Anyone make their own pet food?

**Jaded** · 10-06-2007, 11:56 AM

I'm looking into it, because my cat is getting tired of dry food, and I can't really afford the tiny little cans at almost $1 apiece. I found a few recipes on the recipe sites, and I was wondering if anyone else does this. Seems it would be better for the animals, to have food without all the preservatives.

**DAAC3DEC** · 10-06-2007, 12:13 PM

I HAVE MADE MY OWN FOOD FOR SOME TIME, FOR BOTH THE DOGS AND CATS--THE CATS ARE MUCH EASIER--I BELIEVE THE BEST RECIPIES ARE ON DOGGY POOP. COM--BUT I JUST DID A BLANKET SEARCH ON LINE AND HAD TONS OF OPTIONS.....(I READ A HORRIBLE ARTICLE OF WHAT THEY PUT IN PET FOOD, AND FELT I HAD NO OPTION BUT TO TRY TO MAKE MY OWN, BESIDES MAKING TIME TO GET IT DONE, I FIND THAT IT IS MUCH CHEAPER AS WELL)

**Jaded** · 10-06-2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by DAAC3DEC

I HAVE MADE MY OWN FOOD FOR SOME TIME, FOR BOTH THE DOGS AND CATS--THE CATS ARE MUCH EASIER--I BELIEVE THE BEST RECIPIES ARE ON DOGGY POOP. COM--BUT I JUST DID A BLANKET SEARCH ON LINE AND HAD TONS OF OPTIONS.....(I READ A HORRIBLE ARTICLE OF WHAT THEY PUT IN PET FOOD, AND FELT I HAD NO OPTION BUT TO TRY TO MAKE MY OWN, BESIDES MAKING TIME TO GET IT DONE, I FIND THAT IT IS MUCH CHEAPER AS WELL)

Thanks so much! I just want to make sure that it's nutritionally balanced, because my older cat has UT problems. I'm gonna try it and see what happens. It's gotta be better than that expensive stuff in cans!

**pip** · 10-06-2007, 03:27 PM

My two older cats stick their noses up at anything I've tried to make on my own. They will drink the water/oil from cans of tuna, but other than that, I haven't had much luck. They will eat the Whiskas packets of meat and gravy, but those are expensive. I've tried other canned meats, and they won't go near them. Anybody have a really good homemade recipe?

**Momof4cats** · 10-06-2007, 09:08 PM

Be careful about feeding cats solely homemade food. They require taurine for their eyes and their heart. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to provide this in homemade food at the level needed for optimum health.

**Sari** · 10-08-2007, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Momof4cats

Be careful about feeding cats solely homemade food. They require taurine for their eyes and their heart. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to provide this in homemade food at the level needed for optimum health.

I agree. Please be sure you check with a reputable vet (or 2) about proper feeding and don't just go off the websites. A lot of people (not you, just people in general) think they just need meat scraps when in reality there's a lot more involved. Add in any special health requirements and it gets even trickier.

**Droppedonmyhead** · 10-08-2007, 10:10 AM

I have a friend who cooks her dogs green beans. They have their regular dry dog food, but she says that they don't want to eat it so much now.

**DAAC3DEC** · 10-08-2007, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Jaded

Thanks so much! I just want to make sure that it's nutritionally balanced, because my older cat has UT problems. I'm gonna try it and see what happens. It's gotta be better than that expensive stuff in cans!

NOT A PROBLEM!!! I KNOW MINE JUST LOVE IT AND SURE TURN THEIR NOSES UP AT THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOOD YOU CAN BUY--(I TOOK THE KIDS ON A MINI VACATION A WHILE BACK AND LEFT HUBBIE HOME WITH ALL THE ANIMALS, WELL HE RAN OUT OF HOMEMADE FOOD AND HAD TO DO A GROCERY RUN, AND BOUGHT SOME REALLY PRICEY STUFF, THEY REFUSED IT ALL, HE CALLED AND WAS CONCERNED WHY THEY WEREN'T EATING, I WAS COMING HOME THE NEXT DAY--BOY DID THEY EAT WHEN I GAVE THEM THE HOMEMADE STUFF!!)