Animals, because they are color blind, choose their foods by smell. Most dogs like gamey flavors best, as well as liver, fat, garlic, onions, horsemeat, lamb, beef, cheese and fish. Cats enjoy chicken, liver, fish, turkey, lamb, and yeast, and prefer fresh to aged flavors.
Remember that cats are fussy eaters and it is not wise to continually feed them their favorite foods. Soon they will refuse to eat anything else; it is your job to see your cat has a balanced diet.
Animals do not need salt added to their diet as the natural salt in the food is enough for them.
Dogs may eat any vegetable they want, but cats should not have any starchy veggies, like peas and corn. Some dogs and cats even enjoy fruits!
It's a good idea to always add a grain, such as Kibble, wheat germ, cooked oatmeal or whole wheat bread to meat dinners. For dogs use 75% carbohydrate foods (grains and vegetables) to 25% meat; for cats use half carbohydrate foods to half meat.
You will find, once you begin making your own pet foods, that it is really relatively simple and you will save some money as well. remember that all pet foods should be served at room temperature; don't serve food cold from the refrigerator nor hot from the stove.
Incidentally, you should know that cats should be fed three times a day, while an adult dog needs only one meal a day.
Here are some pet recipes you can make at home:
Avoid salt in the recipes
It's harmful
But Do use Garlic where ever possible
SAUTEED LIVER
Heat 1 teaspoon corn oil in a pan.
Add 1/4 pound beef liver and fry on both sides until cooked but
not dry inside.
Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and mix it up with all the brown
bits.
For dogs, cut the liver into pieces and serve;
for cats, grind
the liver in a blender, using the pan juices.
CHICKEN SOUP
Combine 1 chicken liver, 1 giblet, 1 chicken heart, 1 chicken
neck, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Cover and simmer until the giblet is tender
Chop all the meat for dogs removing bones and mix with kibble;
for cats, you may want to grind the meat in the blender
VEAL STEW
Combine 1/2 pound stewing veal, 1 cup canned tomatoes, 1 cup
water, 1 chicken bouillon cube, 1/2 onion (chopped), parsley and
a dash of garlic powder in a pot and simmer
When meat is tender, remove all the bones
For dogs, cut the meat in chunks, and mix stew with kibble or
some other grain;
for cats, grind the stew in blender, adding a
tablespoon of wheat germ or 1/2 slice of whole wheat bread.
LIVER COOKIES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine 1/2 cup dry milk and 1/2 cup wheat germ; drizzle 1
teaspoon honey on top.
Add one 3 1/3 oz. jar of strained liver baby food or homemade
blended liver and stir until everything is well mixed
Form the mixture into balls; place them on an oiled cookie
sheet and flatten them with a fork
Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
Consistency should be fudgy.
Store in a jar in the fridge;
freeze if keeping more than a few
days.
LAMB STEW
Follow the recipe for Veal Stew, using chunks of lamb instead and leaving out the tomato if desired.
MACKEREL DINNER
Of Course Dogs could eat fish
Infact its healthy for them
Heat 1 tsp. corn oil in a skillet and fry 1 small mackerel until
it flakes apart easily.
Remove and cool.
Pour 1/2 cup hot
water into the pan and scrape the brown bits into it.
Remove the bones from the fish and mix with the juice.
For dogs, serve in pieces with kibble;
for cats, grind with the pan juices.
FISH COOKIES
Follow the recipe for Liver Cookies but use instead 3 1/2 ounces of mashed and boned mackerel, either canned or freshly cooked.
BEEF COOKIES
Following the recipe for Liver Cookies, using cooked beef puree instead.
DOG MORSELS
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups white flour
1 cup skim milk powder
2 eggs
water
1/2 cup melted beef or pork drippings (or lard)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix ingredients together with
enough water to make a stiff dough.
Roll out and cut into
Christmas shapes.
Bake on cookie sheet until hard.
KITTY TREATS
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup tuna oil, chicken broth or beef bouillon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients into a dough
Dust hands with flour and form small, 1/2-inch-thick, round
"biscuits".
Set on greased cookie sheet.
Bake 30 minutes (or
until biscuits are slightly browned).
Cool 30 minutes before serving.
BUDGIE BROWNIES
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. finely ground cuttlebone
1 cup hulled millet
2 tbsp. liquid honey
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp. raw wheat germ
4 egg yolks
(for larger birds add 1/2 cup peanuts or coconut)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place all ingredients into a
bowl and mix well.
Pat into a greased and floured baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes or until firm
(if edges start to get too
brown, cover with foil).
Cool and cut into small squares.
