home made kibble or treats

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Roops, Jun 30, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Roops

    Roops Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2019
    Has anyone ever made a home made version of kibble using wet pate.
    If so how receptive was your cat.
    I'd like to do this for Roops.
    I've seen several different recipes online but many require some sort of flour,
    or fish product. Want to avoid both if possible.
    Currently add a bit of water to IAMS Perfect Portion in the morning
    to make a sort of gravy and encourage him to eat or consume all the Zobaline pill.
     
  2. nslade001

    nslade001 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2018
    No idea on the making food, but as for zobaline...Just crush between your fingers into the food and mix it in. It crumbles easily and has no taste :)
    With love, nikki
     
    Roops likes this.
  3. Roops

    Roops Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2019
    I crush it in a bowl with the back of a spoon, add a bit of pate, and some water. When there is no pink left I know he's gotten all of it.
     
    nslade001 likes this.
  4. Idjit's mom

    Idjit's mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2018
    I remembered a conversation I had with a member about freeze dried treats she made with Fancy Feast pate over a year ago.

    "I own a freeze dryer. Best investment I ever made. We have power outages, so we always have food stored away in bags. With special diets, it's a great way to make sure you have your foods in time of need.
    They are pricey, but so are all major appliances. The company, Harvest Right, allows layaway, takes credit. When you're close to paying it off, it's shipped to you.

    If you are interested, I could send you a sample of the kitty "crack" I make, try it out on your cat?
    Cat food in a dehydrator will slowly bake the food, but vitamin content can be lost. Freeze drying is like putting food away into hibernation. What goes in, comes out in same content, even yogurt, with all it's good bacteria.
    Also, no additives. Some freeze dried foods add salt, or other preservatives. None of that for us.

    We purchased it without thinking twice about it, since I do canning, and do dehydrating. To me, it's just another way to keep GOOD, HEALTHY food on hand. I do gardening, and shop at farms. I have unbelievable fresh foods in the winter. Not crunchy, just like frozen or canned, the food texture changes, but the flavor is the best! Mouse agrees."

    @MamaMug
    Here's another bit of the conversation:
    It wasn't exactly in our budget, but, being a food preserver, it was logical to do it, for us.
    Think about a dehydrator. the cat food can be slowly baked in that, and is a great way to fool them into eating healthy treats. I picked mine up on ebay, and use it outside, since the stink of the baking cat food is too much to take.

    So, she got hers on EBay..so that's an option to look there also.


    I didn't pursue it, as I didn't have funds or the need for a freeze dryer, but wanted to provide the information on that option.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2019
    Reason for edit: Add comments
  5. MamaMug

    MamaMug Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2019
    I love this idea! I looked up the price of this model and its a bit space and cost prohibitive for us at this point, but a girl can dream. For those interested and space, it looks like the manufacturer currently has a giveaway contest.
     
  6. Roops

    Roops Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2019

    We have a dehydrator or rather my son does. I probably could put parchment paper on the individual trays before dehydrating but not sure my son would appreciate me using it. I'm afraid it might cause a big mess. I did try nuking pate in the microwave. Ended up exploding. So not only stinky but messy. I had to clean the microwave out immediately. I can get past the smell. I was thinking of covering it with a bit of paper towel next time and hope it doesn't blow again. I was thinking of a small toaster oven and putting it outside. Agreed it does stink. I imagine the fishy kind worse than chicken or turkey.
     
  7. MrWorfMen's Mom

    MrWorfMen's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    Wish I had seen this sooner! Would have warned you about the horrid stench! Made the mistake of trying to slowly roast some wet pate in the dead of winter when opening the windows for any length of time to air out the house wasn't an option! :eek::eek:NEVER AGAIN! Tried the dehydrator too but my girl wouldn't touch the final product. :blackeye:
     
    Roops likes this.
  8. Roops

    Roops Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2019
    I tried again yesterday. The parchment covering the plate and covering the itty bitty pieces on top worked much better. No explosions in the microwave. However still stinks but at least it is mild out and we can keep windows open. I nuke it about 3 minutes. Let it cool and test for texture. Feel a bit squishy, back in the microwave. Sometimes give it an extra 15 or 20 seconds. Does tend to go soft or moist in a Ziploc bag. More of a Luvs chicken flavor texture not like a Temptation. Will be trying other pates and perhaps adding catnip to it. Would add some Fortiflora to it but saving what we have for when Roops needs it. I did offer Roops some yesterday. He didn't jump for it at first but did purr. Our boy likes his grub. Ate them all up. Also nuked pate does not retain a nice pillow shape. But cat does not care. Reminds me of an unbaked cookie made with oatmeal and coconut.

    This morning no pate, or Purina Pro Plan kibble left in the bowls. I leave a portion out for him to graze on at night. All licked clean. I think Roops may be having 'help' from the other ginger boy. We all believe Roops is eating less than he was last year this time. Tends to eat 3x a day. Does not graze as much as he used to. Seems to be more satisfied with less. Not gorging as he was.

    Got to pick up more lancets. Need to do another blood curve. We are gradually reducing the amount of his Prozinc but want to get more lancets before more adjustments are made.
    We are now giving him 3 1/2 units to 4 units 2x per day. Down from 5.
     
  9. MrWorfMen's Mom

    MrWorfMen's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    If ever you do find a magic recipe to make "crunchy" reconstructed pate, please post your recipe. My girl would "kill" for kibble to this day and I would love to find some way to make treats from kibble to satisfy that desire!:)
     
    MamaMug likes this.
  10. CandyH & Catcat

    CandyH & Catcat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2019
    just remember, some of the nutrition in that pate will be lost if heat is applied -- yes, microwaving is essentially "steaming" it, but it still gets hot

    wish they could find a way to freeze-dry it without destroying food value
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page