raw egg whites are not recommended for cats. they contain a protein called avidin that imapairs the absorption of vit B. cooking eggs inactivates this protein. so, always cook eggs before feeding your kitty. you can give them hard boiled eggs, soft boiled eggs, scrambled eggs or omelettes. salmonella poisoning is also something to watch out for in raw eggs. so always cook your eggs!
cheddar cheese can be substituted for meat occasionally, but not on an everyday basis. even a fussy cat will embrace cheesy goodness.
brewers yeast is sometimes used as a substitute for liver, but it is not a perfect substitute. it has protein and some vitamins, but it also lacks vitA, vitC and other trace minerals.
cat's milk has thrice the amount of protein as cow's milk. it also has less milk sugar and fat. most cats cannot tolerate cow's milk. if given cow's milk when they are kittens, they usually end up with loose stools and eventually they may get dehydrated. even donkey's milk or goat's milk is better than cow's milk. when kitten milk subsitute isnt available, try giving infant formula. it's not perfect..because, afterall..these are kitten we are talking about..not red faced, screaming evolved primate babies. but its ok in an emergency!
even though kittens are smaller than cats, they need twice the amount of calories per body weight as an adult cat because they have to grow!! and they eat little, but at regular short intervals. if you are hand feeding kittens, use an ink dropper and feed them little and often. remember, no cow's milk tho!
ditto with pregnant and nursing cats. they have a greater appetite and hence more proteins, vitamins and minerals.
good sources of protein for cats come from meat, eggs, dairy and fish.
cats need fresh water ALL the time. especially if you feed them dry food. male cats, especially if they are neutered...tend to develop blockages if they dont have a healthy water intake. make sure there are water bowls everywhere. for some reason, cats have this habit of drinking from the bathroom floor or the sinks. if you let them, they'd drink straight from the toilet bowl. it is amazing that they cant see all the fresh bowls of water in their eating area. maybe because of the water dripping or the lack of any kind dust film over these water surfaces, they imagine that its more fresh and clean. its not a bad idea to keep a couple of mugs of water for cats in the bathrooms too! just make sure they cant get to the soap.
pumpkin seeds and melon seeds are great for cats. not because they love the taste of pumpkin/melon seeds...tapeworms love them. they gorge themselves senseless on pumpkin seeds and expel their greedy arses out of your kitty voluntarily. a smooth paste of fresh pumpkin or melon seeds will take care of a tapeworm infestation. but when the tape worm is working its way out, dont be in a hurry to pull it out. if you pull it out and it breaks off at the head, the worm can 'regrow' itself from the head downwards and your kitty is still infested with tapeworms. and thats not cool.
onion and garlic is supposed to be good for cats as they have a repelling effect on fleas and other parasites. we dont know if this is true, but recently there has been some opinions that onions and garlic can be toxic for cats. i doubt if this is true with cooked onions and garlic because the heat ought to kill the substance that is toxic to cats. apparently, it kills red blood cells and causes anemia.
raw potatoes and vegetables from the deadly nightshade family like tomatoes can also be toxic for cats. but my common sense tells me that when these are cooked, they cease to be toxic for the cats.
raisins and grapes are a no-no. they are also a choking hazard!
of course, no chocolate.
feeding 'sugary' human foods(seriously..dont give cakes or condensed milk..no matter how much HE BEGS!) is not a good thing for cats because there is an opinion that worms and other parasites tend to thrive in the stomach flora when there is too much sugar ingested.
cooked chicken bones/fish bones can break and splinter...it can lodge in your cat's throat and create serious problems. raw chicken bones are ok for cats to gnaw because they are not brittle. cooking them makes them brittle and splinter.
and finally..no beer(or tobacco or weed) for kitty. be firm.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Beef heart porridge
chicken hearts is one thing..beef heart is totally another. here is something that we seldom eat and is often discarded. if there is a butcher near your place, ask him to save the beef heart for you. it is full of taurine that cats require..it is an enzyme that the cats cannot produce naturally and it has to come from meat products. dogs, on the other hand, produce it naturally..which is why it is easier for them to remain healthy on a vegetarian diet.
1/2 lb(225 gms) beef heart, cooked and chopped
1 tbsp corn oil
*1 clove garlic, minched
1/4 cup spinach, chopped fine
*1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
2 eggs
1/4 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp iodized salt
2 tbsp chopped chicken livers
simmer beef heart in water for 15-20mts. cool and cut into kitty bite sized pieces.
heat corn oil. add garlic and saute. add spinach and onion.
beat eggs. add corn meal and salt into the beaten eggs. mix with beef and liver pieces. add mixture to skillet and stir well until the eggs are done.
the point of all these recipes is to provide a rounded meal that is complete and nutritious. this would mean that we dont miss any of the ingredients. dont forget to use corn oil(or any other oil that has vit e in it..a little bit of fish oil will excite the cat). ditto re eggs and liver. they are there for a reason. dont skip ingredients.
this is a recipe that is fit for everyday use because it is complete.
*onion and garlic can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
1/2 lb(225 gms) beef heart, cooked and chopped
1 tbsp corn oil
*1 clove garlic, minched
1/4 cup spinach, chopped fine
*1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
2 eggs
1/4 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp iodized salt
2 tbsp chopped chicken livers
simmer beef heart in water for 15-20mts. cool and cut into kitty bite sized pieces.
heat corn oil. add garlic and saute. add spinach and onion.
beat eggs. add corn meal and salt into the beaten eggs. mix with beef and liver pieces. add mixture to skillet and stir well until the eggs are done.
the point of all these recipes is to provide a rounded meal that is complete and nutritious. this would mean that we dont miss any of the ingredients. dont forget to use corn oil(or any other oil that has vit e in it..a little bit of fish oil will excite the cat). ditto re eggs and liver. they are there for a reason. dont skip ingredients.
this is a recipe that is fit for everyday use because it is complete.
*onion and garlic can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
gizzard goulash
this recipe uses plenty of chicken gizzards and/or hearts. it is a very cheap organ meat that you can pick up from any chicken store. usually, they throw these away because we dont find them appealing. but its full of nutrients and especially the kind cats need. if you are a meat eater and buy chicken for your own consumption. save the gizzards and hearts. freeze them and once there is enough, use them for kitty's din-din.
1 tbsp corn oil
1/2 lb(about 225 gms) chicken gizzards and/or hearts chopped into kitty bite sized pieces.
*1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
*1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp iodised salt
*1 med tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp chicken liver, chopped
1 cup cooked macaroni/noodles, chopped fine
1/4 cup sour cream(or thick yogurt)
heat oil. add chicken gizzards/hearts and brown lightly(these are tough because the hearts and the internal organs work very hard..all that pumping makes the heart tough and sinewy..this is why we add the gizzards/hearts before the onions..which get tender quickly anyways). add onions and garlic until tender.
add salt. we add this later because the salt and toughen the heart and gizzard if added before they get browned. add tomatoes and the liver bits. liver is rather tender. thats why it goes in later. cook for about 3-5 mts.
remove from heat. throw in the macaroni/noodles. finally add the sour cream/dahi. dont add it over heat..it will split.
serves 3-6 kitty portions.
*onion and garlic(and those of the deadly nightshade family) can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
1 tbsp corn oil
1/2 lb(about 225 gms) chicken gizzards and/or hearts chopped into kitty bite sized pieces.
*1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
*1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp iodised salt
*1 med tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp chicken liver, chopped
1 cup cooked macaroni/noodles, chopped fine
1/4 cup sour cream(or thick yogurt)
heat oil. add chicken gizzards/hearts and brown lightly(these are tough because the hearts and the internal organs work very hard..all that pumping makes the heart tough and sinewy..this is why we add the gizzards/hearts before the onions..which get tender quickly anyways). add onions and garlic until tender.
add salt. we add this later because the salt and toughen the heart and gizzard if added before they get browned. add tomatoes and the liver bits. liver is rather tender. thats why it goes in later. cook for about 3-5 mts.
remove from heat. throw in the macaroni/noodles. finally add the sour cream/dahi. dont add it over heat..it will split.
serves 3-6 kitty portions.
*onion and garlic(and those of the deadly nightshade family) can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
Chicken and Greens
all natural chicken!
2/3 cup chicken with giblets
(giblets are the organs of the chicken..it is the gizzard, heart, kidney and liver. the chicken liver is especially important for this catfood recipe)
*1/2 cup tomato pureed(skin the tomato and mash it into a puree) and 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup turnip or beet greens, chopped fine
*1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp iodised salt
1 tsp corn oil(corn oil has vit E..dont substitute with olive oil or some such)
cut chicken and giblets into kitty bite sized pieces. bring tomato puree and water to a low boil. add chicken and rice. cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. add the chopped greens, garlic and salt. cover and simmer for another 10 mts. cool. this is about 2-4 kitty portions.
good enough for kitty and kitty's cook!
*onion and garlic(and those of the deadly nightshade family) can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
2/3 cup chicken with giblets
(giblets are the organs of the chicken..it is the gizzard, heart, kidney and liver. the chicken liver is especially important for this catfood recipe)
*1/2 cup tomato pureed(skin the tomato and mash it into a puree) and 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup turnip or beet greens, chopped fine
*1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp iodised salt
1 tsp corn oil(corn oil has vit E..dont substitute with olive oil or some such)
cut chicken and giblets into kitty bite sized pieces. bring tomato puree and water to a low boil. add chicken and rice. cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. add the chopped greens, garlic and salt. cover and simmer for another 10 mts. cool. this is about 2-4 kitty portions.
good enough for kitty and kitty's cook!
*onion and garlic(and those of the deadly nightshade family) can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Chicken soup for Cats..
An everyday recipe..but dont exclude or substitute any of the essential ingredients like bonemeal, liver, corn meal or iodised salt.
1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
2 chicken breasts, boned and cut into kitty bite sized pieces
1/4 cup carrots, chopped fine or grated
1/4 cup brocolli, chopped fine
*1 clove garlic, smushed and crushed
*1/3 cup onion, chopped fine
1 tsp iodised salt
2 tsp bone meal
2 tsp corn oil
2 tbsp liver
1. cook lentils until soft first(make sure you remove the stones)
2. add remaining ingredients and simmer.
cool and serve. its good enough for you and kitty!!
this is about 4-6 kitty servings.
*onion and garlic(and those of the deadly nightshade family) can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
2 chicken breasts, boned and cut into kitty bite sized pieces
1/4 cup carrots, chopped fine or grated
1/4 cup brocolli, chopped fine
*1 clove garlic, smushed and crushed
*1/3 cup onion, chopped fine
1 tsp iodised salt
2 tsp bone meal
2 tsp corn oil
2 tbsp liver
1. cook lentils until soft first(make sure you remove the stones)
2. add remaining ingredients and simmer.
cool and serve. its good enough for you and kitty!!
this is about 4-6 kitty servings.
*onion and garlic(and those of the deadly nightshade family) can be bad for kitty. but minute amounts are ok. if uncomfortable, avoid it in the cat recipes.
Kitty food fish tips
Fish is rich in flourine, iodine and zinc. Some fish contain an enzyme that reduces the ability to absorb thiamine, a vitamin essential for normal metabolism and nerve function. It's called thiaminase and is destroyed under high heat. So always cook fish...never a good idea to feed a cat raw fish.
An all-fish diet can cause skin allergies in cats. It lacks vitmin E. A fish meal for cats should always have supplements of liver, bone meal, corn oil and iodised salt. Also, remember that fish for humans come with chockful of mercury. A daily fish diet is not recommended.
If your cat is on a weight loss regime(who isnt these days!!), use lean fish. Salmon, tuna, mackarel, sardines are all oily and fatty fish. Cod, haddock, flounder and bass are lean fish. When feeding lean fish, make sure its no more than 70% of the cat's diet because it lacks other essential vitamins and nutrients.
An all-fish diet can cause skin allergies in cats. It lacks vitmin E. A fish meal for cats should always have supplements of liver, bone meal, corn oil and iodised salt. Also, remember that fish for humans come with chockful of mercury. A daily fish diet is not recommended.
If your cat is on a weight loss regime(who isnt these days!!), use lean fish. Salmon, tuna, mackarel, sardines are all oily and fatty fish. Cod, haddock, flounder and bass are lean fish. When feeding lean fish, make sure its no more than 70% of the cat's diet because it lacks other essential vitamins and nutrients.
Sardine and Rice
Kitty's favourite..but dont make it everyday...
...even if they BEG!
2 flat cans of sardines in oil(not packed in salt)
2/3 cups of cooked rice
1 tbsp liver(chicken etc)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped(or any other kind of greens like spinach, kale etc)
combine all ingredients until the sardines are mushed into small kitty bite sized pieces. Feeds 2-4 kitties. store unused portion in the fridge.
...even if they BEG!
2 flat cans of sardines in oil(not packed in salt)
2/3 cups of cooked rice
1 tbsp liver(chicken etc)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped(or any other kind of greens like spinach, kale etc)
combine all ingredients until the sardines are mushed into small kitty bite sized pieces. Feeds 2-4 kitties. store unused portion in the fridge.
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