Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (16 page)

 
* In the Feline Kidney Diet, we are deliberately making the amount of protein low to spare the kidneys.
This recipe is also kept low in phosphorus because of the tendency for this mineral to build up in the
bloodstream. Thus, the ratio of calcium to phosphorus is unusually high in the recipe
.

** A ratio of one part calcium to one part phosphorus is an ideal ratio for cats. There is, however, considerable
latitude among acceptable ratios, because the body has the ability to select and conserve low
nutrients and eliminate excess. Optimal ratios are considered to be between 0.9 to 1 and 1.1 to 1
.

*** The 5,000 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of food is a minimum standard. The recipes are designed to
have considerably greater amounts of vitamin A for the maintenance of good health
.

† Standard Recommendations are based on the guidelines for producing commercial foods. The
amounts in our recipes are meant to exceed these minimums in most categories
.

†† The ingredient percentages for the typical wild diet are also included in the table, for comparison
purposes. Not all categories are known and therefore some are left empty
.

Note: Except where noted for wild felines, standard recommendations are percentage total dry weight
and are for maintenance of adult cats under normal conditions. Sources: AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for Cat
Foods—Report of the Feline Nutrition Expert Subcommittee, 1992; the Merck Veterinary Manual, 6th Edition,
1986; and the Committee on Animal Nutrition, Board on Agriculture, National Research Council revised
1986 edition of Nutrient Requirements of Cats
.

Note: The symbol “≥” is to read as “equal to or greater than amount listed.” Thus, the notation “≥
5,000 IU” reads “the amount should be equal to or greater than 5,000 IU.” The symbol “≥” reads the
opposite, meaning “equal to, or less than.”

FELINE FEAST

Corn is the grain of choice for many cats, so that’s the grain I used in the main version of this recipe. For the best texture, try polenta, which is more coarsely ground than the flourlike meal usually called cornmeal. Polenta is commonly sold in natural food stores. Yummied up with extra yeast for even more flavor, this high-protein formula is a sure winner. It’s excellent for pregnant or nursing cats and their growing kittens.

Since this recipe contains a higher proportion of meat than the others, you can substitute many kinds of grains and meats, both low-and high-protein types, because there is plenty of protein to spare. If you use lean meats, the dry weight percentage of protein ranges from a low of 41 percent (lean beef heart with rice or potatoes) to a high of 52 percent (turkey with oats). If you use fattier meats, the protein value ranges from a low of 30 percent (fatty beef heart with rice or potatoes) to a high of 40 percent (regular hamburger with oats). Alternate the use of poultry and red meats, or combine both in the same recipe to ensure plenty of iron and other nutrients that vary in different cuts. Using lean beef chuck as the meat and cornmeal as the grain, the recipe provides 50 percent protein, 36 percent fat, and 11 percent carbohydrates.

• 1 cup cornmeal or polenta (about 4 cups cooked)
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter (or 1 tablespoon each)
  
• 2 pounds (4 cups) ground turkey or chicken (or lean chuck, lean heart, lean hamburger, liver, giblets, fish, or other lean meats)
  
• 4 tablespoons Healthy Powder
  
• 2 teaspoons Animal Essentials calcium (or a slightly rounded teaspoon of powdered eggshell or 2,000 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• 10,000 IU vitamin A
  
• 100–200 IU vitamin E
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh vegetables with each meal (optional)
  
• 500 milligrams taurine supplement (optional)
  

* See information on calcium supplements in “Table of Calcium Supplementation Products”.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the cornmeal or polenta, stirring rapidly with a fork or whisk to keep it from getting lumpy. (It’s easier to avoid lumping if you use polenta.) When it is thoroughly blended, cover and simmer on low 10 to 15 minutes. When the cornmeal or polenta is creamy, stir in the eggs and oil or butter. Mix in the remaining ingredients.

Yield:
About 9 cups, with 268 kilocalories per
cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten
in the next 2 to 3 days
.

Daily ration (in cups):
Small—about ¾;
medium—1+; large—1¾ to 2 cups
.

Meat substitutes: It’s a good idea to use fattier grades of meat occasionally, but eliminate the oil or butter from the recipe when you do. You can substitute 2 pounds of beef heart with fat showing, regular hamburger, poultry with skin, or choice chuck roast.

Grain substitutes: 2 cups raw rolled oats (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups cooked); or 10 slices whole-wheat bread; or 4 cups cooked and mashed potatoes; or 1 cup (dry volume) of any of the following: bulgur, millet, buckwheat, barley, brown rice, couscous, amaranth, spelt, or quinoa.

POULTRY DELIGHT

This recipe is similar to the preceding one, except that here poultry is combined with millet. The two ingredients complement each other because poultry is lower in iron than red meats, but millet is high in iron compared with other grains. The two also balance each other in relative protein levels: Poultry is high in protein and millet is low. This recipe has a higher proportion of meat, which some cats prefer. The recipe provides 48 percent protein, 21 percent fat, and 27 percent carbohydrate if you use a low-fat meat (such as turkey or chicken without the skin). When beef is used, the fat content is much higher, into the high 30 percent range.

• 1 cup millet (3 cups cooked)
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 pounds (4 cups) ground turkey or chicken (or lean chuck, lean heart, lean hamburger, liver, giblets, fish, or other lean meats)
  
• 1 tablespoon Healthy Powder
  
• 1 tablespoon Animal Essentials calcium (or a slightly rounded 1½ teaspoon of powdered eggshell or 3,000 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter (or 1 tablespoon each). Some cats will prefer the taste of lard, either beef or pork.
  
• 10,000 IU vitamin A
  
• 100–200 IU vitamin E
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh vegetable with each meal (optional)
  
• 500 milligrams taurine supplement (optional)
  

* See information on calcium supplements in “Table of Calcium Supplementation Products”.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the millet, cover, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed. You may need to add a bit more water during cooking. When the millet is soft, stir in the eggs to let them set a bit from the heat. Then mix in the remaining ingredients.

Yield:
About 8 cups, with 280 kilocalories per
cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten
in the next 2 to 3 days
.

Daily ration (in cups):
Small—about ⅔;
medium—1; large—1⅔
.

Grain substitutes: 2 cups rolled oats (+ 4 cups water = about 4½ cups cooked) or 1 cup bulgur (+ 2 cups water = 2½ cups cooked).

MACKEREL LOAF

Canned mackerel makes a good seafood to use for cats occasionally. Not only is it an economical protein source, but it comes from deep waters and is less likely to be polluted than those fishes from areas closer to the coast. Cats can sometimes get addicted to seafood. If yours shows signs of addiction, hold firm; it’s important to keep feeding a variety of foods. This recipe provides 43 percent protein, 30 percent fat, and 21 percent carbohydrates.

• 4 large eggs
  
• 3 cups whole milk (or less, as needed for moisture)
  
• 3 tablespoons Healthy Powder
  
• 1½ teaspoons Animal Essentials calcium (or a scant teaspoon of powdered eggshell or 1,500 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• 100–200 IU vitamin E
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh vegetables with each meal (optional)
  
• 500 milligrams taurine supplement (optional)
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or a mixture of vegetable and fish oils)
  
• 2 15-ounce cans of mackerel, undrained (or 3 6-ounce cans tuna in oil or ½ pound cooked cod or other whitefish)
  
• 6 slices whole-wheat bread, crumbled
  

* See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.* See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.

Blend the eggs, milk, supplements, vegetables, and oil together. Add the mackerel and bread and mix well. Serve raw or bake in a shallow dish at 350°F for about 20 minutes.

Yield:
About 11 cups, with 275 kilocalories per
cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten
in the next 2 to 3 days
.

Daily ration:
Same as for Poultry Delight
.

Grain substitutes: 1½ cups rolled oats (+ 3 cups water = 3 cups cooked); or about 1 cup cornmeal or polenta (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups cooked); or 1 cup whole-wheat bulgur (+ 2 cups water = 2½ cups cooked).

FATTY FELINE FARE

This dense, satisfying formula is rich in animal fat—at a level comparable to the fat in the wild feline diet. Stick to the suggested grains and use only bone meal for the calcium source to ensure adequate total amounts of protein, phosphorus, and calcium. If you are lucky enough to live by a butcher or a small market that processes meat themselves, you can ask them to grind fatty beef heart for you—an excellent alternative to the usual muscle meat.

• 1 cup millet (or 3 cups cooked)
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 2 pounds (4 cups) raw chuck roast (or the regular, fattier grades of beef heart or hamburger, or roaster chicken with skin)
  
• 2 tablespoons Healthy Powder
  
• 1 tablespoon Group I bone meal*
  
• 10,000 IU vitamin A
  
• 100–200 IU vitamin E
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh vegetable with each meal (optional)
  
• 500 milligrams taurine supplement (optional)
  

* See the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
. If Group II bone meals are used, double the recipe amount.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the millet, cover, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed. You may need to add a bit more water during cooking. When the millet is soft, stir in the egg to let it set a bit from the heat. Then mix in the remaining ingredients.

Yield:
About 7½ cups, with 457 kilocalories per
cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten
in the next 2 to 3 days
.

Daily ration (in cups):
Small—⅓ to ½;
medium—½ to ⅔; large about 1 cup
.

Grain substitutes: 2 cups rolled oats (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups cooked) or 1 cup bulgur (+ 2 cups water = 2½ cups cooked).

FAST AND FRESH: CATS

Here are two quick and easy recipes for those occasional times when you suddenly realize you forgot to thaw out the regular cat fare, or you just plain ran out of it—and there’s a hungry feline standing at your feet who won’t take wait-a-while for an answer. These recipes are not intended for regular use, but they do provide a fairly complete meal using items you probably have on hand. As noted previously, you may also occasionally use these recipes for dogs that don’t require a low-protein diet. In fact, all these mixtures are higher in protein than required for either dogs or cats, but they won’t complain.

QUICK FELINE EGGFEST

This mix is among the simplest I know and is a very natural food for small predator types of cats. It is high in protein, vitamin A, and iron as well as B vitamins. The recipe provides 48 percent protein, 44 percent fat, and 4 percent carbohydrates.

• 2 large eggs
  
• scant ¼ teaspoon Animal Essentials calcium (or a pinch of powdered eggshell or 200 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• pinch of nutritional yeast (optional, for flavoring)