Cat diet question

[LStockman]

We had a kitty that the vet put on baby-food chicken when she got older. She loved it! She began begging for food for the first time at 19 years old!

[buffygirl]

I was searching the archives and saw a thread on dog biscuits so I thought it might be ok to ask a cat question.

Does anyone here feed their cat a homemade diet? I'm having trouble finding a food that my old kitty can tolerate that he actually likes. He has a very sensitive tummy. We've tried him on several foods lately and the only ones he likes make him vomit.

Any ideas???

Kim

[ebobbitt]

Do you by chance use any of the flea stuff (i.e. the Program, Advantage, etc.) on your cat? Many times when a cat gets older this will start to make them sick. It's almost like they develop an allergy to the product. If you are using any product like this on your cat you might want to check with your vet. A friend had an older cat that she finally had to stop using the product on because the cat kept throwing up. At first she thought it was a diet issue but it really wasn't.

[buffygirl]

No, I don't use that on my cat, he's mainly indoors. Thanks for the idea though.

kim

[LGBurns]

There is a book on cooking for your pet that addresses different health problems and gives suggestions for meals to prepare for them. Unfortunately, right now I can't remember the name of it. When my previous cat had Feline Leukemia the homeopathic store I went to to get her food recommended it. I have to go get my new cat some food this week so I'll be going by there--I'll ask the name of the book again.

There is an excellent cat food called Wysong that I feed my kitty. They have special types, including "Geriatrx" which is specially designed for older cats. You might check that out. They make hard food and canned food and at my store you can get the hard food in trial sizes. I'm not sure whether they have a web-site but you might try a local natural food store or homeopathic store to see if they carry it.

[RunnerKim]

I highly recommend that you look at Dr. Pitcairn's book. I believe it's called Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dog and Cats. He has several recipes in there as well as other useful information about what could be causing problems. I'm pretty sure you can find it at any major on-line book seller (and maybe in the actual store).

I do feed my two tabbies a home-prepared diet. They haven't eaten kibble since I brought them home around 6 months (they're almost 5 now) and they're doing very well.

Kim

[wallycat]

You didn't say how old your kitty is....ours hit 16 or so and started throwing up daily...found out it was his thyroid. Put him on oral agents and it made him sicker...found a cream with same meds that we rub into his ear and he's only gotten sick ONCE!

[buffygirl]

I will definitely look into Dr. Pitcarin's book.

He's just spent a few days at the vet and has had every test known to man including his thyroid. The vet says that he is incredibly healthy for a 15+ year old. He just has a really sensitive tummy.

I'm hoping to find a "recipe" of something I can whip up at home relatively quickly and inexpensively.

kim

[tovie]

Arghhhhh! this board drives me nuts, it won't let me post and then eats what I typed!!! It's so frustrating!

Okay, sorry about that (g) I give up, I've typed a response to this twice and lost it and for some reason it refused to copy to the clipboard or print too :-(

Anyway, I have a catfood cookbook plus some magazine clippings and I'll look for them tonight and post a few recipes for you. Here are a few websites a quick search turned up too: (Not that my cats would ever have anything to do with homemade food. Guess I should have tried putting it on my plate then putting it on the table and leaving the room <g>)


Bunch of Recipes (has at least one of Dr. Pitcairn's that a couple others recommended)
http://www.ameritech.net/users/critterz/crf_recipes.htm

Recipe
http://www.softrain.com/natpaws/recipes.htm

Recipes (in their list of categories, look for cat treats and food near the bottom of the page)
http://www.recipesource.com

Recipes (cat ones are scattered throughout)
http://peaceandharmony.org/healthy%20pets/petfood.htm

Recipes
http://www.simplypets.com/recipes/index2.php3?pet=Cats

[buffygirl]

These links are precisely what I was looking for. I really appreciate it!

[wallycat]

just an idea...when I type something in, at the first sign of the BB acting up, I go back and highlight everything, then use the "edit" key and "copy" all I typed....if it gets lost, I simply have to paste back what I've typed in.....saves time on retyping...but remember it only remembers most current "copy" info...
:D

[BlueMoose]

I was also going to recommend Dr. Pitcairn's book. I don't feed my cats a homemade diet, but I do make my dog's food. I personally think it's a much better way for them to eat.

[JLS]

I have 2 cats each with their own unique problems! One is allergic to meat by-products and the other is allergic to milk products and beef. I feed them both "Cornucopia Super Stars" ( I purchase it at Health Food Stores" and it works for both of them!!

[LGBurns]

Originally posted by RunnerKim
I highly recommend that you look at Dr. Pitcairn's book. I believe it's called Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dog and Cats.
Kim

That's the one I was thinking of too!

[tovie]

Originally posted by wallycat
just an idea...when I type something in, at the first sign of the BB acting up, I go back and highlight everything, then use the "edit" key and "copy" all I typed....if it gets lost, I simply have to paste back what I've typed in.....saves time on retyping...but remember it only remembers most current "copy" info...
:D

Sigh, Yup, I usually do that... and paste it into WordPerfect too, just to be on the safe side, if I've spent a long time typing it up. But I think the entire computer was conspiring against me and not just the BB for a change ;-) because it wasn't copying to the clipboard for some reason...


Buffygirl, here's some recipes...

These are all from The Cat Lover's Cookbook (which is out of print). Anything with a funny name in the ingredient lists you can usually pick up at a health food store or possibly a larger pet store. I included a couple recipes that came from veterinarians that might fit your cat's problems plus a random selection involving different meats and fish from the rest of the book (work was boring today <g>). Happy Cooking and I hope your cat is more receptive to them than mine were.


Feeding Guide

Body Weight Approximate Daily Feeding
5 lb 1/4 lb
7-8 lb 1/3 lb
10 lb 2/5 lb

Refrigerate portions for no longer than 4 days or freeze.


The first several recipes (Hill's and Kronfeld) are from vets and are actually the same as I've gotten from my vet. I won't type them all since they're for different diseases and illnesses but here's two that might relate to your cat's problems and a third that has directions for interchanging ingredients.

Hill's Allergy Diet (d/d)
This recipe constitutes a balanced, vitamin-mineral supplement that should be served in a quantity sufficient to provide the daily requirement for each vitamin and trace mineral.

1/4 pound diced lamb
1 cup white rice, cooked
1 tsp corn oil
1 1/2 tsp dicalcium phosphate

Trim fat from lamb. Cook thoroughly (braise or roast) without seasoning. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Keep covered in refrigerator.

Yields 3/4 lb

Hill's Soft Bland Diet (i/d)
A bland, nonirritating and easily digested diet.

1/2 cup cream of wheat, cooked to make about 2 cups
1 1/2 cups creamed cottage cheese
1 large hard-cooked egg
2 Tbs brewers yeast
3 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs corn oil
1 Tbs potassium chloride
2 tsp dicalcium phosphate

Cook Cream of Wheat according to package directions. Cool. Add remaining ingredients, a balanced vitamin-mineral supplement purchased from your vet or pet store, and mix well. Keep covered in refrigerator.

Yields 2 lbs


The Kronfeld Diet for Cats
by Dr. David S. Kronfeld (wrote forward in the cookbook, is a professor of nutrition in veterinarian med)

Theme Recipe

2/3 cup ground meat
1/3 cup dry rice (brown or white)
2 Tbs chopped liver
1 Tbs bone meal
2 tsp corn oil
1/2 tsp iodized salt
1 cup water

Bring the water to a boil. Add the rice, corn oil and salt, and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat. Dredge the meat with the bone meal. Add the meat and liver to the rice mixture, stir and simmer for another 15 minutes. Cool and serve.

Yields 3 servings

Variations on the Theme Recipe

The meat used in the theme recipe is usually hamburger with a medium fat content. Fat cats may benefit from lean meat or an organ meat such as heart. Meat may be replaced by fish. Some types of fish are fatty (salmon, for example), and others are lean (such as flounder). Cats also love chicken, turkey, goose, and duck -- all of which may replace meat.

Rice can be replaced by barley, potato, canned or frozen corn, or tapioca. But rice is hard to beat for cats because it is easily digested and blends will with other foods.

Liver is needed every day, or nearly every day, to provide necessary trace minerals and vitamins. It may be replaced by other organ meats, such as kidney or sweetbreads, but none have the potency and benefits of liver.

One way to handle liver, and have it easily available, is to freeze it as "liver ice cubes." Chop a pound of liver into quarter-inch cubes. Divide the pile into sixteen equal portions. Put one portion into each of the 16 compartments of an ice cube tray. Each portion equals one ounce. Freeze the liver in the tray, and pop out "liver ice cubes" as needed.

Another easy way to prepare liver for your cat's consumption is to cook it, and then roll it between two sheets of cellophane so that it resembles a thin pancake. You can then freeze it in the cellophane and break off the amount you want as needed.

The easiest way to cook liver is to chop it into very small (kitty-bit-size) pieces and then boil it for about 15 minutes. Be sure to drain it well.

Steamed bone meal is available at many health food and pet stores, and is a good source of calcium. It can be replaced by other good sources of calcium such as milk and dairy foods, or green leaf vegetables. As part of your cat's diet, calcium is not necessary every day, but we suggest that you make it available two or three times a week.

Corn oil provides vitamin E as well as essential fatty acids. It may be replaced by wheat germ oil fortified with vitamin E...

...A teaspoon or two of chicken fat added to a cat's food will tempt even finicky felines and build up scrawny kitties...

...Vegetable greens are high in calcium and can be chopped and added to most feline recipes. Try beet greens, swiss chard, collards, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, parsley, spinach and turnip greens.

There are five readily available calcium supplements: meat and bone meal, bone meal (steamed), dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate and ground limestone. Meat and bone meal and steamed bone meal are considered the most palatable; limestone the least palatable.
************

(Note: some of the following recipes are marked for every day use, the ones that aren't are for a treat or occasional meal.)

Tuna Cakes

2 eggs
1 6 1/2-oz can tuna, drained and flaked
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 slices bread, cubed into kitty-bite-size pieces
1/2 tsp iodized salt
1 tsp brewers yeast
1 tsp bone meal
2 Tbs margarine

Beat eggs lightly in bowl. Add tuna, onion, bread cubes, salt, brewers yeast and bone meal. Mix thoroughly until moistened. Form into small patties. Melt margarine in skillet and fry patties until golden brown. When cool, crumble each patty and serve. Yields 3-5 servings.

Fish Chowder

1/2 lb fish, boned and cut into kitty-bite-size pieces
1 cup creamed corn
1/4 cup potato, chopped fine
2 Tbs onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs margarine
1 cup milk
1 Tbs liver, chopped
1/2 tsp iodized salt
grated cheese (optional)

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool and serve plain or topped with grated cheese. Yields 4-5 servings. This recipe is fit for everyday use.

Chicken with Greens

2/3 cup chicken with giblets (especially the liver)
1 cup tomato juice, or 1/2 cup tomato puree and 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup rice, uncooked
1/2 cup turnip or beet greens, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp iodized salt
1 tsp corn oil

Cut chicken and giblets into kitty-bite-size pieces. Bring tomato juice to a low boil in a covered saucepan. Add chicken and rice, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add greens, garlic and salt. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in corn oil. Cool before serving. Yields 2-3 servings. This recipe is fit for everyday use.

Turkey Surprise

1/2 cups water
1 tsp iodized salt
2 tsp corn oil
1/2 cup rice, uncooked
1/2 lb turkey giblets, chopped into kitty-bite-size pieces
1/4 cup carrot, chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped spinach

Add salt and oil to water and bring to a boil. Pour rice in boiling water, lower heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in turkey giblets, carrot and spinach. Cover and simmer on low heat for another 10-15 minutes. Cool and serve. Yields 4-5 servings. This recipe is fit for everyday use.

Hearty Beef

1/2 lb beef heart, cooked and chopped
1 Tbs corn oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup spinach, chopped fine
1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
2 eggs
1/4 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp iodized salt
2 bs chopped liver

To prepare beef heart, simmer in water for 15-20 minutes. Let cool and chop into kitty-bite-size pieces. Heat corn oil in skillet. Add garlic and saute briefly (30 seconds). Add spinach and onion and saute until onion is soft and translucent. Beat eggs in medium mixing bowl. Blend corn meal and salt with eggs. Mix in beef and liver. Add mixture to skillet and stir well; continue to cook until eggs are done. Cool and serve. Yields 3-4 servings. This recipe is fit for everyday use.

Lamb Stew

1 Tbs corn oil
1/2 lb boneless lamb, cut into kitty-bite-size pieces
3 Tbs flour with a dash of salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp iodized salt
1 pinch basil
1 small carrot, minced
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup peas, frozen or fresh (slightly mash if needed)
1/2 cup corn, slightly chopped if larger than bite size
1/2 cup potato, cut into kitty-bite-size pieces
2 tsp bone meal
1/4 cup liver

Heat oil in medium saucepan. Dredge lamb in flour and add to skillet. Lightly brown lamb on all sides. Add garlic to lamb and saute another minute. Add water, salt and basil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add carrot, onion, peas, corn, potato, bone meal and liver. Cover and simmer approximately 15 minutes until potatoes and carrots are done. Cool and serve. Yields 4-6 servings. This recipe is fit for everyday use.

Cheese Scramble

3 eggs
3 Tbs cheddar cheese, grated
2 Tbs milk or plain yogurt
2 Tbs alfalfa sprouts
1 tsp brewers yeast
1/2 tsp iodized salt
1 Tbs margarine

Mix all ingredients except margarine in a medium mixing bowl. Heat margarine in skillet until melted and add the egg mixture. Scramble on low heat until the eggs are cooked. Cool and serve. Yields 2-3 servings.