Healthy Homemade Fresh Food for Cats and Dogs
Beyond commercial pet food, many experts recommend offering fresh food menus for cats and dogs to supplement their nutrition with wholesome, fresh ingredients. While many fresh food packages or treats available in the market aim for convenience and preservation, they often contain additives, and it can be difficult to ensure the safety of cooking processes and storage methods used by manufacturers.
Therefore, numerous pet owners prefer to prepare fresh food at home, where they can guarantee no additives or excessive seasonings are used, helping their cats and dogs eat healthier meals. Although the idea of making fresh food for pets from scratch might seem challenging, common household kitchen tools like pots, pressure cookers, and ovens can easily be used to prepare nutritious and fresh meals or treats.
If cooking fresh food for your pets feels daunting, don't miss the specially curated DIY fresh food recipes for dogs and cats. These recipes guide you to prepare healthy and safe fresh meals and snacks in the simplest way possible, ensuring your furry friends enjoy wholesome and delicious food every day.
1. Pumpkin Cake for Dogs
A deliciously fragrant pumpkin cake that dogs can enjoy healthily.
Required Tools
- Air fryer
- Oven
- Food processor
- Baking tray or heat-resistant glass bowl
- Mixing stick
Preparation Time
Approximately 60 minutes.
Ingredients
- 170 grams oat flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 28 grams peanut butter
- 113 grams pumpkin puree
- 50 grams carrot
- 57 grams Greek yogurt
Fresh Food Preparation
- Grate the carrot and set aside.
- Cut the pumpkin into cubes, then steam it using an air fryer for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked pumpkin to a food processor and blend it into a puree.
- In a bowl, lightly mix the oat flour, cinnamon powder, and baking powder.
- Add the egg, peanut butter, steamed pumpkin puree, grated carrot, and Greek yogurt into the bowl and mix everything evenly.
- Pour the batter into a baking tray and bake at 175°C (around 350°F) for about 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits
Make these healthy and delicious peanut butter dog biscuits with wholesome ingredients, perfect for your furry friend to enjoy as a snack!
Tools Needed
- Oven
- Food processor or blender
- Baking tray or heat-resistant glass bowl
- Baking paper
- Mixing stick
- Rolling pin
Time Required
Approximately 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 223 grams pumpkin puree
- 57 grams peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 320 grams bread flour (add more as needed)
Preparation Instructions
- Use a food processor to blend the steamed pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and 1 egg into a smooth mixture.
- Add the flour and blend again until combined.
- Remove the dough and knead by hand, adding a little more flour if necessary, until it reaches a workable consistency.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into one large sheet.
- Cut the dough into dog bone shapes according to the size of the dough sheet, then place them on the baking tray.
- Bake in the oven at 175°C (about 347°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, then remove.
3. Mixed Vegetable Stewed Chicken Rice for Dogs
This mixed vegetable stewed chicken rice is rich in fiber and nutrients, making it an excellent choice for fresh dog food.
Tools Needed
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Time Required
Approximately 25 minutes
Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Peas
- Chicken gizzards
- Rice
- Water
Preparation Steps
- Cut all root vegetables into small pieces and place them together with the other ingredients into the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Set the Instant Pot to the Meat mode for 10 minutes. When the time is up, give the mixture a stir.
- Then set the Instant Pot to Porridge mode for 15 minutes.
- After cooking, open the lid and let it cool before feeding your dog or storing it in portions for freezing.
4. Fresh Vegetable Meatballs: A Healthy Delight for Dogs
These fresh vegetable meatballs are a nutritious blend of some of your dog's favorite healthy ingredients. Perfect as a wholesome treat or addition to their meals.
Tools Needed
- Pot
- Blender or Hand Mixer
- Grater
- Container for Serving
Preparation Time
Approximately 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 600g Ground Meat
- Half a Head of Broccoli
- Half a Carrot
- 1 Egg
Instructions
- Grate the carrot and finely chop the broccoli. Set aside.
- Beat the egg and set it aside.
- Mix the ground meat with the grated carrot and chopped broccoli thoroughly.
- Add the beaten egg to the mixture and stir well.
- Form the mixture into meatballs of an appropriate size.
- Place the meatballs in a pot, bring to a boil, and cook until fully done.
- Once cooked, remove the meatballs from the pot and let them cool before serving.
5. Bone Broth Jelly Recipe
Tools Needed
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Time Required
2.5 hours
Ingredients
- Beef bones / Chicken feet
- Apple cider vinegar
- Water
Fresh Food Preparation
Place all ingredients into the inner pot of the Instant Pot and set it to pressure cook mode for 2.5 hours.
When the pressure cooking is complete, manually release the pressure, open the lid, and strain the broth to separate the liquid.
Allow the broth to cool and chill it in the refrigerator until cold.
Final Steps
After refrigeration, the broth will separate into an oily layer on top and a jelly-like broth underneath.
Skim off and discard the oily layer. The jelly-like broth can be served as a treat to dogs or mixed into their meals as fresh food.
It can also be portioned and frozen for convenient use later.
6. Fresh Vegetable Chicken Jelly for Dogs
The Fresh Vegetable Chicken Jelly is a healthy and visually appealing meal and snack option for dogs. It combines nutritious vegetables and chicken into a delicious jelly form that dogs love.
Tools Needed
- Jelly molds
- Cooking pot
Time Required
Approximately 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 30g Bok choy
- 30g Carrot
- 150g Chicken breast
- 30g Sweet potato
- 10g Agar agar powder
Preparation Instructions
- Chop the bok choy, carrot, and sweet potato into small pieces.
- Boil the diced carrot and sweet potato separately in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove.
- Boil the bok choy in boiling water for just 1 minute, then remove.
- Simmer the chicken breast for about 7 to 8 minutes. After cooking, place the chicken in ice water for about 1 minute, remove, and shred into thin strips.
- Add the agar agar powder to boiling water and cook until it fully dissolves and turns clear, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Layer the bok choy, carrot, sweet potato, and shredded chicken sequentially into the jelly molds, then pour the dissolved agar agar mixture over the top.
- Let it cool at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to set, then refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.
Storage and Use
For best freshness, consume the jelly within 3 days when refrigerated. If freezing, use within 2 weeks.
7. Healthy Tuna Biscuits for Cats
These cat tuna biscuits are nutritious and perfect for cats who enjoy little snacks. They are made with healthy ingredients to support your cat's well-being.
Tools Needed
- Food processor
- Oven
- Small cookie cutters
- Rolling pin
Preparation Time
Approximately 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 can of cat tuna (you may substitute with any canned food your cat likes, but do not use tuna canned in oil for human consumption)
- 1 fresh egg
- 210g flour or whole wheat flour
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Place the cat tuna with its liquid into the food processor and blend together with the beaten egg until smooth.
- Add the flour to the mixture and stir, then knead into a dough.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Freeze 3 balls for future use.
- Roll out one dough ball to about 1 cm thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. If cutters are not available, cut the dough into small triangles or other shapes that your cat can eat in one bite.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Allow the biscuits to cool completely before feeding to your cat.
Storage and Feeding Tips
Store the biscuits in a dry, sealed container and feed within one week. Homemade treats should not be made in large quantities or stored for extended periods. Avoid feeding your cat too many starchy snacks or excessive treats to maintain their health.
8. Birthday Cake: Homemade Fresh Food for Cats
Give your cat a special birthday treat with a homemade birthday cake that they can enjoy too!
Tools Needed
- Round mold
- Piping bag
Time Required
30 minutes
Ingredients
- Sweet potato, 50g
- Half a can of tuna cat food
- 1 teaspoon of flour
- Potato, 150g
- Stick-shaped cat treats
Instructions for Fresh Food Cake
- Steam the sweet potato and potato until soft, then mash them into a puree and let cool.
- Drain the water from the tuna cat food. Mix the tuna with the sweet potato puree and flour until well combined.
- Place the mixture into the mold and flatten it. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then remove from the mold.
- Put the mashed potato into the piping bag and pipe it onto the chilled cake as decoration.
- Insert the stick-shaped cat treats into the cake to serve as candles. If you want to avoid extra calories, you can skip this step.
9. Nutritious Chicken Meal for Cats
Required Tools
- Wok
- Oven
- Coffee grinder
Preparation Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
- About 400g ground turkey or chicken
- 1 fresh egg
- 1 teaspoon sunflower seed oil
- Cat health supplements usually used (recommended): Flaxseed, taurine powder, and multivitamins
Use supplements in amounts according to veterinarian or product recommendations. See video for details.
Cooking Instructions
- Cook the ground meat in the wok until done.
- When nearly cooked, crack in one egg and stir fry until fully cooked. (Remember to save the eggshell.)
- Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl and let it cool completely (cooling is essential before adding supplements).
- Rinse the eggshell thoroughly and bake it in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Grind the baked eggshell into powder using the coffee grinder.
- Mix the eggshell powder and supplements into the cooled ground meat.
Feeding Tips
It is recommended to feed 130 to 140 grams per day to meet the cat's nutritional needs, and refrigerate any leftovers.
Eggshells provide an affordable and good source of calcium for cats. If a grinder is not available, this step can be omitted or consult a veterinarian to use a cat-specific calcium powder instead.
10. Homemade Hamburger Patty Recipe for Cats
Tools Needed
- Steamer
- Round mold
Time Required
20 minutes
Ingredients
- 40g beef hind leg meat
- 120g chicken breast
- 2g olive oil
- Cat nutritional supplements (recommended):
- Calcium powder
- Taurine powder
- Cat-specific comprehensive nutrition powder
For detailed guidance on supplements, please refer to the accompanying video.
Preparation Steps
- Grind the beef and chicken into a paste and place it in a bowl.
- Add the olive oil and nutritional supplements to the meat mixture.
- Shape the meat paste into a patty by pressing it flat.
- Cut a slice of tomato and place it together with the meat patty into the mold.
- Steam the contents in the steamer for 15 minutes.
Delicious Fresh Foods for Dogs and Feeding Tips
Many dogs find freshly prepared foods irresistible due to their rich and natural flavors. These fresh meals not only appeal to your dog's taste buds but also provide essential nutrients for their well-being.
However, if your dog tends to eat too quickly, it could lead to digestive issues or choking hazards. To help with this, it is highly recommended to use a slow feeder bowl during mealtime. Such bowls are designed to reduce the speed of eating, encouraging your dog to chew their food more thoroughly and enjoy their meals safely.
By combining delicious fresh foods with mindful eating tools like slow feeder bowls, you can promote healthier eating habits and enhance your dog's overall health and happiness.
Fresh Homemade Food for Dogs and Cats: Allergy and Transition Tips
Preparing fresh homemade food for dogs and cats following a recipe is a simple daily routine that can ensure pets eat more naturally with less burden. Whether using an Instant Pot, a rice cooker, or a simple frying pan, it's easy to prepare balanced meals for furry companions. Cooking for pets is not complicated and contributes to their health in many ways.
Allergy and Transition Awareness
When first introducing fresh food to dogs and cats, some may experience gastrointestinal issues due to higher water content and fiber in the fresh meals. However, using gradual transitioning techniques helps pets adapt smoothly to fresh food diets without upsetting their digestive system.
Why Fresh Food? Avoiding Unhealthy Additives
Commercial pet foods often contain many additives to extend shelf life. Feeding pets fresh homemade meals avoids these potentially harmful substances and promotes a more natural diet for better health outcomes.
Foods to Avoid
Before preparing fresh meals, it's important to avoid ingredients that are toxic to dogs and cats. Common harmful foods include garlic, onions, chives, grapes, salt, nuts, and any food containing xylitol. Steering clear of these keeps pets safe and healthy.
Commitment to Fresh Meals
Providing fresh meals three times a week can accumulate to about 150 loved homemade meals in a year. This makes a wonderful treat for pets usually fed dry kibble, enhancing their diet and enjoyment.
Start Cooking for Your Beloved Pet Today!
Head to the market to select fresh, quality ingredients and start cooking delicious, healthy meals for your cherished furry friends. Fresh homemade cooking is an act of love that benefits their health and happiness!
