 Home
Cooking for Pets
Some pets are fed home cooking intentionally, others on an occasional
basis via table scraps. In some European countries homemade foods
already supply an estimated 35% of cats with 60% of their caloric
intake. When the pet receives more than half its daily calories
from table foods, the whole diet should then be formulated to ensure
a proper nutrient intake and avoid the dangers of obesity or other
health problems.
Some pet owners begin feeding home cooked food because they find
that their pet is not too interested in the commercial food being
offered. Eventually they find themselves trapped because the pet
will now not eat any commercially prepared food, and home cooking
now constitutes 100% of the animal’s daily intake. In these
cases, arranging a diet composed of foods commonly used in the household
may be the only way of delivering a balanced diet to the pet.
 The
first thing to remember when considering home cooking for your pet
is the simple truth that you are NOT cooking for a person, you are
cooking for an animal - that might seem obvious, but so many pet
owners treat their pets as if they were children.
Dogs, cats and people have different nutritional needs and some
foods which are fine for you can be dangerous to them – you
must take this into consideration.
Recommended Reading for Home Cookers
 The
Natural Food Pet Cookbook:
Healthful Recipes for Dogs and Cats
by Wendy Nan Rees, et al.
'After the massive commercial pet food recall in 2007, you're
probably concerned about why to feed your dog or cat. The "Natural
Pet Food Cookbook: Healthful Recipes For Dogs And Cats" gives
you great ways to supplement your pet's primary diet with nutritious
meals that you prepare; that way, you're sure your dog or cat gets
healthy variety. With nn emphasis on natural ingredients and lots
of colorful, fun illustrations, this cookbook gives you: More than
50 vet-approved, pet-tested recipes, ranging from basic kibble to
casseroles to stews Tips on cooking techniques, food selection,
and more Info on storing and freezing your homemade pet foods Details
about the nutritional requirements of dogs and cats Warnings about
potentially harmful foods'
Available via our link with Waterstones - check latest discount
price
A
few things to avoid
There are a few "No's" when it comes to selecting ingredients
for home cooking. Veterinary Surgeons would tend to advise against
the following foodstuffs, or at least to be wary of feeding large
quantities:
Mushrooms: best avoided as some dogs will not
tolerate mushrooms well and they can cause serious toxicity.
Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine. Theobromine
is a similar compound to caffeine and stimulates the heart and nervous
system. In dogs it can poison them with death occurring from heart
failure. Cats may not metabolise chocolate in the same way as dogs
but are also thought to be at risk.
Onions (and garlic) OK in small quantities, but
be careful. Can cause blood problems including anaemia.
Cows milk: Cats and dogs along with most other
mammals lose, to a variable extent, their ability to digest lactose
(milk sugar) with age, because the activity of the enzyme lactase
declines with age
Macadamia nuts: The toxic compound is unknown
but the affect of macadamia nuts is to cause locomotory difficulties.
Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis
of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and
are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen
limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated.
Tomatoes: a small amount of ripe tomato is unlikely
to cause any problems, but green tomatoes can cause stomach upsets
so it’s best to avoid them.
Grapes: The ASCPA (Animal Poison Control Centre
in the USA) has recently published information stating the toxicity
of raisins and grapes in dogs (they do not know how they affect
cats yet, but advise to avoid feeding them anyway). Eating just
a handful of raisins and grapes has been shown to cause kidney failure.
Fatty foods: Very fatty foods may lead to problems
such as pancreatitis. The pancreas releases enzymes to help digest
the food. Pancreatitis is a very painful inflammatory condition
associated with the ingestion of fatty foods.
Other odds and ends around the house that your pet might eat and
have problems with might be
-
Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple
core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides)
-
Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
-
Rhubarb leaves
-
Mouldy/spoiled foods
-
Alcohol
-
Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
-
Hops (used in home brewing)
A
few good foods to include
Vegetables - Green vegetables are a great way
of boosting your dogs immune system, you can feed these raw or cooked.
Raw carrot makes a healthy treat. Vegetables are possibly better
for dogs than fruit. Potato must be cooked, and mashed potato is
a suitable ingredient for home cooking.
Fruit – in the wild, dogs would have scavenged
windfall fruit as well as digesting the remains of fruit eaten by
other animals when they pick over the carcass, so giving your dog
fruit is not as strange as it might sound. Fresh fruit is packed
full of anti-oxidants, vitamins and all sorts of other healthy nutrients,
so it’s great for keeping your dog in top condition. Some
fruits are quite acidic (as well as sugary) and may not be good
for dogs with skin or digestive complaints.
Grains - Rice is universally recommended, and
brown rice preferred, but make sure that it is well cooked so that
your pet can get the maximum goodness.
Meat and fish - Vary the protein that you are
feeding, so that a good range of amino acids is provided. Fish,
particularly oily varieties are a good source of omega 3 and 6 oils.
Yoghurt – this is a great source of protein,
calcium and vitamins, and is particularly good for dogs with diarrhoea
thanks to the probiotics it contains.
Cottage cheese – another surprisingly healthy
dairy food which is great for growing puppies and lactating bitches.
Brewer’s yeast - Can be purchased from
health food stores or chemists as a food supplement and is full
of nutrients and vitamins. You only need to use about 1/2 tsp a
day with recipes.
Recipes
Really, it's up to you and the ingredients that you have to hand,
but a good guide to follow would be that given by Veterinary Surgeon
John Burns of Burns Pet Nutrition who advises the following proportions
of a home made diet for dogs
1/3 rd by volume boiled brown rice
1/3 rd by volume meat (this should be varied regularly using chicken,
fish, lamb, beef)
1/3 rd by volume vegetable, again varied using roots and greens
and to include some seaweed (dried or fresh)
John Burns adds 'I have less experience in the use of home made
food for cats but in general cats need a higher level of protein
and less carbohydrate.
'This could be achieved by increasing the meat portion to 50% with
the rice and vegetable portions of 25% each. Again, some seaweed
should be included to provide trace minerals.'
Cats have a very specific requirement for meat, and can’t
survive without several essential amino-acids found only in meat.
So a vegetarian diet for a cat is really not on. Also limit the
amount of liver you feed your cat (to avoid an excess of Vit A)
and make sure to cook fish (regular feeding of raw fish can apparently
lead to a vitamin B deficiency)
You can find recipes on Vet Joe
Inglis' website
The arguement against home cooking
You need to be aware that there has always been a voice out there
arguing that home cooking is not the best way of feeding. Here is
a quote from the Canadian Veterinarian Association pamphlet on pet
food, A Commonsense Guide to Feeding Your Dog or Cat:
”Why Are Homemade Diets Not Recommended? Homemade diets are
not recommended because there is a good chance that all the necessary
nutrients or the proper proportions will not be provided. Incorrect
preparation and cooking may also deplete certain nutrients and result
in a deficient diet. As well, homemade diets are usually more expensive
to produce, without providing better nutrition.”
And from from the US Pet Food Institute’s website, on Pet
Nutrition: “A Well-Nourished Pet is a Happy Companion! Your
pet’s good health and happy disposition are dependent on good
nourishment, exercise, grooming, and visits to the veterinarian.
”Good nourishment is important, and, with today’s wide
assortment of commercial pet foods fully formulated for all stages
of pet growth, it is easy to feed your pet well-balanced meals.
These foods allow you to cater to your pet’s preferences (including
food rewards and treats) and, yet, ensure a healthful diet.
”Veterinarians and animal nutritionists have determined that
table scraps are not balanced meals for pets and are deficient in
nutrients. Adding scraps to a balanced diet often adds extra calories
that are detrimental to the pet’s health.
”Supervise your pet’s diet carefully. For your pet’s
basic diet, make sure the food you use is specifically labeled ‘complete
and balanced’. Products intended for special use or supplemental
feeding will be labeled as such. Make certain that the pet has plenty
of water to drink and do not overfeed. If, for any reason, you feel
that your pet is not doing well on a particular diet, talk with
your veterinarian.
”Remember, a healthy pet is a happy pet which will bring
you years of happiness and companionship.”
You
should be aware that not all Veterinary Surgeons are happy about
the nutritional adequacy of home cooking - there are issues regarding
vitamin, mineral and micronutrient content. If you want to read
more about this then follow
this link
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Pet