Food ideas please.

[HelenMac]

Due to my high ongoing medical costs I need ideas on how to save on food costs ect without compromising the boys health.   I was wondering if can mix cooked brown rice with their wet food to make it go further as they are always hungry when eating their wet food  and its so expensive here but they  prefer wet over dry food.. I still leave dry kibble out which they nibble at..  Is there a homemade recipe I can make.  I can't do raw its way too expensive here.  I'm so proud of my boys I've been trialing a few different litters to try save in that area also and they just happily use what ever is in their litter boxes no issues at all.

[Desi]

I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for, but this might be an option?  https://secure.balanceit.com/

Basically, you buy the protein at the supermarket, sprinkle the vitamin mix on it, then cook it in the oven.  They give you sets of recipes that you can make.

Pretty much anything you make at home is going to need to be supplemented with something, because "balancing" cat food is difficult.  Not impossible, just difficult...you need to be diligent in making sure they get essential nutrients in the right amounts/proportions.

I'm sure you can find advice saying that you can feed them rice as you plan, but keep in mind that cats are obligate carnivores, meaning, they don't eat rice.  Their bodies are not designed for eating rice.  *I* wouldn't do it, personally, especially not long term.  But I'm sure you can find someone who disagrees with that opinion though. 

[HelenMac]

I want to bulk out the wet food as its so sloppy and  they are still hungry after eating it but they love it.  I can't keep giving them  85 gram tins that they polish off 1 each in a meal and then back hour later wanting another tin each.        Going thru about 6 tins a day at 1.39 a tin unless I can get on special at $1.00 per tin..    If not good to use rice then I won't use it as I said I want ideas to satisfy them without risk to their health.   

[Desi]

I feel you on that.  I hate that you can only buy small cans, it was one of the reasons I went to raw in the first place.  The cans are a PITA!  Why can you buy a normal sized can of dog food, but not a normal sized can of cat food?  It's very unfair.  My cats are bigger than a lot of dogs.

[Rebecca]

I have bought the big tins of dog food of same brand. I do check the ingredients to make sure there are the same. However I then added taurine, which is usually what is missing in the dog food.
Studies suggest 75 to 100 mg of taurine per day should be supplied to the cat. According to other studies, for every 2.2 pounds of food consumed, it's recommended that cats consume 1000 mg of taurine. It's difficult to overdose the pet as excess taurine isn't stored, but excreted.
I was able to find capsules at a human vitamin store that was not too expensive or I am sure not it can be bought online for people making their own food

[HelenMac]

Went grocery shopping today hubby got quite fed up as I'm looking thru all the cat food.  Looked in the pet food fridge with  usual cheap garbage but I found A Premium chicken cat roll with  pure ingrediants no gluten fillers ect  has salmon oil in it and normal vitamins taurine ect.. So bought 4 as were on sale $1.49 each usually $2.69 for a 300gram roll..  I cut a slice off and mashed it in with their tin food so hopefully fill them up more   instead of straight slop that comes out of the tins..        Thus far Shadow likes it.

[Desi]

I have bought the big tins of dog food of same brand. I do check the ingredients to make sure there are the same. However I then added taurine, which is usually what is missing in the dog food.

I've done this with dog food before, too.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, because usually there are even more additives in dog food than cat food...sometimes it's just veggies that the cats don't like (and really isn't for them anyway, so...) but I've also done dog food because often the raw food comes in better (and more) flavors for dogs, whereas you can only get turkey/chicken/pork (if that!) for cats very often, so I get the dog food and add something like this to it: https://www.dogbloom.com/store/p19/Kitty_Bloom_VM_900_3.html  It's kinda like a multivitamin, but it's got taurine in it.

Formulated with 15 Vitamins, 10 Minerals and Taurine Proven Essential in the Feline diet!Combats dry, flaky skin and dull coatEnhances coat color for show animalsBoosts immune system against disease and infectionImproves reproductive successIncreases feed efficiency through improved absorption of foodsBalanced nutritional support during critical periods of stress or illnessHelps prevent excessive sheddingReduces risk of cardiovascular, retinal and reproductive disorders —Concentrated powder form with REAL CHEESE— Great for finicky eaters Proven safe and effective with millions of cats and with all types of diets.

[Ragsmomma]

Helen,  These are already listed in the post above this but I just wanted to make sure you saw them.  Wouldn't want you to give the boys anything that could make them or you sick.

Raws for Paws Dog Food


a close up of a device© Provided by TIME Inc.
The Minneapolis-based company is recalling 5-pound and 1-pound sealed plastic tubes, called chubs, of its Ground Turkey Pet Food. The product affected was packaged in Turkey Pet Food cases with the manufacture date of 10/12/2017 and Combo Pack cases with a manufacture date between 10/12/2017 and 2/2/2018. The codes for these cases are 9900008, 9900009, 9900014, and 9900015. The recalled pet food was distributed directly to consumers and via online mail order to Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Red Barn Pet Products


© Provided by TIME Inc.
Red Barn Pet Products is recalling its Redbarn Naturals 7-inch Bully Stick Dog Chews 3-pack due to concerns of salmonella contamination. The affected products were sold in pet speciality stores nationwide with an expiration date of 112120ABC stamped on the side. The UPC of the voluntarily recalled product is #7 85184 25105 8.

Darwin’s Dog Food


food on a table© Provided by TIME Inc.
Darwin’s Natural Pet Products is recalling select lots of its Darwin’s ZooLogics dog food, which includes ZooLogics Chicken and Vegetable Meals for Dogs manufactured on 11/2/17 and ZooLogics Duck and Vegetable Meals for Dogs manufactured on 11/16/17.

Smokehouse Pet Products


© Provided by TIME Inc.
The company its recalling its 4-ounce bags of dog treats labeled as “Beefy Munchies.” The affected product was sold to various retailers who distribute to stores in Colorado, Michigan, Washington and North Carolina. The recalled treats have UPC Code: 78565857957, Lot number: 449294 and are marked with the Best Used By Date of 10/25/19.

Not sure if the pix will come through but two of these are ground meat type products.

Sue

[HelenMac]

Thanks Ragsmomma we don't get any of that here.  I have low immunity so decided not to go the raw pet food route as don't want to take any chances plus horrendously expensive..  They do get a bit of our mince and beef  when I buy for us.  Also when I buy the shredded cooked chicken weekly they get some of that too... All the rolls and raw pet food  is made here and I am sticking to the cat food section  want to make sure got the ingredients they need..   Thats why was so pleased to find the cat roll.  Both boys really like it and I checked the ingredients on the web site.   Comes in 4 different flavours.  Unfortunately our local store only has one so next week we are going to travel 30 minutes to the next town over to see what they have there as they are listed as one of the sellers and its alot bigger store.  Never know might even find something else.   I did find a V.I.P grain free tin food again 85 grams  so got couple tins for them to try and  they enjoyed that mixed with the roll.

[Ragsmomma]

It sounds like you are on a plan and I sure hope it works for you.  I know when Jamie had the bloody urine, which was food allergies, how frustrating it was and how long it took to clear up.  I know now as soon as he gets into something he shouldn't have.  We will have our paws crossed for you and the boys.

[Teresa]

So glad that it seems like you found something. Like Desi - I feed raw to Smoke and actually find it cheaper for me than if I fed him canned. But it is a balancing to make sure I get the muscle and organ meat in the right proportions along with all the other minerals and vitamins (including the taurine) that was mentioned.  A do agree with Desi, even though rice might sound good, and they do put it in some of the canned cat foods, I wouldn't feed it either - especially because it would "unbalance" the canned food.

I was recently so excited when I found that Smoke will eat pork without stomach issues! I can get pork for $1.98 a pound. His venison, goat, and duck I pay $10 a pound for and it takes a big chunk out of my income. So I know where you're coming from in terms of cost. I can get very expensive, but we do the best we can with the resources that we have and that's all we can do.

Your fur kids are very blessed to have you as their mom. They have that great outdoors area that you went to great lengths to get for them!

[Desi]

I also find raw to be cheaper, easier to feed, and not having to deal with cans...and BalanceIT wasn't expensive either.  To be clear, I currently feed a combination of raw and canned, because my cats kept getting sick when I was feeding canned only.  (and, on cue, Desi throws up his Pride by Instinct canned...)

I also wanted to make a comment about the recalls noted here...apparently the only recalls being made these days are of raw pet foods.  There was just a big "recall" of Smuckers brands (Gravy Train, Kibbles & Bits, etc) and no official recall reported, just a "voluntary withdrawal" on the part of Smuckers.  Also important is the "why" for the recall...Smuckers multiple labels is being recalled for *pentobarbital* vs. Darwin's recall is for a small batch of limited salmonella, which is more of concern for humans (and pets with immune disorders) than it is for most pets.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather my cat be exposed to salmonella in small amounts, since their stomachs are intended to deal with it naturally, vs pentobarbital found in Smuckers brands, which is a drug intended to kill animals (and if it was enough to kill a horse...imagine what it would do to a cat).

I started including Darwin's in my cats' diet recently because they actually produce raw food, using microphages to control salmonella.  The high pressure pasteurization process used by other companies (including Primal) means that their food is cooked.  I'd be fine with that, but my cats won't eat it.

"A Comparison: FDA Response to Pet Illness and Death linked to Kibble and Raw Pet Food" http://truthaboutpetfood.com/a-comparison-fda-response-to-pet-illness-and-death-linked-to-kibble-and-raw-pet-food/

Whether a pet is sickened/killed by a raw pet food or a pet is sickened/killed by a kibble pet food – the outcome still devastates the family. A human or pet illness (and death) linked to a raw pet food is NOT more important than a human or pet illness (and death) linked to kibble pet food. They ALL are IMPORTANT. The FDA should NOT give special privileges to some, all investigations should be consistent.

In the past year – four brands of pet food were found to contain pentobarbital, four brands of pet food used euthanized animals as a pet ‘food’ ingredient. FDA has been investigating Evanger’s Pet Food for a full year, with no recent update. FDA refused to respond to questions from news station WJLA regarding the most recent Gravy Train pentobarbital findings. Yet FDA swiftly publishes press releases regarding Salmonella in raw pet food. Does the agency consider Salmonella more significant than euthanized animals in pet food?