Making Raw Cat Food for Do-It-Yourselfers

• Taurine - Use powdered taurine. I get it in 500 mg capsules, but it also comes loose.
• Wild Salmon Oil or Wild Caught Small Fish Oil — I use the small fish oil. Some cats don't like the taste of salmon oil. Get capsules, not a liquid in a bottle. Once opened, the liquid can go rancid quickly. It's OK to drop the whole capsule into the grinder, the gelatin capsule is edible. This oil replaces the Omega acids that would usually be in the eyes and brains of the animal eaten. Do not use cod liver oil as it can be high in vitamin A which is toxic in large amounts. Be sure the oil you get is from wild caught fish.
• Vitamin E - Get the dry form in capsules.
• Vitamin B Complex — Get capsules.
• Lite Salt - Make sure it contains iodine.
• Psyllium Husk Powder - This adds fiber without adding any carbohydrates. If your cats have been eating dry food for a long time, they may have lost elasticity in their bowels and may benefit from fiber in their food. Also, some cats may have constipation issues when initially fed a raw diet, so adding fiber in the beginning is a good idea. You can omit it later if it seems your cats don't need it.

 

A note on supplements which you may see in other recipes: I pretty much follow Dr. Lisa Pierson with regards to the following supplements. From her site:

 

• "Kelp - You will see recipes on the internet that use kelp. Kelp is very high in iodine and the thyroid gland is very sensitive to iodine levels that are either too low or too high. Given the fact that hyperthyroidism is very common in the cat, I do not want to add too much additional iodine to the diet. Chicken meat (no bones) tends to be low in iodine but this does not take into account that we are feeding bones with this recipe. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find iodine levels in whole carcass chicken or in chicken bones. For that reason, I am adding in a small amount of iodine to this diet in the form of lite salt (iodized) if chicken parts are used. This is because the thyroid gland of the chicken will not be present. The thyroid gland is a natural source of iodine. If using whole carcass rabbit, I suggest calling your supplier and asking if the thyroid gland is included. If it is, I would not add the iodized lite salt. Be sure to use all of the blood that comes with any ground food since blood contains valuable nutrients.
• Multi-glandular supplement - I initially added this item but when Mad Cow disease surfaced, I discontinued the use of this supplement. Also, I have my doubts that there is any benefit derived from this supplement - other than its iodine source if thyroid glands are used. It is more than likely just a very expensive source of protein which ends up being digested just like any other protein that is ingested. 
• Dulse - This is an optional trace mineral supplement. Many people feel that the mineral content of our soil is not what it used to be so this is one reason why some people choose to add it to the recipe."

 

 

• 4.5 lbs chicken thighs (72 oz). Remove the skin from half of it before you weigh it out. If your cats are chubby you can remove all the skin before weighing it. Don't remove the fat from the meat!
• 7 oz raw chicken liver.
• 14 oz raw chicken heart. If you can't source chicken heart, then substitute with 4000 mg Taurine. If you do omit raw heart, remember to make up the missing 14 oz of heart with additional chicken thighs. Your total weight for thighs would then be 5.375 lbs or 86 oz.
• 8 to 16 oz water. Use 8 oz if your cats like it firmer, or 16 oz if your cats like it soupier. I'd start with 16 oz, and then reduce it next time if desired. Use bottled water, not tap water which can have too many chemicals.
• 4 raw egg yolks. You can add the white also, but it must be cooked first. When initially using this recipe, don't add cooked whites; some cats with gastrointestinal issues may have an intolerance for them. You can add it later on, if desired, and monitor for any problems such as diarrhea.
• 2000 mg Taurine. This is in addition to the Taurine you may have added if you didn't use hearts. I always add a little additional of this so-important amino acid, just to be sure and to make up for any loss due to freezing. Taurine is water soluble so you don't have to worry about your cat getting too much.
• 4000 mg wild salmon or wild caught small fish oil
• 800 IU Vitamin E
• 200 mg Vitamin B Complex
• 1 ½ tsp Lite Iodized Salt
• 4 tsp Psyllium Husk Powder

 

 

Be organized, it will save a lot of time. Cover your work surface with newspapers. Set up your grinder, cutting board, tools, supplements and bowls. Oh, and it's probably a good idea to put your four-footed "helpers" in another room at this point!

1. In a medium mixing bowl, open up the supplement capsules except for the fish oil, these you add when grinding, add the egg yolks and water, and whisk until mixed. Don't add the psyllium yet. This is your "slurry" mixture.