Pets
Related: About this forumWith the cat food shortage, is anyone making their own?
Just curious if anyone on here makes homemade cat food and has any insights, recipes, shortcuts, etc.
The shortage is starting to really upset things for our rescue. We are finding food thankfully, but many of our older ones have specific favorites and we cant always get those.
Thanks in advance.
Beatlelvr
(619 posts)May I send some food to the rescue? I would be happy to do that.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)We are a valid 501(c)(3) located in Texas that does mostly Trap-Neuter-Return. We dont have a website. Will you please send me a DM? I appreciate your offer.
Beatlelvr
(619 posts)How do I do a DM msg?
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)I sent you a message. Check your inbox.
multigraincracker
(32,677 posts)of tuna. Both are picky eaters, but never turn down tuna.
piddyprints
(14,642 posts)Weve been feeding ours raw food since 2005. There are places online that ship it frozen. In a pinch, we buy chickens from the grocery store and grind them in a high-powered meat grinder. We do add taurine and a few other supplements.
Depending on how many cats your rescue has, it can be expensive and/or a lot of labor.
I hope you find something that works for you.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Im thinking of getting one but I understand that only certain ones are powerful enough to grind up bones, etc.
Thank you.
piddyprints
(14,642 posts)2000 Watt STX with foot pedal from Amazon. I replaced something else Ive had for years that still works but is getting tired. This one is great.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Appreciate the info
happybird
(4,608 posts)Lots of info, recipe about half way down
Heres general cat nutrition info which, imho, all cat owners should read.
https://catinfo.org/
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)I will check this out.
piddyprints
(14,642 posts)When my then-7-year/-old Aby was dying from IBD. He lived to be 18.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)n/t
Jilly_in_VA
(9,971 posts)but I order from Chewy. Our shelter is also not experiencing problems.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Prices have skyrocketed. I love Chewy but even they have issues with certain varieties right now.
Karadeniz
(22,516 posts)suggestion to look on the internet is good. Basically, you want cats to get about 50% meat protein. If it's a temporary diet, the other 50% could be oatmeal or rice. I always added smashed peas and canned pumpkin.
Also, get a small bag of nutritional yeast (no additives, like garlic) and see which cats love it. Then you can use it to flavor whatever food you can obtain and they'll probably eat it since it has the beloved yeast on it. My cats would kill for nutritional yeast!
FarPoint
(12,368 posts)I didn't know about 50% protein. ...
Karadeniz
(22,516 posts)flexibility! I know my cats don't get 60% protein from the odd lizard or bird that gets into the screened catio. They usually eat the head and leave the rest! Foraging for themselves, at that rate they'd never get enough protein!!!
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Thanks for the insight. Any particular brand you use and where is the best place to get it?
Karadeniz
(22,516 posts)doesnt have a label. I have to order it over the Internet... Amazon...because our little health store only carries it with garlic and my cats don't like their nutritional yeast tarted up! I could ask our store to order it, but it's easier to do it myself.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Amazon has Braggs. They have good apple cider vinegar, so I may try their yeast first.
Response to hamsterjill (Reply #13)
Karadeniz This message was self-deleted by its author.
FarPoint
(12,368 posts)Costco Kirkland canned chicken....it is actually cheaper too...they love it, no spit up....I still have my dry food of Science Hill for them...
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)I also have used the canned chicken. I keep it in supply for the times when one will not eat.
Thank goodness for Costco!!! Weve been able to get the Friskies multi-packs still most of the time.
niyad
(113,303 posts)Petco does not seem to havve a problem, but my guy does not like most of it. Fortunately, he adores poached chicken and turkey, and tuna in th puches, so that helps.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Chewy is awesome! But even they have been out of the fancy feast tender beef for months.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)No shortage of it so far from Chewy. Maybe give it a try?
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Thanks!! I am well versed in Fancy Feast!!! LOL. We feed over 50 cats.
The prices have all gone up tremendously infortunately.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Do you have a rescue? I only have 1 senior who is perpetually overweight, & a couple of ferals.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)We go through a lot!!!
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)Some days I want to chuck it all. But I love doing it. These kiddos have saved my life during the pandemic, etc.
Paper Roses
(7,473 posts)Chewy is now and has been out of stock for ages. My last order from them is getting low and I'm concerned. In my area of Mass, no stores have this in stock. The situation is bad and I notice that what little cat food that is available is mostly brands that I never saw before.
In my case, this dear old (15) kitty is a very finicky eater. I've tried to stretch her food with a little cooked chicken breast mixed in. No go. None of the pet food stores have this either. I made the rounds to 4 grocery stores and 2 pet food stores on Saturday. No luck, just a lot of gas used.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Sometimes well stocked.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)We have some older ones in the rescue. One likes Fancy Feast Tender Beef pate and Chewy has been out of it for months. Its strange how the shortage seems to be affecting certain parts of the country and not others - OR, perhaps the DUers on here who havent had a problem just havent had a problem YET.
Since Im in Texas, it would seem logical that a beef flavor would be available. But it isnt.
Random Boomer
(4,168 posts)We've been making the rounds of Martin's grocery, Weis and Pet Stop with fewer and fewer cans of Fancy Feast at any of them.
I'd love to get stock from Chewy, but our attempts to order from them were a delivery nightmare. Over the course of a few months we ordered around 10 different shipments and only ONE of them landed on our porch. All the orders were either lost or delivered to a neighbor on another street entirely (and that poor woman lugged those boxes over in the middle of winter). FedEx ignored our complaints and Chewy just shrugged and basically said it was our problem, not theirs. Very disappointing.
We may need to supplement with some homemade food if the supply doesn't improve soon. Most of our cats (we have 6) will eat dry or at least nibble on a non-favorite brand, but one of our cats is insatiable and HE WANTS HIS FANCY FEAST!!!
Emile
(22,741 posts)my girl loves it.