Making homemade dry cat food can be a good way to make sure you kitty is getting quality ingredients in her diet. Homemade food can also be more digestible than store bought. Note that any recipe you make at home should be supplemented to make sure your cat is getting all the essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids she needs.
Homemade Dry Cat Food Recipe
Below is a general recipe for making dry cat food. Some ingredients are table foods.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of cornmeal
- 1 cup of wheat germ
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup soy flour
- One 15-ounce can of salmon or shredded chicken
- 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
- 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- ¾ cup brewer's yeast
- ½ cup shredded vegetables (broccoli, zucchini, carrot, etc)
- 2 cups of water (may use slight amount more as needed to mix)
Tools Required
- Baking sheet
- Whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Large wooden spoon
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Long knife for cutting kibble
- Airtight container
Instructions
This recipe makes approximately 12 cups of kibble.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Whisk all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl
- Mash the fish or chicken in with the oils using a fork. It doesn't have to be perfectly blended.
- Mix two cups of water with the dry ingredients using a large wooden spoon. Use your hands to continue to mix when the mixture gets too thick to use the spoon. Push and pull the dough with your hands until wet and dry ingredients are well blended.
- Add the fish or chicken mixture to the dough and mix with a spoon, use your hands if needed to blend all ingredients. (Don't forget to wash your hands well afterwards.)
- Roll out the dough by putting it between two pieces of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin and try to get it no more than one quarter of an inch thick.
- Remove the top piece of parchment and cut the dough into very small (less than one quarter of an inch) squares to make the kibble pieces.
- Place the kibble pieces on to your baking sheet and bake it in the oven for 22-25 minutes, flipping it every 5 minutes or so. You want all sides to be evenly baked.
- Let the kibble cool for 10 to 15 minutes once it is removed from the oven. This can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks.
How Much Dry Food to Feed Your Cat
Most cats will do well when fed one quarter to one half of a cup of this food twice daily. That will vary depending on your cat's age and medical needs. Be sure to consult your veterinarian about how much to feed your particular cat. This diet is not nutritionally complete and will need to be supplemented.
Supplementing Homemade Cat Food
Cats have special dietary needs for certain essential amino acids such as arginine and taurine. You should supplement this diet with a quality commercial food. Check with your vet for recommendations, or check the nutrients in your homemade food and order supplements that may be added to your cat's diet to make sure she is getting all her nutritional needs met.
Spoil Kitty With Kibble From Scratch
Making dry kibble for your kitty can be a great way to make sure she gets her crunchies without artificial colors or ingredients. The one thing to be sure of is that you are supplementing with a quality canned food or vitamin and mineral mix to make sure your kitty is the healthiest she can be.
