Homemade Kitten Food Recipie



Moonkitten Homemade Kitten Food Recipe

I’ve been making homemade cat food for years, starting with simple, instinct-driven recipes that focused on whole meats and basic supplements. Over time, I realized that feeding growing kittens and multiple cats long-term required more than good intentions—it demanded precision. I wanted to move from “this seems right” to “this is nutritionally sound,” so I began researching feline nutritional requirements, studying taurine and calcium balance, and reviewing homemade diet guides for common gaps. That search led me to develop a more scientific approach: one that uses measured organ powders, controlled iodine and vitamin D, and batch-calculated nutrient profiles to ensure every 10 lb batch supports heart, eye, bone, and immune health from kittenhood through adulthood.

So many people have asked me for my recipe that I finally decided to write it up and share it. I’ve included all the exact supplement amounts needed for a nutritionally balanced 10 lb batch, and I’ve also added the specific measurements for the products I buy from Amazon, along with direct links, so you can set up your shopping list quickly. The recipe is designed to be scalable, so later I can add a section that shows how to adjust it for smaller or larger batches without losing balance.  Once you get used to making it it’s pretty easy and I love to be able to just grab a couple of trays out of the deep freeze and feed the cats without having to open a bazillion cans or packages.

I’m also super excited to have discovered Curease products. I’m not an affiliate, but I’ve been using them and I’m currently asking them for some deals I can share with people. If that works out, I’ll update this post with a special offer you can use.

While I see the benefits of raw feeding, I’ve been a first-hand victim of contamination—well, my cats were the first-hand victims. After that experience, I decided that cooked food supplemented with whole organ powders was the most practical and safe way to go for me, especially since we live in a very hot climate in Southern California where raw food can spoil quickly and pose higher microbial risks. Cooking the bones and meats gives me peace of mind while still delivering a nutrient-dense, whole-food diet when balanced with the right supplements.

I love some of the high end foods like Smalls, but feeding many cats such costly food would literally involve me winning the lottery on a weekly basis. Making homemade food the right way lets me give my cats a high-quality, scientifically balanced diet without breaking the bank, even with 15 adult cats and 10 kittens to feed.

Full disclosure, I am an Amazon affiliate because I have lots of ideas I want to share, but it takes time and effort and the fam and I have to eat, I’m not expecting to make a fortune but every little helps. That’s why I’ve included Amazon links for the supplements I use. If you choose to buy through those links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps support my work and keep sharing these resources.

This is the 10 lb batch, spoon-measure version - smaller batch version coming soon. 

What you will need

  • a large pot or pressure cooker 
  • an immersion blender
  • Fat straining cup or ladle
  • freezer proof containers to store


Because I have a lot of cats I like to portion out and freeze in these or something similar

Link is provided as an example -  steel food with trays - I bought a bunch of these. Lots of options available and the steel lasts well and defrosts fast.  I’m avoiding plastic generally when I can. 

I just take out them out of the deep freeze and defrost, or in summer I just take off the lid and throw it down for them, they love it frozen!!

Ingredients

  • Chicken (bone-in): about 7 lb
  • Chicken hearts: about 1 1/2 lb
  • Liver: about 3/8 lb
  • Tripe, optional: about 1/2 lb
  • Ground turkey: about 3/4 lb
  • Ground beef, optional: about 1/2 lb

Organ powder blend

I like https://www.curease.com products 

Total: 3 tbsp + 1 tsp

Use this mix:

  • Liver: 1 tbsp + 3/4 tsp
  • Heart: 1 tbsp
  • Kidney: 2 tsp
  • Thymus: 1 tsp

Supplements

  • Eggshell powder: about 2 tbsp
  • Taurine: 3,000 mg 1 1/3 teaspoon of suggested powder
  • L-lysine: 2,000 mg 1 teaspoon of suggested powder 
  • Vitamin E: 400 IU
  • Vitamin D3: 600 IU minus what is in the eggshell powder
  • Salmon oil: 4 tbsp
  • DHA: 500 mg
  • Pumpkin powder: 2 tbsp
  • Probiotic: per label for full batch.  I put in four sachets
  • Saccharomyces boulardii: about 1 tsp (I put in three capsules)
  • Iodine: 175 mcg total 1/4 tsp of suggested supplement (don’t overdo it)

Cooking instructions

  1. Place the chicken pieces in a large stockpot or pressure cooker.
  2. Add enough water to fully cover the chicken.
  3. Simmer gently for several hours, or pressure cook until the bones are very soft and can be crushed easily.   I bring to the boil and simmer overnight or use a large pressure cooker.
  4. Skim off fat from the top.  (A fat strainer cup is definitely the way to go here. )
  5. Add the chicken hearts, liver, tripe, ground turkey, and ground beef.
  6. Cook gently for just a few minutes, only until the organ meats are lightly cooked. To kill bacteria. 
  7. Blend the chicken organ meats and softened bones into a smooth mixture.  (I use a good immersion blender for smaller batches and I have an industrial immersion blender or really big batches. )
  8. Stir in the pumpkin powder.
  9. Cool the mixture completely to room temperature before adding supplements.
  10. Stir in the organ powder blend, eggshell powder, salmon oil, DHA, taurine, lysine, vitamin E, iodine, probiotics, and S. boulardii.
  11. Blend/Mix again briefly for even distribution 
  12. Portion into freezer-safe containers or bags. (I use steel trays with lids)
  13. Freeze immediately.
  14. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving, and discard leftovers after 24 hours.

Links to what I buy

For the organ blend, I like:

Here are Amazon links to the rest of the supplements

Supplement notes

  • Eggshell calcium: if you buy eggshell calcium plus D3 it is convenient, but you should subtract that D3 from your recipe total.  
  • Iodine: Be especially careful with kelp, since iodine content can vary and the label must state mcg clearly. 1/4 teaspoon of the link provided works. 
  • Prioritize plain powders for taurine and lysine, a clearly labeled vitamin E softgel, and a measured iodine source over “multis” or blended supplements.
  • For kittens, keep the calcium, taurine, iodine, and vitamin D3 amounts consistent every batch. Those are the most important parts to measure carefully.

Feeding note

(In the summer my cats actually LOVE the frozen trays better than when they are thawed.   They go at it like it’s a popsicle and it stays fresh longer. 

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