Cat Assessing a Homemade Diet Recipe
When assessing a homemade diet recipe, there are some guidelines that can be quickly assessed. First, the five food groups (protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, minerals) should appear in the recipe. Second, the carbohydrate source should be present in a higher or equal quantity to that of the protein source. Carbohydrate sources include rice, barley, lentils, potato, pasta, couscous, or quinoa. In cat foods, the carbohydrate – to – protein ratio should be 1: 1 or 2: 1, and in dog foods, the ratio should be 2: 1 to 3: 1. Third, the protein source should be identified. Fourth, a fat source should be identifi ed. Fat could take the form of an added vegetable oil or could be included in the meat source (chicken skin, fat in undrained ground beef, etc.). Fifth, a calcium or calcium/phosphorus supplement should be present. Calcium carbonate (baking soda) or bone meal (source of calcium and phosphorus) should also be present. Lastly, a source of vitamins and minerals should be present, typically in the form of a multivitamin tablet. For cat diets, a source of taurine should be present.
