 |
||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
Homemade Cat Food Recipes - Nutrients For A Balance Cat DietOne day last spring, I was about to set off on my daily run at the park when I noticed two Persian-like black cats who had come from behind the cover of bushes. From a car parked next to mine, a woman emerged carrying trays. She went into the woods, followed by the black cats, which I then followed. I discovered from her that this was a maintained feral cat population, and she had been feeding them daily for the last 14 years. Those two big black cats were already adults when she started feeding them, so they were at least 15 years old now. I was amazed by the fact that outdoor, feral cats would thrive well into their teens in this New York suburb in the stifling heat of summer and bitter cold winter, but I soon learned how. The caretakers of this feral cat community supplied the cats with cat boxes to protect them from the elements. Additionally, they fed them a mix of premium dry cat food, but the bulk of their food was homemade. That day the caretaker had prepared a few pounds of cooked chicken—thighs, wings, hearts and livers. She also fed them cottage cheese and sticks of butter (the butter was to put fat on them for the winter). Considering the stress these outdoor cats live with and, in contrast, how healthy and glossy they looked, I had to take a good long look at my own cat Naomi, who was really starting to pack on the weight. Her coat was dull with slight dandruff, which I attributed to cutting back her wet food. Thinking again to the feral cats, I realized that they were likely eating more healthy food than what I was feeding Naomi. So, Naomi was soon treated to an entirely new menu, and after a few months, it became clear that this was a good change. Naomi’s weight dropped, her dandruff disappeared and her coat developed a nice sheen. Many pet care providers and enthusiasts support feeding a homemade diet. Some of the benefits include avoiding commercial pet food artificial colors and fillers, preservatives and other additives. These unnecessary additions to pet foods can cause problems in sensitive pets—from diarrhea, allergies or dermatitis to worse. Some homemade diet supporters note that the poor meat quality, meat-by-products and other unnecessary additives to commercial pet foods are also unhealthy and warn that eating such diets can put pets at risk for serious diseases. If you decide to feed your cat a homemade diet, do so gradually by mixing a small amount of new homemade food with her old food. Increase the new food a little each day until you switch her over entirely. Here are some healthy homemade cat food recipes from “Food Pets Die For” by Ann Martin, New Sage Press, to get you started: Chicken, Rice and Vegetables
Ms. Martin stresses that cats require more protein than dogs do, but they should also have grains and vegetables. Grains need to be cooked, but vegetables and fruit can be served either steamed or raw. A proponent of homemade cat food, but specifically of raw food, Dr. Richard Pitcairn, DVM, PhD, author of “Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats,” Rodale Press, describes a study in which two groups of cats were fed two different diets for several generations—one diet was comprised completely of raw food (meat, bones, cod-liver oil and milk), and the other group was fed the same foods that were cooked. The study results showed that the cats on the entirely raw diet never required veterinary attention and were very healthy. He also notes that the more food was cooked, the less healthy the cats were. Interestingly, the health problems cats showed on the cooked food diet were very much like the usual problems seen by veterinarians like gum disease, thyroid disorders and bladder inflammation, among others. Dr. Pitcairn says that after three generations, the cooked-food-fed cats couldn’t reproduce anymore as their health deteriorated so much. Dr. Pitcairn explains that between 52 and 79% of the amino acid that cats need—taurine—is destroyed in the cooking process, which is why it is added to cat foods and supplements. One has to wonder what else might be destroyed in the cooking process. When feeding a raw diet, Dr. Pitcairn suggests adding what he calls his “Healthy Powder.” His Healthy Powder recipe is for a bulk amount that you will use to add just a few teaspoons at a time to your cat’s food: 2 cups of nutritional yeast, 1 cup of lecithin granules, ¼ cup kelp powder, ¼ bonemeal and 1000 mg vitamin C. Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. The powder contains elements that are rich in B vitamins, iron, essential fatty acids, and other vitamins and minerals. One recipe he recommends is: Beefy Oats
If you decide to switch your pet to a homemade cooked or raw diet, you may wish to consult a holistic veterinarian who is familiar with such diets and who can guide you in devising the right menu for your cat. Next article: Cat Food Protein - The Importance of Protein in Your Cat’s Diet Followed by: Cat Food Carbohydrates - The Importance of Carbohydrates in Your Cat’s Diet Cat Food Vitamins & Minerals - How They Benefit Your Cat’s Health Unhealthy Cat Food Ingredients Your Cat Should Not Eat Quick & Easy to Prepare Homemade Cat Food Recipes Improve Cat Food Taste - Helping Your Cat Like Her Healthy Food Raw Feeding At Home - Considering the Raw Food Diet for Your Cat Changing Your Cat’s Diet Type from Commercial to Homemade or Premium |
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Feline Diet - Best Cat Food Diet - Free Cat Food Samples | Contact Us | Privacy & Disclaimer Statement | Related Links | Site Map Ask A Question Add Url Copyright 2006-2012 All Rights Reserved - Feline Diet - Best Cat Food Diet - Free Cat Food Samples |
||||||||||
