Moving your feline companion to a new diet can sometimes be a challenge, especially when introducing Cooked Cat food for the first time. Like many cat owners, I encountered some initial hesitation when I decided to switch my cat to a home-cooked diet. At first, she wasn’t enthusiastic about her cooked meals, often leaving a significant portion uneaten. One particular issue I noticed was her difficulty with cooked pork. The texture difference between raw and cooked meat became apparent; cooked meat is considerably firmer, making it harder for her to manage – to grip and chew effectively.
To overcome this, I started cutting the cooked meat into much smaller, manageable pieces. This simple adjustment made a significant difference, allowing her to eat more comfortably. To further entice her, I employed a classic trick: adding high-value treats. I generously sprinkled her favorite freeze-dried chicken treats on top of the cooked cat food. This strategy worked wonders. With the added temptation of treats, she began to eat most of her meals. Over the following two weeks, I gradually reduced the amount of treats used. Eventually, she adapted and started consuming the cooked food even without any treat toppings.
Another helpful tip I discovered was utilizing the myoglobin-rich liquid released during the cooking process. I made sure to save and freeze this liquid. Before each feeding, I would incorporate this myoglobin into her supplement mix. This served a dual purpose: it enhanced the palatability of the food, making it more appealing to her senses, and it also added essential moisture to the meal, which is crucial for feline health.
Preparation Time and Cost Considerations for Cooked Cat Food
Switching to a cooked diet inevitably involves changes in food preparation routines and expenses. As anticipated, preparing cooked cat food demanded more time compared to preparing raw meat. The additional step of cooking itself added to the overall preparation time. Furthermore, the necessity to cut the meat into very small pieces to accommodate my cat’s initial preferences further extended the process. Even plating the food took a little longer, given the need to incorporate supplements, wheat bran, oil, and other components.
Regarding the financial aspect, while I didn’t conduct a precise cost analysis, my experience indicated that a cooked diet was notably more expensive than a raw food diet for my cat. The vit’i5 supplement, an essential element of this cooked diet, represents a significant expense. It costs approximately 30€ for 250g (around 35 USD for 9 oz) and lasts for slightly over a month. This cost is roughly equivalent to the price of 4-5kg of muscle meat required for the diet during the same period.
However, when I feed a raw diet, my cat’s meals aren’t solely composed of muscle meat. They also include offal and other animal parts, which are generally less expensive than muscle meat. Therefore, in my situation, the introduction of the vit’i5 supplement essentially doubled the monthly food expenses, making the cooked diet considerably more expensive than maintaining a raw diet.
Conclusion: Is Cooked Cat Food Right for Your Cat?
Transitioning your cat to a cooked diet can be a rewarding journey, potentially offering health benefits and addressing specific dietary needs. However, it requires commitment, adjustments in preparation, and a higher budget compared to raw feeding or commercial cat food. Patience and understanding your cat’s preferences, as illustrated by the initial challenges and solutions in this experience, are key to successfully introducing cooked cat food into your feline’s life. If you are considering a cooked diet, consulting with a veterinarian to ensure nutritional balance and address any specific health concerns is always recommended.
