Make Your Own Pet Food
There are a number of fine brands of dog and cat food out there these days, including ones billing themselves as natural.
The “natural” designation really means that the food does not contain much in the way of additives or preservatives. And while that’s fine for the health of your pets, it can present a problem if you’re stockpiling it because it won’t last as long as “regular” pet food.
This particular blog, however, is geared for you do-it-yourselfers who would rather take the time to prepare food for your cats and dogs than pay the often high prices at supermarkets or pet stores.
There is much disagreement about which vegetables are OK for pets and which aren’t, and whether grains can be properly digested by our furry friends. But I think the best rule of thumb is, everything in moderation. And everybody agrees that dogs and cats benefit from meat.
Regardless of how much your dogs and cats eat, the keys for making their food yourself are the ratios.
For a cat, which needs more protein than a dog, you might want to try three parts meat, one part organs, one part grain and one-half part vegetables.
Because they acquire calcium from bones, much of what you toss out after preparing a whole chicken would be to their liking. They also love fish. The veggies and grains should be cooked, but the meat can be lightly cooked or even raw. Sprinkle in some bone meal as well and use a little olive oil when cooking.
For a dog, try one part meat, one part grain and one part vegetables. While they like veggies, especially carrots and peas, a few such as cauliflower and broccoli are more difficult for them to digest. Rice and oats are the best grains for them.
Again, use olive oil while you’re cooking everything together on the stove top, which provides them with a healthy fat. The broth can be extracted from leftover chicken carcasses.
We love our pets and so we want them to be as healthy as possible. And if a disaster forces us out of our homes and puts us out in the wild for a while, they will be very useful to us… another reason to keep them healthy.
Cats will keep rodents away from our camps – including our food supplies – and dogs will provide excellent first alert warnings, as their sense of hearing and smell is better than ours. Their protective instincts are also strong, and some dogs will be a big help with hunting.
Making your own pet food will not only save you money. It will also give you that sense of independence and self-sufficiency we all should be striving for.
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When it comes to being prepared, those of us that do have pets need to remember that we need to store extra food(s) for our pet too.
With the increase expense of dry and can foods for our pets; it would behoove us to learn to make our own pet foods or have more leftovers from the table. However, should we find ourselves in a SHTF or natural disaster; food, much less extra food, may be non-existent or may not be a viable option. By having the extra pet food set aside, just as you would have an extra cans of food for your family, would be the only way to go. Furthermore, just like your normal supplies, you would want to rotate your pet’s food so that it will never go stale. Only you can determine how much food you should have stored for your pets.
Personally, I have two 50 pound bags of dry dog food and three cases of wet food. This will last me only one month for my two dogs. If it should come to pass that I need more food then I will have to start making my own for my pets, aka table scraps.
Also, if you really want to make your own pet food, you can consult a veterinarian who is also a board certified nutritionist. They can develop a diet for your specific pet that is balanced and complete. This usually will involve a fee. Consult with the ACVN (American College of Veterinary Nutrition) to find a board certified veterinary nutritionist. These persons have an 8 year veterinary degree and another 4 year nutrition degree on top of that (must be a veterinarian first), so you are really dealing with someone who is an expert. The following website can be helpful in finding a true veterinary nutritionist: http://www.acvn.org/directory/
I am a veterinarian with a minor in nutrition an additional certification in nutrition, and a BS in animal science. I do not sell any pet food in my practice (just so you don’t think this is a financially motivated statement). Raw meat diets have been connected with the humans in the household getting E.coli and Salmonella, and many of the animals who are fed raw diets end up seeing me for digestive related issues. I do not recommend raw meat to our pets. They are not wild wolves or cougars who can eat raw meat. Plus we are feeding them processed meat, not raw mouse. Imbalance in trace vitamins and minerals can cause disease states as well, such as selenium toxicity or deficiency, zinc deficiency, and others. Buying a good quality pet food is the best way to go. By the way, there are only a few pet food makers that actually do feeding trials on their food. This means that everyone else just makes it up on paper and then makes the food and sells it. I recommend Science Diet, Iams/Eukanuba, and Purina Pro-Plan. A note with this is that by supporting companies that actually do the research, you support the research that aids animals with specific disease conditions that respond to prescription diets. (Such as kidney disease, allergies, irritable bowel disease, liver disease, and others.)
Read the label. There is a section called the AAFCO Statement. It is the only legal statement on the bag. The front of the bag can say adult dog, but the reality is that you could be feeding a puppy food to your adult dog (over nutrition). Look for that AAFCO statement and read it. Look for key statements in it like, “feeding trials substantiate…” Avoid foods that state they are for “all life stages” we don’t feed our senior citizens like we feed toddlers, teenagers, or most adults.
Just like I am not a plumber, and thus call one when I have a plumbing issue, most people specialize in one area or career, so ask your veterinarian what you should be feeding your specific pet.
Big dogs, especially those with carting heritage like Rottweiler, Husky, Malamute, Pyrenees, etc. can be trained to pull or pack supplies which could be very useful in a post-oil world.
That’s true, Victoria. Yet another way our furry friends can be helpful, as well as being a comfort during a difficult time.