home made cat food?

Question

Me and my partner are wanting to move to bulgaria and own our own farm. So we can live off the land. The problem is we have 3 cats all 2-3 years old.

Is it possible to make them a suitable food from any of these ingrediants...

pork / chicken / trout / wheat / corn / eggs / other vegetables?

we don't want to be buying anything like suppliments ideally, we just want to know what the cats need as part of a healthy diet

Answer 1

Nutrient Requirements of Cats


Cats are natural meat eaters and cannot be maintained on vegetarian diets or diets that rely heavily on grains. Such diets are deficient in essential amino acids, fatty acids and vitamins. Cats are finicky eaters who choose their foods on the basis of taste, aroma, texture and moisture content rather than meeting their nutritional needs.
Cats are unusual in that they cannot convert the carotenes found in leafy plants into vitamin A as humans can. Their natural source of vitamin A is liver. Vitamin A is necessary for membrane health. Cats deficient in vitamin A are more susceptible to respiratory tract infections, eye and skin disease. Niacin or nicotinic acid is also essential to your cat’s health. A lack of niacin causes inflammation of the intestines, rough skin and hair coat, oral ulcers and increased susceptibility to infection. Most mammals can synthesize niacin from the amino acid, triptophan. Cats have lost that ability and must obtain all their niacin from their diet. Cats must obtain the fatty acid, arachidonic acid from their diets. Animal fats are a good source of arachidonic acid. Unlike most mammals, cats cannot synthesize taurine from cysteine and methionine. They must receive all of it through the muscle meats in their diet. Lack of sufficient taurine causes blindness and heart enlargement. In addition to these special nutrients, cats have a higher protein and fat requirement than dogs and many other mammals.
Although high fiber diets are not natural for cats, some dietary fiber is important for gastrointestinal motility. Dietary fiber also seems to aid in preventing hyperglycemia and diabetes that are common in older cats. Too much fiber can prevent the absorption of vitamins and minerals and lead to diarrhea.


There are twelve minerals that are essential for cats. One of these, calcium, is essential for the formation of bone and teeth and as a signal between cells. Kittens that do not receive sufficient calcium have pinkish, translucent teeth a bowlegged stance and knobby painful joints. Partial bone fractures in these kittens are common. Most of the kittens I see with this condition were the offspring of nutritionally deprived feral (wild) cats. Others received a diet that was primarily meat or fish. Meat is low in calcium and high in phosphorus. High phosphorus interferes with the absorption of the little calcium that meat contains. Older cats on low calcium high phosphorus meat diets suffer from tooth and bone problems.

Feeding


An average sized adult cat weighing nine pounds should consume about 240 kilocalories a day. Neutered cats need less than intact animals. Cats like to munch on and off throughout the day so I suggest dry foods be available at all times. When food is available at all times, cats will eat ten to twenty small meals a day. Younger cats tent to self-regulate their caloric intake and stay lean. But twenty to forty percent of cats become overweight when feed free choice. As cats age, feed them a diet that is less caloric. One needs to consider at cats age and body condition when planning a diet. Problems occur in multi-cat households because it seems that there is always one cat that needs to eat more and another that needs to eat less. The only way I have found to solve this problem is to feed different cats in different closed rooms of the house several times a day. Give them about twenty minutes at a feeding. Thin cats should be encouraged to eat one-and-a-half times a normal ration. This can be done with treats or pungent flavors. Feed chubby cats foods that are advertised as lower caloric or just feed them less. Chubby cats are more susceptible to diabetes and liver disease. If these cats are fed only two thirds of the food they presently consume, weight loss will be gradual and gentle. One can also feed a lower caloric cat chow to accomplish the same thing.

Food Quality

Cat foods differ primarily in their source of protein. Generic cat foods use less expensive sources of protein. Because of this, the quality of protein in generic and house brand cat foods is poorer. Do not be led astray by considering only the percent protein. Percent protein tells nothing about the quality and digestibility of the product. Excluding premium, niche and specialty brands sold through pet shops, the quality of cat diets is reflected directly in the price you pay for the food.
Cats love the taste of fish. However, an overactive thyroid gland or hyperthyroidism as well as premature aging have been associated with feeding fish-flavored cat foods. It is not clear if the problem is that poor quality, rancid fish are used in animal foods or if there are constituents in fish themselves that cause the problem. Some nutritionists theorize that the high level of unsaturated fatty acids in fish lend themselves to the formation of free radical groups upon spoiling. If you must feed fish-flavored cat foods, supplement your cat with 25-50 units of vitamin E per day and one milligram of thiamine.

http://www.catsincharge.co.uk/good-grub-guide/
http://www.fabcats.org/feeding.html


A Guide to Safe VS Toxic "Table Scraps" for Cats
Let's face it: some cats are inveterate "bums" and will beg and plead most appealingly while you try to eat. While I will (rarely) give a cat a tidbit of chicken or turkey from my plate, it's a practice I don't encourage as a regular habit for a few reasons. First, because cats need the nutrients specifically provided for them in good, premium cat foods, and any "extras" that they consume will take away their appetites for their regular meals. A sliver of turkey or chicken from your dinner plate certainly won't kill a cat, but you're helping him develop bad habits. What happens when Aunt Phoebe comes for dinner and Simon jumps on her lap to scarf up her meal?
However, the main reason I'd discourage feeding cats "people food" is that there are a number of foods that are toxic to cats.

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You may have forgotten that the gravy slathered over your Thanksgiving turkey used broth that was flavored with onion, among other things. While it is tasty and harmless to humans, onions are very toxic to cats. The following is a list of foods that cats should never eat:
Onions, Garlic, & Related Root Vegetables

Onions contain a substance (N-propyl disulphide) which destroys red blood cells in the cat, causing a form of anemia called Heinz body anemia. Garlic contains a similar substance in a lesser amount.

Tomatoes, Green (raw Potatoes)

These foods are members of the Solanaceae family of plants, which includes the Deadly Nightshade, and contain a bitter, poisonous alkaloid called Glycoalkaloid Solanine, which can cause violent lower gastrointestinal symptoms. The Feline Future web site offers a rare description of a cat which was close to death from ingesting just one cherry tomato (See the link on the sidebar).

Chocolate

It's becoming more widely known that chocolate is very toxic to both cats and dogs. Theobromine is the offending substance here. Janet Tobiassen Crosby, D.V.M. has an excellent article on the symptoms, effects, and treatment of chocolate toxicity.

Grapes and Raisins

These foods' toxicity has mainly been found in dogs, in quantities of varying amounts. The ASPCA advises: "As there are still many unknowns with the toxic potential of grapes and raisins, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center advises not giving grapes or raisins to pets in any amount." That's good enough for me.

Milk

Although milk is not toxic to cats, it may have adverse effects. Simply put, adult cats fed a nutritious diet don't need milk, and many cats are lactose-intolerant, which means that the lactose in milk and milk products produces stomach upset, cramps, and gassiness. If your cat loves milk, and begs for it, a small amount of cream may be okay, two or three times a week. (The more fat in the milk, the less lactose.) Another compromise is CatSip, a product made from skim milk with an enzyme added that helps the digestion of lactose. Catsip is available in supermarkets such as Safeway, Albertson's and A&P, as well as pet products chains, such as PetSmart and Petco.

These are the most commonly seen "people foods" that are potentially harmful to cats.


We've had cats in our homes ever since the Ancient Egyptians first domesticated them, about 5,000 years ago. But no matter how fond they've become of cosy armchairs and fireside spots, cats are still essentially hunters and carnivores. Although their habits have changed over the centuries, their dietary requirements have not. So it's important that the modern-day cat is given the right balance of nutrients to meet its very specific needs.

This article takes a close look at the nutritional needs of cats - and concludes with some common-sense hygiene precautions, to ensure healthy living between cats and people.

A real carnivore
In the wild, cats naturally consume the whole body of their prey - not just the flesh - but also the bones, internal organs, intestinal contents and the skin and hair of the prey. These provide the cat with vitamins, minerals and roughage, otherwise missing from a purely meat diet.

Of course, in the world of the domestic cat, there's less opportunity to devour an entire body. And domestic cats, like all other animals, eat primarily to satisfy their energy requirements, not their roughage or nutrient needs. So the food you give your cat must contain a full complement of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. The correct proportions are as important as the total amount.

Your cat requires a relatively high level of protein; in fact, she's unable to adapt to a diet that is extremely low in protein. Animal fats are also essential for cats - not only for the energy they provide but also because they are a source of the fatty acids and the fat-soluble vitamins. Plant-based foods do not contain enough quantities of essential nutrients such as taurine, pre-formed vitamin A and arachidonic acid.

this link gives the vitamins and amino acids a cat needs
http://peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1399&articleid=2575


i hope this helps....

Answer 2

A cat's natural food is fresh killed mice and birds plus eating a little grass. These give them all the nutrition they need, as they also eat the vegetable contents of the gut, but unless you keep a mouse farm it is not easy. Most canned cat food is made from slaughterhouse trash doctored with chemicals. Small raw chunks of beef or lamb (not pork or chicken) give him something to chew but if he doesn't like raw meat cooked beef or lamb and lightly cooked chicken is fine also cooked fish without bones. Plain wholemeal cat biscuit exercises the teeth. Vitamin tablets may be a good extra and give him access to grass. I make up a lot of daily rations at one time and freeze them so all I have to do is to take out one a day and thaw it. About 1/2 oz per day per pound of body weight is about right. The very best canned cat food will do but it is always too soft for a carnivore who needs to chew his food. Just watch your cat chewing with his head on one side holding down his meat with his paw and you will see a tiger at work.

Answer 3

Its not just the taurine and calcium you need to consider; its the possible sources of those nutrients. They need to be offered in a form that a cat will eat. Plus you need to introduce the new diet before you go, and consult with oyur vet as well as research on the internet.
Liver is a source of taurine, and canned sardines are protein and calcium (leave the bones in! They're soft and edible).
I don't think pork is suitable and corn is generally added to a pet food as a cheap filler.
Chicken, rabbit, fish, beef and liver are probably the staple ingrediants.

Answer 4

For cats it is very important that their diet includes the amino acid taurine which is essential for their vision and can be harmful if they do not receive enough of this in their diet. If you are wanting to make your own food check with your vet and they can give you recipes or a place where you can find the recipes best for your feline friend

Answer 5

In the post war years, before the advent of cat food, they were given a bit of what their owners ate, or occasionally some boiled offal or fish scraps. My parents cats certainly seemed OK on it.

Answer 6

perhaps you could check these ingredients out with your local vet before you move. Im sure the cats would be fine on them as there are many wild cats that survive on just birds and what ever they can find etc

Answer 7

Set your personal computer alarm to ring hourly—stand way up for 1 to 5 minutes every time it goes off.

Answer 8

From breakfast, go ahead and beverage orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water as opposed to juice or soda

Answer 9

why not buy cat food? Otherwise find someone localls who breeds rabbits, chickens etc and simply buy off them and feed whole raw or cooked. My cats have kibble, plus whole raw bantam cockerels since I breed them. I also buy whole rabbit from the butcher and feed them this, also raw. Cats are obligate carnivores so need meat but not just muscle meat, they also need the fur and skin and innards.

Answer 10

Slide a tiny trampoline under your couch in addition to pull it out for Home of Cards marathons.

Answer 11

try these websites for making cat food and cat treats

http://mixes.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/1231/0.shtml
http://www.catnutrition.org/foodmaking.html