Focusing on homemade cat food recipes is a great way to provide your little family members with the nourishment they need. And, unlike canned food, you can be sure of what is in the meals you’re feeding them.
Same as you, your cat will benefit from the benefits of local produce, and perhaps both of you could even adopt the eco-friendly 100-mile locavore diet. Feed your cat products from the local markets, and you’ll not only be supporting the health of your pet but also reducing food miles and carbon emissions.
Ingredients to watch out for
Certain foods should be avoided when making homemade cat food because of the risk of illness and chronic health problems, including:
- Chocolate
- Garlic and similar root veggies
- Grapes
- Milk (many are lactose intolerant)
- Onions
- Raisins
- Raw egg whites
- Tomatoes
Nutrients to consider
A well-balanced diet for your cat doesn’t require specific ingredients. Instead, it needs nutrients, and it’s also the reason why plant-based diets for cats can work. At least in theory. After all, as long as you manage to meet the nutritional needs of your cat using vegan or vegetarian ingredients, then you CAN have a healthy vegan diet for cats.
In practice, however, when it comes to nutrients, certain issues tend to pop up with plant-based cat food recipes. Let’s examine these in closer detail and try to provide some plant-based solutions.
Among the most vital nutrients to consider are these:
- Taurine: An amino acid important for eyesight and heart function, taurine is found in animal-based sources, so taurine supplements are often necessary for vegan and vegetarian diets. Without enough taurine in their diets, cats face health problems such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), blindness, and tooth decay.
- Proteins: Proteins are your cat’s main source of energy. A 2020 study of 296 cats found that plant proteins were similar to animal proteins in digestibility. Common sources of plant protein are corn gluten meal, soybean meal, wheat gluten, and rice protein concentrate. AAFCO recommends a minimum of 26% protein for adult cats, but consider that feral cats get up to 52% of their calories from protein.
- Fats: Not only are these important for their omega fatty acids (which are needed for healthy skin and hair, circulatory and urinary systems, and more), but they also make cat food tastier and boost your cat’s immune system. Adult cats need around 5.5% fat in their diets.
- Carbohydrates: Your cat isn’t carb-loading for a marathon, so carbs (sugars, starch) should be at lower levels for kitties – below 10%, in fact. Cats do not get as much nutritional benefit from carbs as they do from proteins and fats.
- Water: Cats need water to help their kidneys and other organs work correctly, so make sure to include plenty of clean water in your cat’s diet. The moisture content in canned pet foods is as high as 87%.
- Calcium to phosphorous ratio (Ca:P): This ratio should be between 0.9 and 1.5 parts calcium for every 1 part phosphorous. You’ll likely need to add calcium to your homemade cat food to ensure the right amount. Packaged cat foods often rely on bonemeal for this nutrient, but there are also plant-based sources of calcium, such as seaweed.
- Vitamin A: Important for cats’ vision + skin and usually obtained from eating liver, AAFCO recommends 5000 IU of Vitamin A per kilogram. As cats don’t have the enzyme needed to extract vitamin A from plants, they require additional supplements if fed a vegan or vegetarian diet (or egg yolks). Vitamin A poisoning can be an issue for meat-eating cats, but is likely less common for cats on diets with reduced meat as the foods richest in vitamin A are typically animal-based.
For more information on specific nutrients your cat needs, read the lists of nutritional requirements for cats by the National Research Council (NRC) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
What does the research say?
The environmental benefits of a vegan or vegetarian cat diet are great, but this is a subject you should thoroughly research before committing to it. Unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores. This means that they can’t obtain all their nutrients from plant-based sources naturally, and you’ll likely need to rely on supplements and/or commercial cat food to meet the needs of your cat.
Before making any major changes to your cat’s eating habits, consult with a veterinarian to ensure you are meeting its nutritional needs. Also, consider limiting, not excluding, meat from your cat’s diet. At least initially. This will allow you to gradually introduce increasing amounts of plant protein to your cat’s digestive system. Sudden changes to your cat’s diet can cause a wide range of issues.
As for commercial vegan cat food, consider studies such as these:
- In a 2015 study conducted in the USA, researchers Kanakubo, Fascetti, and Larsen studied 24 commercial plant-based and vegetarian pet food products. They found that 25% had amino acid insufficiencies.
- In their 2020 study, Zafalon et al. also identified dietary deficiencies in commercially available vegan food for cats in Brazil. In particular, these products had insufficient levels of protein, taurine, potassium, and arginine.
- Mirroring the above study’s results, in their 2021 study, researchers Starzonek et al. found dietary deficiencies in commercially available vegan food for cats in Germany.
At the same time, there are rays of hope for vegans and vegetarians:
- In their 2016 study, Knight and Leitsberger from the Centre for Animal Welfare of the University of Winchester found that it’s possible for cats to thrive in vegetarian cat diets while helping avoid the environmental and ethical hazards of meat-based diets.
- In their 2021 study, researchers Dodd et al. found that it is possible for plant-based foods to meet all nutrient requirements of cats and dogs. But, they also noted that the current industry standards fall short of nutritional recommendations.
So, we can see that not all vegan cat food is created equal. Vegan cat food brands worth recommending include VGRRR, Ami Cat, Benevo, Evolution Diet, and Wysong. These have earned a reputation for creating nutritionally balanced vegan cat food and can serve as a good starting point for a vegan or vegetarian diet.
The reality is that unless you’re willing to spend hundreds of hours on becoming a cat dietician, you’re likely to get the balance of ingredients, supplements, and nutrients wrong if you pick everything yourself. That is why vegan recipes outlined in this article include AAFCO-standard commercial vegan cat food, either dry kibble or canned.
Vegan & vegetarian cat food recipes
Here’s a selection of homemade cat food recipes you can try. But as previously mentioned, consult with a veterinarian to ensure you’re meeting your cat’s nutritional needs before following through on any dietary changes.
1. Transitional Recipe with Tuna (Contains Fish)
This homemade cat food recipe is not vegan or vegetarian as it includes tuna, but it’s a great recipe to transition your cat to a more plant-based diet.
Ingredients:
- Vegan dry cat kibble (1 serving).
- Nutritional yeast flakes (1 teaspoon).
- Tuna in oil (2 tablespoons) (non-vegan)
- Feline vitamin/mineral supplement (as needed).
- Water (as needed)
Instructions:
- Place one serving of dry cat kibble in a bowl.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast flakes.
- Mix in 2 tablespoons of tuna in oil.
- Add room-temperature water.
- Add your feline vitamin/mineral supplement.
- Reduce the proportion of tuna in the recipe next week.
2. Vegan Dry Cat Kibble with Quinoa & Broccoli (Vegan)
This vegan cat food recipe contains quinoa, an excellent source of health-promoting proteins and vitamins, and broccoli, a great source of essential vitamins and minerals for cats.
Ingredients:
- Vegan dry cat kibble (1 serving).
- Quinoa (1/4 cup).
- Broccoli (1/2 cup).
- Nutritional yeast flakes (2 teaspoons).
- Feline vitamin/mineral supplement (as needed).
- Water (as needed).
Instructions:
- Place the vegan dry cat kibble in a bowl.
- Cook the quinoa, let it cool down, and add it to the bowl.
- Steam the broccoli lightly and add it to the mixture.
- Mix in two teaspoons of nutritional yeast flakes until they are evenly distributed.
- Add room-temperature water if needed to moisten the mixture slightly.
- Add your feline vitamin/mineral supplement and stir again until everything is evenly mixed together.
3. Yeast-Free Vegan Cat Food Recipe with Brown Rice & Carrots (Vegan)
This vegan cat food recipe contains brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that is rich in nutrients and B vitamins, as well as carrots, which are an excellent source of vitamins A, K, and C.
Ingredients:
- Vegan canned cat food (1 serving).
- Brown rice (1/4 cup).
- Carrots (1/2 cup).
Instructions:
- Open the can of vegan cat food and scoop the contents into a bowl.
- Cook the brown rice according to the package instructions and add it to the bowl.
- Steam the carrots lightly and grate them before adding them to the mixture.
4. Egg Yolk Recipe with Oatmeal and Spinach (Vegetarian)
This cat food recipe is not vegan as it includes egg yolk, but like the transitional recipe with tuna, it’s a good recipe to transition your cat to a more plant-based diet and provide them with vitamins and proteins. Egg yolks are arguably more ethical an ingredient than tuna.
Ingredients:
- Vegan dry cat kibble (1 serving).
- Oatmeal (1/4 cup).
- Spinach (1/2 cup).
- Egg yolk (1 egg) (non-vegan).
- Feline vitamin/mineral supplement (as needed).
- Water (as needed)
Instructions:
- Start by placing one serving of vegan cat kibble in a bowl.
- Cook the oatmeal, let it cool down, and add it to the bowl.
- Steam the spinach lightly and chop it before adding it to the mixture.
- Mix in one egg yolk until evenly distributed.
- Add room-temperature water if too dry.
5. Vegan Cat Food Recipe with Cranberries & Peas (Vegan)
This vegan cat food recipe contains cranberries, which provide valuable antioxidants and vitamin C, and peas, a great source of plant-based proteins without the need for meat.
Ingredients:
- Vegan canned cat food (1 serving).
- Cranberries (1/4 cup).
- Peas (1/2 cup).
- Nutritional yeast flakes (2 teaspoons).
- Feline vitamin/mineral supplement (as needed).
Instructions:
- Open the can of vegan cat food and scoop the contents into a bowl.
- Add the cranberries and peas to the bowl.
- Mix in two teaspoons of nutritional yeast flakes until they are evenly distributed.
- Mix in your vegan cat vitamins or supplements as needed.