Tag: #cat-food-recipes

Quick and Easy Cat Treat Recipes You Can Make At Home

Hello, fellow cat lovers! Are you looking to spoil your furry friends with some delicious homemade treats? Not only can making your own cat treats be a fun and rewarding experience, but it also allows you to know exactly what ingredients are going into your pet’s diet. Today, I’m excited to share with you some easy and healthy homemade cat treat recipes that your kitty will adore. Let’s dive in!

Why Make Homemade Cat Treats?

Before we get into the recipes, let’s talk about why you might want to make your own cat treats.

  1. Healthier Ingredients: Store-bought treats can sometimes contain questionable ingredients, including artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. Making treats at home lets you use fresh, wholesome ingredients.
  2. Customization: You can tailor the recipes to suit your cat’s dietary needs and preferences, whether they have allergies, are on a special diet, or just have particular tastes.
  3. Bonding Time: Cooking for your pet can be a great way to bond. Plus, it’s always satisfying to see your cat enjoy something you made just for them.

Essential Tips for Homemade Cat Treats

  • Use Cat-Safe Ingredients: Always ensure that the ingredients you use are safe for cats. Avoid chocolate, onions, garlic, raisins, and anything with xylitol.
  • Moderation is Key: Even though these treats are homemade, they should still be given in moderation. Treats should not make up more than 10% of your cat’s daily caloric intake.
  • Storage: Most homemade treats do not have preservatives, so store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them. Freeze any extras to prolong their shelf life.

Recipe 1: Tuna and Catnip Crunchies

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of tuna in water (drained)
  • 1 cup of oat flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon of dried catnip

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a bowl, mix the tuna, oat flour, egg, and catnip until well combined.
  3. Roll the mixture into small balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  4. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the treats are golden brown.
  6. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Recipe 2: Chicken and Sweet Potato Bites

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of cooked chicken breast (shredded)
  • 1/2 cup of mashed sweet potato
  • 1/4 cup of oat flour
  • 1 egg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a bowl, combine the shredded chicken, mashed sweet potato, oat flour, and egg.
  3. Mix until a dough forms.
  4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut it into small shapes using a cookie cutter.
  5. Place the shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the treats are firm.
  7. Allow to cool before serving.

Recipe 3: Salmon and Pumpkin Treats

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of salmon (drained)
  • 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a bowl, mix the salmon, pumpkin puree, and egg until well combined.
  3. Gradually add the whole wheat flour until a dough forms.
  4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut it into small shapes.
  5. Place the shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the treats are firm.
  7. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Recipe 4: Cheesy Cat Treats

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of oat flour
  • 1 egg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a bowl, combine the shredded cheese, oat flour, and egg.
  3. Mix until a dough forms.
  4. Roll the dough into small balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the treats are golden brown.
  7. Allow to cool before serving.

Recipe 5: Turkey and Spinach Bites

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of cooked turkey (shredded)
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped spinach
  • 1/4 cup of oat flour
  • 1 egg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a bowl, mix the shredded turkey, chopped spinach, oat flour, and egg until well combined.
  3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut it into small shapes.
  4. Place the shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the treats are firm.
  6. Allow to cool before serving.

Final Thoughts

Making homemade cat treats is a wonderful way to show your feline friend how much you care. These recipes are easy to make and use simple, cat-friendly ingredients that are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. Remember to store the treats properly and feed them in moderation. Happy baking!

If you have any questions or want to share your own homemade cat treat recipes, feel free to leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

References:

I hope your kitty enjoys these treats as much as mine do! Until next time, happy baking and purring!

Best Cat Soup: Easy Fish Broth Recipe

You can use almost anything for this cat soup recipe: fish trimmings, fish heads, unseasoned shrimp or crawfish shells. This is really just fish stock without the vegetables and seasonings that aren’t good for your cat.

Fish Broth Recipe

Place the fish trimmings in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth lined colander to remove any bones. You may want to do this more than once to be sure. Then return the clear broth to the rinsed pot and boil for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce the stock and intensify the flavor. Let it cool and freeze in individual servings. I just use an ice cube tray. Very easy!

Want something even easier?

Bonus Recipe: Instant Tuna Soup

Take a can of tuna in water. Drain off the water. Serve it to your cat. You’re welcome!

You can use the tuna to make something nice for the family: tuna salad, tuna casserole, tuna croquettes…

Everyone wins!

Punch Up The Flavor

Onions and garlic and in fact all members of the allium family of plants including shallots, leeks and chives are toxic to both cats and dogs. Even small amounts of these over long periods of time can cause anemia in cats. And cats are obligate carnivores, so I have no reason to believe that vegetables of any type would be flavor enhancers for them. What to do? I recommend using those lickable cat treats like Churu as condiments. Mix or match the flavors to your broth to amp up flavor and palatability.

Many cats are lactose intolerant, so cream and cheese are not actually good choices to include in your cat’s food. Plain unsweetened yogurt with live probiotic cultures is less of a problem and more easily digested. But heat will destroy the probiotic bacteria that makes it more digestible. If you want a creamier, richer texture, a better choice is to purée cooked, unseasoned fish, shrimp or crawfish and add that as a thickener and to add to the umami flavor of the broth.

Conclusion

Adding soup to your cat’s diet can help with weight management as well as hydration and can be a nice change of pace for your feline friend.

Verified by MonsterInsights