Homemade Cat Food – 3 DIY Recipes That Are Healthy for Cats!

Homemade cat food. Have you ever made DIY homemade cat food? Pet owners of all kinds have been exploring different diet options for their beloved pets over the past several years, and this trend is growing in 2025. As a result, many cat owners have switched from traditional cat food to making DIY cat food at home with simple ingredients.

If you are considering preparing homemade cat food for your cat, this post is a great place to learn the basics and start with three favorite recipes.

Benefits of DIY Homemade Cat Food

All cat owners want the best for their cats. However, suppose you already have a cat as your beloved companion. You undoubtedly know what it is like to enjoy your pet feeling comfortable and cared for.

The best care includes looking at aspects such as:

• Offering healthy meals
• Entertainment options
• Socializing possibilities
• A comfortable environment.

However, the information on the best diet can be confusing when planning meals for your cat.

The cat food market has grown rapidly in recent years, with a wide variety of products. As a result, store shelves are lined with a range of options, from cheaper options to pricier cat foods.

The issue we face is that less expensive cat food options sometimes do not meet all the nutritional needs of a feline diet.

Alternatively, your cat may prefer the more expensive top brands, which are veterinarian-recommended and claim to make a difference in a cat’s life. Still, there may be better options for your cat.

How Do You Ensure the Food You Provide Your Cat Suits Their Specific Needs?

Here is where DIY homemade cat food may be the best choice.

Contrary to some beliefs, serving DIY homemade cat food can be highly healthy and nutritious, provided you take the time and dedication to prepare meals that meet your cat’s needs. The possibilities are endless, and the variety allows you to customize your food plan to your cat’s preferences and needs.

These days, creating meals for your cats is on the rise. DIY homemade cat food recipes are readily available. Supplements and nutritional additives are easily accessible for purchase online. In addition, you can have practically everything you need delivered directly to your door.

There are even DIY homemade cat food cookbooks available. You can prepare a meat dish or your own DIY cat food gravy if you’d like.

Surprisingly, as if adding longevity to your cats’ lives isn’t enough, many cat owners discover that making their DIY cat food can save them money. In addition, homemade cat food is often cheaper over the long term than buying canned and dry food at the store.

Cooked canned cat food can be beneficial in its own way. Most commercial cat foods packaged in cans are cooked. Many of these options contain wheat, rice, soy, and other additives that may be beneficial to your cat’s diet only occasionally. However, many pet owners choose this food as it is generally cheaper.

You may need clarification or question the best diet for your cat. You likely want to ensure the food you’ve selected is healthy.

Talk to your veterinarian about your options and the implications specific options may have on your cat’s health. It is best to be informed. Your vet can provide information that complements your cat’s medical history and specific needs. For example, your cat may need DIY homemade cat food.

Before we look at three DIY homemade cat food recipes, let’s see what cats usually need to sustain a healthy lifestyle and immune system.

A Cat’s Dietary Needs

When tackling the DIY homemade cat food task, you must consider the needs of the feline diet. The most important fact to remember when cooking healthy homemade cat food is that cats are carnivores. Cats are natural hunters, and their bodies rely heavily on meat consumption.

Cats need balanced food diets with a variety of essential components daily to remain healthy and active. Therefore, before jumping into creating your homemade cat food, you should take into consideration these cats’ nutritional needs before carrying on:

Minerals

Minerals are essential for the well-being of all living mammals. Minerals are a necessary dietary component and play a crucial role in the following:

• pH balanced
• nutrient use
• enzyme formation
• oxygen transportation

• The minerals a cat needs include:
  • potassium
  • calcium
  • iron
  • magnesium
  • sodium
  • chloride
  • potassium
• Calcium is present in:
  • leguminous plants
  • meat
  • organ tissues
  • bones
• Calcium helps cats maintain strong bones. 
• Magnesium is present in:
  • milk
  • whole grains
  • fish
  • soybeans
• Magnesium supports many processes in the cat’s body, including cell production and hormone function. Therefore, magnesium deficiency in your cat could cause a severe issue.
• Potassium is essential for the function of the cat’s heart and nerves. Your cat can consume potassium in:
  • salmon
  • chicken
  • white beans
  • lamb
•  This mineral supports electrolyte circulation in a cat’s body. 

Animal Protein

All nutritional cat diets should contain abundant animal proteins, as cats are primarily carnivores. However, DIY cat food allows you to choose your cat’s protein source.

• Animal proteins are the foundation for the healthy function of:
  • tendons
  • hair
  • skin
  • blood
  • tissues
  • cartilage
  • muscles
  • heart.
• This underscores the importance of recognizing that cats are carnivores and feeding them a diet with meat as the main ingredient.
• It is essential to ensure your cat gets sufficient animal protein and that you include a variety of meats in a feline diet. Great choices are:

• Fish: Smaller fish, such as sardines, have lower mercury levels.
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Beef
• Eggs will also cover the need for animal protein if the eggs are eaten in smaller amounts.
• Animal proteins should comprise at least 30% of a cat’s diet.
• Meat provides additional amino acids specifically necessary in the feline diet.

Fats

Fats are a cat’s energy source. So when selecting your homemade cat food options, be sure your chosen diet for your cat includes plenty of fat-rich goods.

• Meat and fish naturally contain healthy fats. Good fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, help maintain cats’ heart rates at a regular level. Good fats maintain anti-coagulant properties in your cat’s blood and lower the risk of blood clots and heart disease.
• Fats help maintain a cat’s body temperature and support the absorption of the vitamins mentioned above. They also give your lively feline the energy to stay active, curious, and playful throughout the day.
• Healthy fats provide twice as much energy for your cat as carbohydrates.
• Pet owners are encouraged to provide approximately 20-24% fat in their cat’s diet.

Water

Water may seem counterintuitive to many. However, a little-known fact about cats is that felines consume far less water than their bodies need to maintain a healthy balance.

This reasoning is why it’s a general rule of thumb that pet owners should reconsider feeding their cats only dry food.

• Cats need to replenish these resources because they are 70% water. Unfortunately, the only way to do it is through an adequate diet, since you may need to convince them to drink more water.
• Water is essential to a cat’s body to help eliminate toxins. In addition, water helps metabolize nutrients, distribute them, and maintain the animal’s body temperature at optimal levels.
• Inadequate water intake can lead to a range of health issues for your cat. Those could include:
  • kidney issues
  • dehydration
  • digestion issues
  • And heat exhaustion, which is never fun.
• Cats require around 3.5 ounces of water per 5 lbs. of weight. This amount needs to be drunk daily. 

Taurine

Taurine is a crucial amino acid that your cat’s diet requires.

• Taurine is an essential amino acid that the body does not produce on its own. Your cat can only get it from specific foods. The best source of Taurine is animal proteins.
• All cats that don’t get enough Taurine in their diet will mostly suffer from the following:
  • Heart problems and vision issues and will find it overall challenging to thrive. Please add taurine to your DIY cat food.
• You can ensure your cat gets the necessary amount of Taurine for its well-being by feeding it:
  • dark chicken meat
  • eggs
  • shellfish
  • beef
  • lamb
  • cold-water fish such as salmon or herring. 
• Thankfully, Taurine is also available as a powdered supplement, which you can easily order online.

Talk to your vet before including these supplements in your cat’s diet. The vet can calculate the correct quantity of taurine supplement your cat requires if they consider it necessary.

Dr. Jean Hofve discussed the effects of Taurine in an interview. ‘As long as you’re feeding a good quantity and quality of meat, you’re probably fine, but when you’re talking about commercial pet food quality and quantity, it’s not a sure thing.”

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are usually always surrounded by ominous warnings in diets. Pet owners are often concerned about cats and carbohydrates, leading to feline obesity and diabetes. However, correct carbohydrates are very beneficial to your cat’s health.

Carbohydrates give cats a jolt of energy in a form that is highly digestible by the body.

• Carbohydrates are typically pre-treated in wet cat foods, meaning they are meant to be digested quickly by your cat’s body.
• Suppose you feed your cat uncooked legumes and soybeans. In that case, you must be mindful that their carbohydrates may be paired with other anti-nutritional compounds that could harm your cat.
• Healthful carbs to consider adding to your DIY pet food may be:
  • spinach
  • carrot
  • asparagus
  • yuca

One of the best features of making DIY homemade cat food is that you can adjust each nutritional factor above as needed. Where commercial cat foods are set in their ingredients, DIY cat foods do not have this limitation.

Homemade Cat Food: Before Cooking for Your Cat

Before you start cooking DIY cat food for your cat, there are several highlights of meal planning and prepping that all cat owners need to be mindful of:

• Older cats and cats with more sensitive gastrointestinal systems will benefit more from cooked meals. For example, cooking homemade cat food can be easier on their bodies than raw meals.
• If you choose to cook meat for your cats, remember that they may still enjoy it rare. Not only is this a preferred option for your cat, but it’s also more nutritionally beneficial.
• The key is that raw, cooked meat still contains healthy enzymes that support your cat’s well-being. At the same time, the surface of your cat’s animal protein becomes cleared of bacteria through the cooking process.
• Additionally, the meat will stay moist and tender – an excellent treat for your cat.
• Avoid sausage and other processed meats when cooking for your pet. Processed meats may contain sulfite preservatives that are toxic to your cats. Avoid processed meats in your homemade cat meal.
• Be aware that any meat you feed your cat, raw or rare, should be meat that has been checked by a veterinary specialist, such as commercially purchased meat that undergoes a thorough inspection before sale.
• Remember, switching to cooked, DIY cat food is about finding healthier alternatives to options on the market.
• Cooked bones are a strict ‘no’ for your cat. Bones tend to splinter at high temperatures and produce tiny bone splinters that can damage your cat’s esophagus and intestines.
• In this case, it’s better to prevent than to cure, so it’s recommended that you avoid cooked bones altogether. You can add raw ground bones and meat protein to your DIY cat food. This provides your cat with calcium and phosphorus, two minerals it needs in abundance.
• Before you start cooking for your furry friend, ensure you know your cat’s food allergies or sensitivities. This way, you both can make an easy, rewarding transition to a homemade cat food diet.
• Transitioning to homemade cat food can be challenging for some cats. As humans do, cats become accustomed to an aspect of their lives, and change can be difficult. Go slow, and avoid getting frustrated with your cat during the transition process.

For some great tips on how and why to transition your cat to a raw food or DIY food diet, take a look at Mercola Healthy Pets. In addition, they provide a series of videos on YouTube hosted by Dr. Becker.

Dr. Becker is exceptionally knowledgeable and provides excellent, easy-to-understand information about the importance of pet owners considering their pets’ diets. She is a great resource to learn from!

You now have the basics covered for your cat’s essential dietary needs. Let us dive into three DIY homemade cat food recipes you can easily follow in your kitchen, and the ingredient list.

3 DIY Cat Food Recipes To Get You Started

Healthy Meat Mix Diet

You’ll need several different ingredients for this DIY homemade cat food recipe. If you can’t find the initial suggestions, you have several alternatives or would prefer something else. Your cat may have a dietary preference or require ingredient adjustments.

That said, please note that this recipe, as seen on catinfo.org, is not recommended for cats with kidney disease as a DIY homemade cat food.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds of poultry: You can choose either thigh meat, skin, or bones.
• The alternative is 2 – 2.25 lbs of whole carcass ground rabbit + 0.75 – 1 lb of boneless chicken or turkey fat, skin, or meat.
• One cup of water or even more to the recipe, depending on how much water your cat usually drinks. This will improve its urinary tract.
• Two eggs: (optional) You must boil the egg whites for 3-4 minutes while leaving the yolk raw.
• 5,000 – 10,000 mg of fish oil is incredibly beneficial to cats because of its fatty acids. Use 5-10 capsules of the average 1,000 mg capsules. Use a reduced amount of 2,000 mg if your cat is not fond of fish. Please avoid using cod liver oil since the liver in this recipe already contains vitamins A and D.
• Vitamin E – 400 IU (268 mg): the most straightforward form to use is the capsule version of powdered vitamin E.
• Vitamin B – complex (50 mg.): Only 1 capsule or tablet. If your cat does not like the food, you can do the next batch with only half a dose at 25 mg.
• Taurine (2,000 mg): the easiest way to find and use taurine is in its powdered version – capsules or loose.
• 1 tsp Morton Lite salt with iodine – if you’re using the entire chicken, only use 1/2 tablespoon when using the rabbit and chicken combination. If you can’t access this, use ¾ tsp of regular salt with iodine.
• 14 tablets of potassium gluconate (99 mg each) will help absorb the taurine.
• Liver: There’s no need to add more liver using a ground rabbit. If you’re going the chicken route, add 3-4 ounces of chicken livers per 3 lb of skin/meat/bones.

Directions

When you are using the ground rabbit, you will need to:

1. Mix the ground rabbit with the chunked chicken or turkey.
2. Add all the supplements mentioned above to water and stir until dissolved. Once it is properly dissolved, you can add this to the skin/meat/bones, eggs, and liver combination.
3. Thoroughly mix everything until you get a smooth composition.
4. Portion into containers.
5. Label and date each serving.
6. Place in the freezer.

Basic Fresh Raw DIY Cat Food Recipe

This fresh, raw, DIY homemade cat food recipe, as seen on www.littlebigcat.com, is relatively easy to prepare and also comes with plenty of alternative ingredients, in case you can’t purchase the original suggested ones.

For example, suppose you choose not to use (or don’t have) poultry meats available. In that case, this recipe offers cooked eggs as an alternative. In addition, organic eggs are easier to come by for some and friendlier to your wallet.

For this delicious meal, you will need the following items:

Ingredients

• NutriBiotic Grapefruit Seed Extract: It’s best to dilute this in water before mixing it with other ingredients. 
• 1 pound of meat, preferably organic: This could also be poultry, such as chicken, ostrich, or quail – be sure to grind the meat or cut it into appropriate chunks. A meat cleaver and grinder may be helpful for this step. Again, you can combine different meats for added variety.
• 4 oz. organic liver
• 1 tablespoon organic hemp seed oil, flaxseed oil, or walnut oil. You can also use organic safflower or organic sunflower oil as alternatives.
• If you are not using meat, you can use 2 chopped hard-boiled or scrambled eggs, each 1/4 of any meat.
• Pinch of Himalayan or Celtic, finely ground pink salt.
• Omega-3 supplement
• 500 mg taurine (in powdered or capsule form).
• 1 spoonful of liquid garlic
• Complete Vitamin-Mineral Supplement is perfect for homemade diets. These are essential add-ons to the recipe if you plan to switch to an all-homemade diet.
• Alternative #1: You can also use a probiotic supplement.
• Alternative #2: 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon Digestive Enzyme supplement. Mix it straight into the food while serving it to your cat.
• Alternative #3: 2 – 4 oz non-starchy vegetables in their steamed or pureed form – spinach, broccoli, kale, sprouts, yellow squash, and zucchini are all great finds.
• Alternative #4: You can quickly add up to 1 tablespoon of ground Chia seeds if you feel your cat could do with more fiber.

Directions

1. This DIY homemade cat food recipe indicates you freeze your meat for 72 hours before feeding it to your cat to kill off parasitic cysts and worm larvae.
2. Cut the organ meats into bite-sized chunks that are appropriate for your cat.
3. Combine all the ingredients listed above to create a delicious composition.
4. Let the ingredients settle, cool off for 30-60 minutes, and then serve it to your cats or kittens.

Chicken Thighs With Bones Homemade Cat Food Recipe

This excellent DIY homemade cat food recipe comes from www.feline-nutrition.org and covers your cat’s basic nutritional needs. This recipe is good because it requires only one animal protein.

Often, multiple types of meat are challenging for some pet owners to purchase. But, in some cases, they find the quality. This recipe is a good option to keep as a stable cat food choice.

You will need the following:

Ingredients

• 4.5 lbs. chicken thighs, including bone. To keep an appropriate calcium/phosphorus ratio, remove about 20 to 25% of the bone from the total amount of meat you use. The skin is not recommended if your cats are already chubby. All the remaining chicken bones should be used only for boiling.
• 14 oz. (400 grams) raw chicken heart: If you cannot access raw hearts, replace them with 4,000 mg taurine.
• Four raw egg yolks
• 7 ounces of raw chicken liver
• 8 ounces of bottled water
• 2000 mg taurine, in addition to the one you may have used to substitute the hearts.
• 200 IU Vitamin E
• 4000 mg wild salmon or wild-caught small fish oil
• 200 mg vitamin B Complex
• Four teaspoons Psyllium Husk Powder (optional)
• 1 ½ teaspoons Lite Iodized Salt

Directions

1. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs, as indicated above.
2. Open up the supplements and empty them in a mixing bowl. Keep the fish oil capsules for later on in the process.
3. Add the water and egg yolks to the same bowl as your supplement solution. Mix ingredients together until you have a smooth consistency. 
4. Cut up the meat from the thighs into smaller bite-sized chunks.
5. Feed the meat into the meat grinder. Then gradually add in the liver, heart, and fish oil capsules.
6. Add your meat mixture to a larger bowl once it’s ground. Then add the slurry mixture, the meat you’ve chunked, and the psyllium husk. Mix everything thoroughly.
7. Separate your mixture into containers and freeze it to feed your cat later. Refrigerate portions you intend to serve on the same day or the next day. Be sure to label and date any food you plan to use later. Homemade cat food should only be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 days. Never exceed four days. 

BONUS: Review and Recipe 

Written and submitted by our reader Patty McTee:

“I discovered the importance of a raw food diet for cats and dogs when our golden retriever became sick from eating store-bought dry or canned dog food. The food we had been giving was rated one of the best brands, but it was cooked. Cooked food not only cooks away most of the nutrients but is not an appropriate diet for obligate carnivores…cats and dogs.

This was a shock to me, especially because I had been a veterinary technician for many years and never once heard this before. In the hopes of saving our beloved dog, I found a wonderful holistic veterinarian who schooled me on a proper diet.

Sadly it was too late for our dog, but I knew then that I would use this info with all my pets going forward. About a year ago, we finally adopted a rescue cat. She was a 10-month old female tuxedo, DSH. Her name is Baby. 

What a doll! And like most kitties, she had been eating dry food. I began to transition her slowly to a raw DIY homemade cat food diet and within a month she was eating raw food only. The diet developed for her was based on her personal preferences, regarding proteins mostly.

Almost everything I use is organic, but that may or may not be in your budget. I recommend feeding the best you feel is reasonable and affordable. If all organic is not doable, just use the best you can. Even no organic ingredients will be SO much better than dead, cooked food.

Benefits Patty Noticed After Transitioning to DIY Homemade Cat Foods:

1. One of the best benefits of DIY homemade cat food is the absents of awful poop odor in the litter box. Seriously, none!
   Baby now produced only a tiny amount of waste instead of more. Moreover, there is no odor to her waste whatsoever. I am sure that is due to the higher quality of the food.
2. I have noticed that my cat seems to have a much stronger instinct for this raw food diet.
   When I walk toward her placemat to set her food down, Baby stretches her back legs as she walks to the food. I have recently learned this gesture is how a cat will get her legs ready for the hunt in the wild. 
3. Watching her rip through the house as fast as her legs carry her after eating is hilarious. Then, finally, her nutritional needs are taken care of, and she becomes all fat and sassy.
   Baby will run so fast in trying to stop she is skating across the hardwood floor on her claws. Watching my cat’s animal instincts rev is funny and so entertaining.
4. Lastly, I love how I can now spend less making this high-quality DIY homemade cat food than I ever did when buying cat foods at the big box stores.
   Additionally, you will have an additional saving on veterinary visits and extra care costs because the cat will be healthier eating this kind of diet. Isn’t that a nice perk?

Helpful Tools and Products for Making DIY Homemade Cat Food

If making your cat food at home is going to become the new normal at your house, there are a few tools and products you may consider investing in. But of course, you will use these items frequently.

Good-quality products and equipment will help you plan and prepare your cat’s new food more easily. They will also allow you to add a variety of meats and nutrients into your cat’s diet, which you may not be able to do otherwise.

1. Hand Blender

There are pros and cons to using this tool. Mixing your DIY cat food by hand is easier to clean up afterward, but the cold meat is hard on your hands. The hand blender is easier on your hands, but it’s rather annoying to clean. I prefer doing it by hand now.

However, this tool is fantastic if you need help mixing it.

2. Freezer

It is a good idea to store most of your home-cooked cat food in a chest freezer, one you only open occasionally, to help prevent spoilage.

You can transfer a few days worth to your kitchen freezer as needed. If you do not already have an additional freezer in your home, consider getting a smaller one.

Storage Containers: 

I have tried many storage methods. The method I like the most is using disposable condiments 5.5 oz cups. Filling each one about 3/4 full is ideal for an average 12-pound cat. But, of course, you will need more for an enormous cat.

You will need to adjust the size of daily portions as needed for your kitty. Many pet owners also prefer glass storage dishes.

3. Meat Grinder: 

While not required, a quality meat grinder will significantly help with the time-consuming task of grinding your cat’s animal proteins. This tool significantly reduces the time and effort required to prepare DIY homemade cat food.

4. Meat Cleaver: 

Ensure you have a sharp, quality cleaver knife to chop your meats and troublesome ingredients. A good knife will help make the prepping process much quicker.

5. Small Spring Ice Cream Scooper

I may be spoiled, but a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop comes in handy when loading your storage cups and preparing to freeze them. Sure, a regular spoon will do just as well, but a scoop makes filling each one up accurate and fast. You get the same amount scooped each time and can do it at lightning speed.

5. Grass-fed Bone Meal: 

A quality bone meal to add to your kitty food is a must. There are many options available. Make sure to read reviews and get a quality bone meal. This brand is the one I bought last.

6. Vital Proteins Grass-fed Gelatin: 

Gelatin is a great product to add to your cat’s food, as it helps support bone and joint function in your cat. It is also great for skin, hair, and nails.

7. Petzlife Oral Care Gel: 

This product is my go-to for ensuring healthy oral hygiene and caring for my cats’ teeth and gums. Fighting gingivitis in cats can be challenging, and this product makes a big difference.

8. 5.5 oz Portion Cups/lids: 

I enjoy these perfectly portioned storage cups. These cups stack nicely and fit into my freezer or a travel cooler. I fill them up and take them out when needed. 

9. Alternative Refrigerator Dishes:

It is helpful to have smaller portion sizes of individual meals readily available in the refrigerator. This tool will be helpful when you need a pet sitter while traveling. My pet food dish preference is Bowl Mates.

Things To Keep In Mind with Homemade Food

The ingredients for the DIY cat food in these three recipes provide substantial nutritional value for your cat. What a benefit that you can cook these by yourself, at home. Be sure to source the ingredients from organic sources so your cat is as protected as possible from toxic chemical residues and other harmful substances.

Your cat will transition quickly to the new cooked DIY cat food diet. This new diet includes the meat they often crave and need for their body to function at its best. However, the transition to homemade cat food should be gradual, as with any other diet change.

Sudden changes in any pet’s diet could cause digestive issues, and your cat could get diarrhea or have trouble with bowel movements. You know your kitty best, so be sure to keep an eye on the way your cat:

• Feels
• Looks
• Acts during this transition time.

Monitor any changes you notice, and call your veterinarian if you feel something is wrong.

Be sure to follow all the safety protocols when preparing your cats’ new meals. These precautions include properly washing the vegetables and your hands before touching the meat. These habits will keep your cat and you healthy.

Have You Made Your Cat Food Yet?

We would love to hear about your experience feeding your cat a cooked diet. Have you tried raw food as well?

What benefits have you noticed since switching from commercial cat food to fresh, homemade cat food?

What DIY homemade cat food recipes have you tried, and how has your cat responded?

Discover More About Feline Food Care and Nutrition Here

• Is Grain-Free Cat Food Bad for Cats? 
• Can Wet Food Cause Diarrhea in Cats?
• Homemade Raw Cat Food for Ragdoll Cats: One Reader’s Journey
• How Long Can You Leave Wet Cat Food Out Before It Spoils?
• Food Allergies in Cats: an interview with Dr. Jean Hofv