the supermarket - fed partially baked to kill surface bacteria
With regard to parasites, commercially raised meat (either from the grocery store or producer) is much less apt to be infected with parasites when compared to wild game.

However, meat from a grocery store can be higher in bacteria than meat from a fresh kill in the wild or meat purchased directly from the producer.

But having said that, when considering the issue of bacteria, I am reminded of the mountain lion that ate off of a deer carcass in my brother's backyard for one week in northern California (not a very cold location...therefore, more bacterial growth). The mountain lion was dining on meat that was a week old in the ambient temperature (not refrigerated) and did just fine.

For the first ~7 years of feeding a homemade diet, I purchased chicken or turkey thighs and simply rinsed them very well with water before grinding them. However, I have since decided to increase the safety of the diet and I now partially baking whole thighs to kill the surface bacteria.

This partial baking makes the diet much safer than dry food.

The main reasons for the switch were:

  1. I wanted to be able to leave the food out longer.

  2. I was tired of calling my butcher to see when the poultry thighs were going to be delivered so that I could source them as fresh as possible. Now, I just purchase the thighs when it is convenient for me.
The chicken or turkey (thighs) cat food that I make usually ends up being ~25 - 50% cooked and ~50 - 75% raw but you should aim for at least a 10-20% surfa
 
Thanks Deb. All information is helpful. I'm still looking into purchasing meat and what kind. I found a grocery that sells frozen beef and calf parts. There is a buffalo farm down the road that I am going to and see what they have. They are only open on Fridays and Saturdays.

I will start with freezing small amount (lack of freezer space) and still very interested in steam canning it. However, adding the nutrients after the canning is going to be tricky.
 
I make my own homemade raw for my 9 kitties. I typically follow Dr Pierson's recipe on cat info.org. The only thing I don't do is bake the food. I try to switch up the proteins-chicken thighs, pork, turkey and lamb. Mostly I buy my meat from Whole Foods so there is no added hormones or antibiotics. Since the switch to raw over 6 months ago the kitties don't throw up hairballs. And my Maine Coon- Bella, she is a long haired cat-she no longer gets mats in her fur. And since there are no by products or any other crap in the food it also means less crap in the litterbox!
 
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