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3 Homemade Dry Cat Food Recipes: Easy & Healthy

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

best homemade cat food

As a responsible cat owner, you want to control the diet of your feline, don’t you? And that’s among the reasons you are here in search of homemade dry cat food recipes.

Indeed, homemade dry cat food can offer some benefits to a feline’s health and overall well-being:

  • It doesn’t contain any allergens or controversial ingredients, therefore helping cats with sensitive stomachs digest it and stay satisfied.
  • It encourages owners to switch to timed feeding, which is a more natural way to control a cat’s calorie intake.
  • It can help you save money: Homemade dry cat food appears to be less expensive than pre-made dry and wet formulas from pet food brands.

And on top of all that, it turns out that a homemade cat kibble recipe doesn’t take long to prepare. All you’ll need to do is consult a vet to understand how to change a cat’s diet right and make sure your feline will get all the necessary nutrients from her DIY dry cat food.

To explore further the benefits of dry cat food, please read the comparison of wet vs dry cat food.

Here go three homemade dry cat food recipes to offer to your feline with no fear for her health:

 

Our 3 Homemade Dry Cat Food Recipes:

1. Homemade Chicken and Turkey Dry Cat Food Recipe

Poultry is the #1 ingredient of most cat food formulas from all the best cat food brands because it’s rich in proteins, so necessary for a feline to grow and stay healthy. Chicken breast and turkey breast are high in proteins and low in fats, preventing cats’ weight issues yet allowing them to remain satisfied.

The below homemade cat kibble recipe with chicken and turkey inside will reveal how to make dry cat food so that it reflects a feline’s natural nutritional needs.

Homemade Dry Cat Food with Chicken and Turkey

Nicole Cosgrove
Poultry is the #1 ingredient of most cat food formulas from all brands because it's rich in proteins. That's why our favorite homemade dry cat food recipe is made with a mixture of chicken and turkey. Here are the simple steps!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Equipment

  • oven
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Rolling pin
  • Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 10 oz canned turkey breast
  • 5 g canned chicken breast
  • 150 g canned chicken breast
  • 125 g fat-free dry milk
  • 210 g soy flour
  • 340 g whole wheat flour
  • 115 g wheat germ
  • 68 g brewer's yeast
  • 15 ml vegetable oil
  • 470 ml water

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your oven and baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) and meanwhile get the sheet ready. To avoid extra fat in your cat's diet, please don't use oil or butter to grease the baking sheet. Consider parchment paper instead: Cover the sheet with it to get it ready for cooking.
  • Please take all the dry ingredients of this recipe and whisk them in a large mixing bowl. Cornmeal, soy flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, dry milk, and brewer's yeast are what you'll need to mix, using a whisk or a wooden spoon.
  • Mash poultry and oils in a small bowl. Put canned turkey, canned chicken, and vegetable oil into a bowl and use a fork to mash them together. While poultry ingredients provide a cat with proteins, vegetable oil gives her omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and shiny fur.
  • Add two cups of water to the bowl with dry ingredients. Use a spoon to combine them all and get the heavy and thick mass. After that, switch to mixing it by hand. What you need to have as a result is the ball of dough.
  • Add the poultry and oil mix to the dough. Pour it over the top of your ready-made dough and start mixing it with a spoon or by hand. You need to get a genuinely thick mixture, – we prepare dry cat kibbles, remember? – so resist the temptation of adding more water to it. The dough needs to be rough.
  • Roll out the dough. Put it between two parchment paper sheets and roll out with a pin to get it about 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) thick.
  • Cut it to small squares. Remove the paper and use a thin knife to cut the dough into squares (future kibbles). Please don't make the squares too big: Make sure they are small enough for a cat to consume safely.
  • Put the kibbles on the baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remember to flip it every 5-10 minutes so that all the sides could get browned. Be careful when taking the ready kibbles out of the oven: Use a mitt to protect your hands.
Keyword dry cat food, kibble, kibbles

Your DIY dry cat food is ready! Now you can refrigerate it in a container for up to three weeks. Feed a cat with this recipe 2-3 times per day, depending on her dietary needs. To make this food even more palatable for your feline, feel free to add a tablespoon of chicken gravy over the top when feeding.

But remember:

Dry food is not enough for a cat to consume because it doesn’t contain all the essential nutrients and moisture she needs to stay satisfied and healthy. So, it’s OK to feed with the above homemade cat kibble recipe as long as you supplement it with wet or raw food 2-3 times a week. Consult your vet for the most appropriate food combinations.

No food, wet or dry, can provide enough moisture to a cat, so please give your feline free access to clean water at all times. Read our definitive guide to find out how much water your feline friend needs.


2. Homemade Salmon Dry Cat Food Recipe

russian blue cat eating dry food in bowl
Image Credit: Felice Wölke, Unsplash

This homemade dry cat food recipe will be a perfect choice if your cat loves fish or other sea products. Sometimes it happens that a feline has allergies or sensitivities to fish, so make sure it’s not about yours before offering this recipe to her.

How to know if your cat has food allergies? Symptoms may differ, but the general ones include sneezing, itchy eyes and ears, vomiting, and diarrhea.

For cats with no allergy to fish products, this salmon recipe provides many benefits. Salmon is oily fish but low in saturated fats, making it ideal for a cat’s diet. It’s protein-rich, full of omega-3 acids (so necessary for a feline’s healthy skin and shiny fur), and contains Vitamin D to maintain the calcium balance in a cat’s body.

Long story short, here’s how to make dry cat food with salmon. This homemade dry cat food recipe will be a perfect choice if your cat loves fish or other sea products.

How to Make Homemade Dry Cat Food with Salmon:

Ingredients
  • 430 g boiled salmon
  • 150 g cornmeal
  • 125 g fat-free dry milk
  • 210 g soy flour
  • 340 g whole wheat flour
  • 115 g wheat germ
  • 68 g brewer’s yeast
  • 15 ml vegetable oil
  • 15 ml sesame oil
  • 470 ml water
Equipment
  • Oven
  • Baking pan

1. Boil salmon. Put it into a pot with boiling water, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes. After that, take it off the gas and leave it to cool.

2. Prepare a baking sheet. If you are going to use a small one (46 by 33 cm or smaller), do your best to prepare two to have enough space for all kibbles. Cover sheets with parchment paper to get them ready for cooking. (There’s no need to use butter or oil, as it will add extra fat to your cat’s diet.)

3. Prepare an oven. Preheat it to 350 F (177 C) and meanwhile get the dough ready.

4. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Put dry milk, soy flour, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, cornmeal, and whole wheat flour into one large bowl and mix them with a whisk or wooden spoon.

5. Mash boiled salmon with oils in another bowl. Take salmon, sesame oil, and vegetable oil; put the ingredients in a small bowl; mash them with a fork. It’s OK if the salmon is still in little bits after you’ve finished.

6. Combine the dry ingredients with water. Take two cups of water, add them to that large bowl with dry ingredients, and use a spoon to turn them to a heavy and thick mass. Then, mix it by hand if necessary: You’ll need to get a dough ball as a result.

7. Add mashed salmon to the dough. Pour it over and mix with a spoon or by hand until you get the thick mixture. Don’t add any more water to it: The dough should be rough.

8. Roll it out and cut to kibbles. Put the ready-made dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out with a pin. Make it about 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) thick. Remove the papers and cut the dough into small squares, using a thin knife. These squares will become kibbles after backing, so make sure they are small enough for your cat to eat.

9. Bake the kibbles. Put squares on the prepared baking sheets, place them in the preheated oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Flip them every 5-10 minutes to get all the sides browned, and take out the ready kibbles with a mitt or a towel to protect your hands.

And presto! The homemade cat kibble recipe with salmon is ready! Let the kibbles get cold, put them in an air-tight container, and feel free to keep them in a refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Feed a cat with this homemade food 2-3 times a week, or more depending on her dietary needs. Salmon will provide a feline with proteins and fatty acids she needs for growth and development, while sesame oil in the recipe will give zinc, iron, and calcium for healthy bones and joints.

If your cat loves wet food, feel free to add 1-2 tablespoons of fish gravy on top of your DIY dry cat food when serving it. Also, give your cat clean, fresh water regularly so that she could consume enough moisture for proper metabolism and a healthy urinary tract. We also have a guide with numerous moist homemade recipes for cats – I recommend you to check it out as well!


3. Homemade Beef Dry Cat Food Recipe

cat eats dry food from a white bowl
Image Credit: serg60, Freepik

Poultry and fish are yummy to eat, but what about other meat? The list of homemade dry cat food recipes wouldn’t be complete without beef, a great animal protein source for our carnivorous cats.

Let’s face it:

Felines will never thrive on a vegan diet. Unlike dogs, they need animal proteins to stay active and healthy. And meat is the only source of the nutrients cats require to be in optimal health. While the best option would be to feed a feline with a commercial dry food or wet food, you can try cooking the delicious treat for her by yourself.

Why beef?

It’s an excellent alternative source of animal protein for cats who are allergic to sea products or don’t like chicken. Besides, fish flavors aren’t acceptable for daily feeding because of high levels of fatty acids inside: It can lead to Vitamin E deficiency and painful conditions.
Fish and poultry homemade cat kibbles will be helpful to alternate with ground beef: to give proteins, avoid the overdose with fatty acids, and diversify a cat’s diet.

How to Make Homemade Dry Cat Food with Beef:

Ingredients
  • 430 g boiled ground beef
  • 150 g cornmeal
  • 125 g fat-free dry milk
  • 210 g soy flour
  • 340 g whole wheat flour
  • 115 g wheat germ
  • 68 g brewer’s yeast
  • 15 ml vegetable oil
  • 15 ml sesame oil
  • 470 ml water
Equipment
  • Oven
  • Baking sheet

1. Boil 15 ounces of ground beef. Put it into a pot with water, and once it boils – cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes. After that, take it off the gas and let it get cold.

2. Get a baking sheet ready. If you have a small one (46 by 33 cm or smaller), please take two to get enough space for all kibbles to bake. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend more time on that. Cover sheets with parchment paper. (There’s no need to use oil or butter, as it brings nothing but extra fat to your feline’s diet.)

3. Preheat an oven. Leave it to get 350 F (177 C), and start cooking the dough for kibbles meanwhile.

4. Prepare the dough. Take all the dry ingredients (soy flour, cornmeal, whole wheat flour, brewer’s yeast, fat-free dry milk, and wheat germ) and whisk them in a large bowl with a wooden spoon’s help. Add two cups of water and mix a heavy and thick dough.

5. Cook a filler. Mash ground beef, sesame oil, and vegetable oil in a small bowl with a fork’s help. Sesame oil in the recipe is a zinc, iron, and calcium source for a cat’s healthy bones and joints. Don’t worry if the meat is still in bits after you’ve finished – you’ll combine it with the dough later anyway.

6. Add the beef filler to the dough. Pour it over and mix until you get the thick dough ball. Resist the temptation of adding more water to the dough to make it easier to mix: We cook dry kibbles, remember? So, the dough needs to be rough.

7. Roll the ready-made mix out. Put the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and use a pin to roll it out evenly. Make it about 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) thick.

8. Cut it into kibbles. Use a thin knife to cut the rolled-out dough into small squares (future kibbles). Please make them small enough for a cat to consume safely after they are ready.

9. Bake the squares in the preheated oven. Put raw kibbles on the prepared baking sheets, place them into your oven, and leave for around 20-25 minutes. Flip them from time to time while baking so that all the sides could get browned.

10. Cool the kibbles and put them in an air-tight container. Once ready, take the kibbles out from the oven (please use a towel or a mitt to protect your hand), give them some time to get cool, and place them in a container for your feline to consume later.

That’s all! The homemade dry cat food with ground beef is ready. Feel free to keep in a fridge for up to three weeks, and feed your cat with this flavor 2-3 times a week to diversify her diet. Remember to give other food, including wet, too.

Also, make sure your feline drinks enough clean and fresh water daily. And always consult your vet if planning to change a cat’s diet.

Preparing homemade cat food can be a great way to ensure your cat receives the nutrition they need to thrive, and serving it in the right dish is also an important aspect of nurturing their health. Our Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl was designed with feline well-being in mind, featuring shallow, wide, whisker-friendly dishes and slight elevation, promoting great posture and eating habits. Best of all, this bowl is dishwasher safe, meaning the all-important clean-up after each meal is simple. 

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Final Thoughts

Pet parents must control their cats’ diet because their felines’ health and overall well-being depend on nutrition by far. Obligate carnivores, cats need animal proteins, low fats, and minimum carbohydrates in their ration. And most vets and professional nutritionists agree that a commercial dry and wet food would be the best option for a cat because it’s manufactured with respect to all her nutritional needs.

And yet, some homemade dry cat food recipes can provide benefits too:

Given that you know the quality of the ingredients you choose for cooking, your homemade recipes won’t contain any allergens or artificial preservatives. Such food also allows owners to control a cat’s calorie intake better, preventing problems with weight. Plus, DIY dry cat food is less expensive than formulas from popular pet food brands, saving you time and money.

In this post, you’ve learned the top three recipes on how to make homemade dry cat food. They are protein- and vitamin-rich, and they won’t take a long time to prepare. So, visit your vet to consult how to change a cat’s diet right, and feel free to treat your four-legged friend with homemade dry cat food from time to time.

P.S. Did you know that we have homemade kitten formula recipes as well?

By the way, homemade dry cat food can be great, but fresh wet food has some serious benefits.

See Also: 

If you're looking for a balanced, highly nutritious cat food made with human-grade ingredients, take a closer look at Smalls. You can even save 40% on this premium cat food by entering code HEPPER24 at checkout!


Featured Image Credit: vlad_bil, Shutterstock

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