Cat Food

[Snoozie]

I did a quick search and didn't see anything on this topic.  Is it possible to make cat food?  I vaguely recall that it's not the same as dog food to make (or maybe it is if you're making it instead of buying it?). 

Bit clueless but definitely need to get their diet seen to now while we're doing our own!

[faffa_70]

lol must be the day as I just posted under Paul's dog biscuit recipe that we needed to start an animal thread as my moggie is in hospital and just been diagnosed with diabetes and am looking at making his food 

[Snoozie]

hehe I was thinking about it the other day given how much those tins of crud cost these days (for goodness only knows what's really in them!!) and then I saw that post and thought oh that's right!  I was going to search that... did a search and found nothing so thought I'd ask!

[faffa_70]

Well you didn't hear it from me but there is a certain person on this forum who is a wealth of knowledge - also with animals 

[Snoozie]

hehee well I will wait and hope they can give me a good answer!  I was looking at the dog food and debating that but heard that pasta/rice etc wasn't particularly good for dogs but the horse bran is?  Lookee me going cross topic again! lol

[Ceee]

Yes please. My little moggie is 16 years old and almost toothless so need to blitz up something good for her!

[brazen20au]

i would also love to make my own - i've figured you just take cheap meat, mince it and cook up in gravy - but what else can i add to make it more nutritious for a cat? i've tried googling with no luck.

[Tebasile]

What about this?  making cat food

[gertbysea]

Here is one web site for you.  http://www.i-love-cats.com/cat-food-recipes.html  I make my own dog food not so much because it is cheaper but because of the variety you can give your pet. Cats need a very different diet from dogs so some research is needed. There is a Formula I think for percentages of protein, fat, and carbs.

I probably spend as much time on planning the dogs dinner as I do my own.  Before the TMX there was a awful lot of chopping going on.

Gretchen

[cookie1]

Now let  me see, what we all need is something like, arr, umm, errr..................I know a vet who has this type of knowledge.
Perhaps one who will do it out of the goodness of their heart and not charge too much.

We don't have cats or dogs (grew up on a farm and I think I got sick of them!) but we do have a weiro and an adopted budgie.

[Snoozie]

lol cookie I thought you said "weirdo" when I first read your post

hahahahaha lolol

Will check out those links.  The money side of things doesn't bother me so much as what they're charging for the dubious stuff in the tins! lol

[faffa_70]

Yes well I always cooked for the dogs but the cat is VERY fussy. Will only eat fish but that may all have to change now that he has been diagnosed with diabetes....I won't know until we pick him up this afternoon but I would prefer to try and help him with his diet than to have to keep jabbing him twice a day and forever having to take him for blood tests the poor old thing. He is 15 years old too

[Snoozie]

Poor little mite

Going to give the dog a go... I wonder how you'd go canning dog food? LOL  Is that possible?  Make a big batch and then store... I imagine it would be?

[Thermomixer]

I will just say that it is possible to make your own cat food - the links above are good.  Especially the one from Tebasile.  It is not simple to balance the diet and ensure they are getting a full quota of all their needs.

Cats need more protein, essential fatty acids and taurine than dogs - if you are willing to make sure they get enough of these and not just feed say steak or liver, then it will be OK.

I have seen more problems with cats fed home-cooked diets than commercial diets, including fused necks and joints, seizures and muscle weakness and blindness.

I guess variety is important, but ensuring they get all the nutrients - the link from Tebasile has lots of info and if you are happy to make that diet then you should be right.

[cookie1]

Thanks for that TMXer, I'm sure all the cat and dog lovers will appreciate it. I'll stick to feeding my 'little ones' their seed and titbits.