3 Homemade Kitten Food Recipes (Raw & Cooked)

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Nutritious recipes to keep your kitten happy and healthy
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We want the very best for our cats, so it only makes sense that you might want to eliminate or avoid processed foods by feeding your kitten a homemade diet. But cats have incredibly complex nutritional needs , and making kitten food can be surprisingly complex. Ideally, homemade kitten food recipes should include ground meat, bones, and organs. If you’d prefer to skip that, you’ll need to supplement your recipes with things like ground eggshell or feline premix .

Can you make your own kitten food?

Cat training and behavior expert Joey Lusvardi says to always talk to your vet to ensure your cat’s food contains the nutrients it needs. Don’t leave out ingredients, or you could put your kitten at risk of developing a deficiency. You can also use supplements like feline premix to ensure your homemade kitten food is nutritionally complete.

Ingredients

Sample Raw Diet Kitten Food Recipe with Bone

  • 2.25 lb (1.02 kg) chicken thighs with skin and bones
  • 2.25 lb (1.02 kg) boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
  • 200 g (7 oz) raw liver, preferably chicken
  • 2  c (470 ml) water
  • 4 raw egg yolks
  • 2000 mg taurine supplement
  • 4000 mg fish oil
  • 200 IU Vitamin E
  • 1.5 tsp (8.4 g) salt
  • 4 tsp (8 g) psyllium husk powder (optional)

Raw Diet Kitten Food Recipe without Bones

  • 3 lb (1.4 kg) raw muscle meat
  • 200 g (7 oz) raw liver, preferably chicken
  • 2  c (470 ml) water
  • 4 raw egg yolks
  • 2000 mg taurine supplement
  • 4000 mg fish oil
  • 200 IU Vitamin E
  • 2.25 tsp (13.5 g) eggshell powder
  • 1.5 tsp (8.4 g) salt
  • 4 tsp (8 g) psyllium husk powder (optional)

Cooked Kitten Food Recipe with Supplements

  • 1 lb (0.45 kg) 90/10 ground beef
  • 1 ⁄ 4  lb (0.11 kg) pork liver
  • 1 cup (200 g) cooked rice
  • 1  tsp (4.9 ml) corn oil
  • 1 tsp (3 g) ground eggshell powder
  • Feline premix (follow dosing instructions on label)
Section 1 of 5:

Sample Raw Diet Kitten Food Recipe with Bone

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  1. Start with roughly equal amounts of chicken thighs with skin and bones and boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs. This will give you the right ratio of meaty protein and raw bones that your kitten needs in its diet. [1]
    • If you’re starting with all bone-in, skin-on chicken, remove the skin from about half of the meat and about a quarter of the total bones. Do not remove any of the fat.
    • If you prefer, you can substitute quail, cornish hen, or rabbit instead of chicken.
  2. 2
    Chop the chicken meat into small pieces. Use a sharp knife to slice most of the chicken thigh meat off the bone. Then, cut all of the chicken meat—what you just cut plus the boneless skinless chicken—into small pieces. [2]
    • If you’re planning to put the chicken meat into the grinder, a rough cut is fine. If you’d prefer to leave the meat in chunks, cut it into small enough pieces for your kitten to eat.
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  3. 3
    Put the chicken bones, organs, and fish oil into a meat grinder. Push the chicken thighs through one at a time, working slowly so you don’t bind the meat grinder . Add 200 g (7 oz) of chicken livers, 400 g (14 oz) of chicken hearts, and 4000 mg of fish oil capsules to the grinder and grind them too. If you’d prefer to grind the boneless chicken, add it as well. [3]
    • It’s okay to put the whole fish oil capsule into the grinder.
    • Meat grinders can be loud, so consider wearing ear plugs.
  4. Crack 4 eggs and add only the yolks to a bowl. Then, pour in about 1  c (240 ml) of water. Whisk it all together until it’s smooth. [4]
    • Don’t toss the egg whites—set them aside and cook them for a healthy meal for yourself later!
  5. 5
    Stir the ground meat, egg mixture, psyllium husk, and salt together in a large bowl. Transfer the meat from the grinder, as well as the chopped chicken (if you didn’t grind it), to a large bowl. Pour the egg and water mixture into the bowl, then add 1.5 tsp (8.4 g) of salt and stir everything together well. [5]
    • If you’re using psyllium husk to add fiber, measure out about 4 tsp (8 g) and add it as well.
  6. Talk to your vet to determine the exact portion size your kitten needs to eat. Then, use small, freezer-safe glass or plastic containers , freezer bags, or ice cube trays to free the food into the appropriate portions. [6]
    • Leave the food in the freezer for at least a few hours or up to overnight. If you’re using ice cube trays, you can then pop the cubes out and place them in a resealable plastic bag for easier storage.
    • Thaw the food out under warm running water. Lusvardi says, “Some cats prefer their food to be warm, so try microwaving the food for a few seconds before you serve it. Just make sure it’s not too hot.” [7]
    • This recipe makes about 6.5 lb (2.9 kg) of food.
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Section 2 of 5:

Raw Diet Kitten Food Recipe without Bones

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  1. You can use boneless chicken, turkey, or rabbit—preferably with at least half of the skin still intact. Use a sharp knife or meat cleaver to cut it into small pieces. [8]
    • If you’re planning to grind the boneless meat, a rough chop is fine. If you’d prefer to feed a chunkier food, dice the meat into pieces small enough for your kitten to eat.
  2. 2
    Put the chicken hearts, livers, and fish oil into a meat grinder and grind them. Grind 200 g (7 oz) of chicken livers, 400 g (14 oz) of chicken hearts, and 4000 mg of fish oil capsules . If you’d prefer to grind the boneless chicken, add it as well. [9]
    • You can put the whole fish oil capsule into the grinder—no need to break it open.
    • Consider wearing ear plugs—meat grinders are loud.
  3. Crack 4 eggs and add only the yolks to a bowl. (You might want to set aside the egg whites for yourself for later.) Add 1  c (240 ml) of water and whisk until you have a smooth mixture. [10]
  4. 4
    Mix the meat, egg mixture, eggshell powder, psyllium husk, and salt in a large bowl. Transfer the chopped or ground meat to a large bowl. Pour in the egg and water mixture, then measure in 13.5 g of homemade or commercial eggshell powder . (This will be roughly 2 1/4 tsp, but the weight can vary so it’s a good idea to weigh it.) Add 1.5 tsp (8.4 g) of salt, as well. [11]
    • If you’re using psyllium husk as a fiber supplement, add 4 tsp (8 g) to the bowl as well.
    • Stir everything together very well.
  5. Ask your vet about the exact portion size you should be feeding your kitten at each meal. Portion that amount of food into small, freezer-safe glass or plastic containers , freezer bags, or ice cube trays to free the food into the appropriate portions. [12]
    • Leave the food in the freezer until it’s frozen solid.
    • Thaw the food under warm running water before serving it. Do not microwave the frozen food. [13]
    • This recipe makes about 6.5 lb (2.9 kg) of food.
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Section 3 of 5:

Cooked Kitten Food Recipe with Supplements

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  1. 1
    Lightly cook the ground beef and liver. Finely chop about 1 ⁄ 4  lb (0.11 kg) of pork liver, then add it to a saute pan with 1 lb (0.45 kg) of 90% ground beef. Simmer the meat until it’s just cooked through, then drain any fat in the pan. [14]
    • If you prefer, you can use ground chicken or turkey instead.
    • This recipe was developed for adult cats, but may also work for kittens. Just be sure to consult your vet first to make sure it will provide adequate nutrition for your kitten. Be sure to ask them how much feline premix to add to the recipe.
  2. 2
    Mix the beef and liver with the oil, rice, and eggshell powder. Put the cooked ground beef and liver into a bowl with 1 cup (200 g) of cooked rice, 1  tsp (4.9 ml) of corn oil and about 1 tsp (3 g) of ground eggshell powder . Measure out the amount of feline premix indicated on the label or as directed by your veterinarian. [15]
    • Some people add mashed vegetables like pumpkin or carrots to their cooked kitten food. This is fine in small amounts, but not really necessary for their nutrition. Overfeeding of carbohydrate-rich vegetables like these can lead to health problems. [16]
    • Stir everything until it’s thoroughly combined.
    • Portion out what your cat will eat for one meal, then refrigerate the rest.
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Section 4 of 5:

Meeting Kittens’ Nutritional Needs with a Raw Diet

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  1. 1
    Muscle meat: 64–69% Muscle meat should make up the majority of your kittens’ diet: typically somewhere between 64 and 69%. This is an important source of nutrients like protein, amino acids, and vitamins that your kitten needs to be healthy. [17]
    • This category includes: Any raw muscle meat (like beef, turkey, quail, duck, pork, lamb, or rabbit), as well as raw fat, connective tissue, and organs like heart, lungs, green tripe, gizzards, and animal tongue. [18]
  2. 2
    Raw meaty bones: 17% Because cats often eat their prey whole—meaning bones and all—soft, raw bones from small animals are a great source of the natural nutrition cats need, including calcium and phosphorus. In a raw diet, raw bone should make up around 17% of your kittens’ total diet. [19]
    • This category includes: Chicken and duck wings; chicken and duck feet; whole quail or cornish hens; chicken necks
    • Safety note: Do not feed machine-cut bones (which may have sharp edges or shards), large bones, or cooked bones to your cat—these may pose a choking hazard.
  3. 3
    Liver: 5–7% Liver provides kittens with essential nutrients like vitamin A and copper. It should make up about 5–7% of your kittens’ total diet. Ideally, the liver should come from ruminant animals. [20]
    • This category includes: Beef, calf, deer, goat, sheep, or lamb liver
  4. 4
    Secreting organs: 5–7% In addition to liver, kittens need other secreting organs to help provide the minerals and vitamins they need. This should make up about another 6–7% of their diet. [21]
    • This category includes: Beef or pork spleen, beef kidney
  5. 5
    Insoluble fiber: 0–5% In a fully animal-based raw diet, some fiber may be included to mimic a cat’s natural diet in the wild. This can come from a small amount of fur, feathers, or skin included in the food. However, this should only provide a small amount of the overall total food, and the weight percentage should include any additional muscle meat, skin, or bone attached to the fiber. [22]
    • If you prefer, you can include about 1.25 tsp (4 g) of a fiber source like psyllium husk for every 1 lb (0.45 kg) of food.
  6. 6
    Supplements If you’re able to precisely meet the above ratios, your kitten should get all of the nutrition they need just from their raw diet. However, if you use a different recipe, or if your vet tells you that your kitten needs more of a specific nutrient, you may (and likely will) need to add supplements like manganese, iodine, iron, zinc, and taurine to your cat’s diet. [23]
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Section 5 of 5:

Is homemade kitten food better than commercial food?

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  1. It can be tricky to meet a kitten’s nutritional needs with a homemade diet. Lusvardi says that it’s important to talk to your vet before you make any changes to your cat’s nutrition. [24] Bring the recipes you’re considering and talk to them about how well that diet would meet your specific kitten’s needs. They’ll help you adjust the recipe for your kitten’s size and unique health needs. [25]

Expert Q&A

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      Tips

      • Exposing kittens to a larger variety of food types and textures early can make the cat more agreeable to changes in diet that might be needed later in life.
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      Warnings

      • Using raw food you prepare yourself for a cat's diet can risk bacterial contamination or nutritional imbalance.
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      • If you have a cat with other health problems you should consult with your veterinarian before proceeding with making your own kitten food.
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      • If your cat eats something it shouldn't, take it to an emergency animal hospital or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435.
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      • Avoid using onions, chives, garlic, alcohol, grapes, raisins, caffeine, chocolate, candy, gum, or yeast. [26]
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      Things You'll Need

      • Mixing bowls
      • Measuring cups
      • Mixing spoon or fork
      • Meat grinder
      • Food processor

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      References

      1. ↑ https://catnutrition.org/recipes/
      2. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      3. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      4. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      5. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      6. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      7. ↑ Joey Lusvardi. Cat Training & Behavior Expert. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      9. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      1. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      2. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      3. ↑ https://hare-today.com/feline-nutrition/nutrition/making-raw-cat-food-for-do-it-yourselfers
      4. ↑ https://catnutrition.org/recipes/
      5. ↑ https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-28-fo-13006-story.html
      6. ↑ https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-28-fo-13006-story.html
      7. ↑ https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-should-i-feed-my-cat/
      8. ↑ https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/prey-model-raw-pmr-diet-for-kittens/
      9. ↑ https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/muscle-meat/
      10. ↑ https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/prey-model-raw-pmr-diet-for-kittens/
      11. ↑ https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/prey-model-raw-pmr-diet-for-kittens/
      12. ↑ https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/prey-model-raw-pmr-diet-for-kittens/
      13. ↑ https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/prey-model-raw-pmr-diet-for-kittens/
      14. ↑ https://thelittlecarnivore.com/en/blog/calculator-prey-model-raw-plus-diet-for-cats
      15. ↑ Joey Lusvardi. Cat Training & Behavior Expert. Expert Interview
      16. ↑ https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feeding-your-cat
      17. ↑ https://pets.webmd.com/cats/ss/slideshow-foods-your-cat-should-never-eat

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make your own kitten food, purchase several pounds of chicken, turkey, or rabbit, including the bones and skin. Remove half of the skin from the meat and cut it into chunks, then combine with pieces with raw chopped heart and liver. Grind the mixture and place it in the refrigerator, then mix together vitamin E, bone meal, raw glandular supplement, salmon oil, vitamin-B complex, and salt with iodine. raw egg yolks, and unflavored gelatin, and water. Mix this with the ground meat and portion it out into small containers, freezing anything you don’t plan to use right away. Keep reading to learn how to make kitten food with bones!

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