2 Homemade Recipes for Cats Suffering from Kidney Disorders
As cats age, all too often their kidneys start to fail which can lead to all sorts of health issues. The main function of the kidneys is to filter out all the impurities and toxins from the blood and when this does not happen all these toxins are taken around the rest of the body causing damage to other vital organs.
Diet can play a crucial role in keeping a cat's kidneys healthy and working as they should, If your cat has been diagnosed with a kidney problem, the chances are your vet has recommended they be fed a special diet and the best way to do this is to make up your own cat food. Like this you know exactly what it contains which are all the good things a cat needs to stay healthy rather than ingredients which could well negatively impact their kidney function.
The goal of a special diet for cats with kidney problems is to provide the lowest level of protein, phosphorus and sodium in an optimum form to ensure there is very little waste. Naturally, preparing your own cat food also means you know it will be free of any artificial preservatives, colourings or flavourings which are added to most pet foods. Below are 2 recipes specifically formulated for cats with kidney problems.
Recipe Number 1
Recipe one can be made up in advance and provides enough food for one cat for around 6 days. It boasts a high percentage of usable protein while having low phosphorus and sodium levels. The recipe also has great levels of vitamin B complex along with vitamin A.
Ingredients you will need are as follows:
- 1 cup of ground chicken or turkey
- 4 cups of cooked basmati rice – adding an extra ½ cup of water will ensure the rice is extra well cooked and therefore easier for your cat to digest
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbs of good quality cold-pressed olive oil
- 1 tsp of finely chopped parsley
- 1/8th tsp of iodised sea salt
- 1/8th tsp of potassium chloride salt substitute
Vitamins and Supplements to be added to the mix include the following:
- 1,500 mg of calcium
- 5,000 IU vitamin A
- 50 mg vitamin B complex
- 2,500 mg vitamin C
- Taurine cat vitamin supplements – 5 days worth
Preparation
Mix the first lot of ingredients together in a large bowl before baking the mix in a moderate oven for around 20 minutes or so. Next, you need to allow the mixture to cool before adding in all the vitamins and supplements making sure they are well mixed in. Place the mixture in a container and store this in the fridge. To warm the food up before feeding a portion to your cat, place a bowl of food in a larger bowl filled with hot water and leave for a couple of minutes.
Note: If your cat is a fussy eater, you may need to play around with the ingredients to find out which they like best. You should never change a cat's diet suddenly because it could upset their stomachs. It is far better to do this gradually over a couple of weeks or so.
Recipe Number 2
For Cats on a Restricted Mineral and Sodium Diet
This is a great recipe for cats that need to be put on a restricted mineral and sodium diet. It's simple to prepare and very easy to add all the necessary supplements which cats need included in their diet. The following recipe makes enough to last one cat 4 to 5 days.
Ingredients you will need are as follows:
1 lb cooked minced meat - beef
1/4lb cooked liver – preferably chicken, beef or pork
1 cup cooked white rice very well cooked
1 tsp vegetable oil 5 grams calcium carbonate 1/8 teaspoon of a salt substitute
A cat specific supplement that contains all the vitamins and trace minerals as well as taurine (250 mg per day) – this needs to be mixed in the food on a daily basis
Preparation
Place all the meat and vegetable oil in a pan and simmer until fully cooked. You need to then overcook the rice by adding extra water to the pot, this makes it easier for cats to digest. Let both the meat and the rice cool down before mixing together while adding in the salt substitute and the calcium carbonate making sure it is well mixed in.
Next, divide the mix into four or five portions and place in containers in the fridge ready to be fed to your cat. You need to add the cat specific supplement to the mix each day, making sure it's well mixed in with the meat and rice.
Conclusion
The great thing about preparing the two recipes above is that you can make up a lot of the mixture and freeze it which means you only need to spend one morning a month to prepare a good lot of food for your pet. Knowing exactly what has gone into the food gives you peace of mind there are no added preservatives, colouring or additives which could prove harmful to your cat. These days it's really easy to source cat specific supplements which means the food you prepare will have the correct levels of taurine, vitamins and minerals needed for them to stay healthy. However, if you do need to change your cat's diet, this needs to be done slowly and you should always discuss things with your vet first.
