Directions for Ground Meat

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The below information is to be used as a guideline. Please make adjustments as necessary for your cat(s) and their specific goals and veterinary care.

Ingredients & Supplies

Prepare the Meat

Mix & Portion

FAQs & Guidance

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Step 1: Ingredients & Supplies

1. Purchase Meat

To use with the Trial Size Kit

1 - 1.3 pounds of ground meat - to account for water loss in cooked meat, purchasing over one pound is recommended. 

Meat options to try:  ground turkey, ground beef, ground lamb, ground bison. Ground chicken tends to be too lean and tasteless, but try it if you'd like.

To use with the Full Size Homemade Cat Food Mix

At least 1.3 or more pounds of ground meat. If making a large batch to freeze, 3+ pounds of meat works great.

Meat options to try:  ground turkey, ground beef, ground lamb, ground bison. Ground chicken tends to be too lean and tasteless, but try it if you'd like.

2. Recommended Kitchen Supplies

Whisk, blender or handheld milk frother (optional)

Glass or metal baking pan for oven or cooking pan for stovetop

Tin Foil

Mixing Spoon, or for 3+ pounds of meat, Stand Mixers work great

Slotted Spoon or Strainer (optional)

Measuring cups and measuring spoons

Food-safe, freezer-safe plastic or glass storage containers

Masking tape or food labels

Kitchen Scale
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Step 2: Prepare the Meat

Oven Method (smoother, finer consistency)

Set oven temperature to 325-350°F

Grease the baking pan with coconut or olive oil (cat-safe options)

Put the ground meat in the pan and break it up/spread it out in the pan

Cover the pan with tin foil and place in oven

Check meat after 20 minutes for doneness - place back in oven for 5-10 minute intervals until desired level of doneness is achieved. Mix and break up the meat between cooking intervals.

When the ground meat is cooked through, break it up as you mix it and leave it in the pan to cool or remove to a separate dish

You can leave the liquid in the pan, unless you want a more "kibble-like" consistency, then drain it out

Let cool, stirring every 5-10 minutes so the meat cools consistently

Stovetop Method (chunkier consistency)

Set burner on Medium-Low

Put ground meat in the pan and stir/break it up while cooking

When cooked through, remove the pan from the heat and let the meat cool in the pan or remove to another dish and let cool

Stir every few minutes so the meat cools consistently

Tips & Additional Options for Meat Prep

Prep Options Document

There are a variety of ways to prepare meat - we put together a helpful document of methods we and our customers have tried with success:

Click Here for the Meat Prep Options Document

Cook Ground Meat Thoroughly

Because of potential bacteria issues with pre-ground meat from the store, we recommend to cook ground meat thoroughly until it is cooked through. 

 

We do not recommend using this raw or par-cooked. 

Transitioning from Wet or Dry Food

If your cat loves or prefers kibble, ground meat is a great option! The consistency lends itself to be chunkier and closer to that of kibble - especially when cooked on the stovetop and juices are strained out. 

If your cat is reluctant to eat the food at first, try mixing some of the cat's current food with the homemade food. Some cats need a slower transition period than others. 

Try adding a little Liver Powder Topper on top of the food - most cats enjoy the taste! Trial Size Customers - a Trial Size Liver Powder Topper is included in your Kit!
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Please see the Tips & Troubleshooting Page for further info and ideas!
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Step 3: Mix & Portion

Mix it Up!

Weigh the meat after baking/cooking (drain liquids, if possible) to determine the most accurate Homemade Cat Food Supplement Mix measurement amount.

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For cats that love kibble, we found that draining the drippings/liquid from the meat and then adding ¼ cup of water (per pound) + the Supplement Mix and Omega-3 Oil made the finished ground meat food consistency more “kibble-like.”

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Trial Size Kit Instructions

Weigh the meat (drain/separate the liquids, if possible) to make sure it’s around 1 pound. If it's a little more or a little less, that's ok.

We'll use the liquid drippings already in the pan - you can always add water if the mixture is too dry while mixing it up or if your cat prefers a more paté consistency

Add the contents from the Trial Size Omega-3 Oil (= 1 tsp of Omega-3 Oil) and the contents of the Trial Size Homemade Cat Food Supplement Mix to the cooled ground meat.
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OPTIONAL: save a little Wild Anchovy Oil in the vial and try as a food topper!

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Mix thoroughly with a mixing spoon to properly disperse the Supplement Mix throughout the meat - aim for at least 50-75 strokes. 

The ground meat should be well coated, but not soupy, unless your cat likes it that way 😺

Full Size Homemade Cat Food Mix Instructions

Per Pound of Meat, measure out the following and add all to the ground meat: 

Use the liquid from the cooked meat - feel free to add ¼-½ cup water per pound of meat. 

Adjust the water/liquid according to preference - cats coming from kibble will usually like less liquid at first; it will be a more "kibble-like" consistency

1 tsp of Omega-3 Oil* per pound (1 TB for every 3 lbs) 

1 Level Scoop of Supplement Mix per pound. 

 

For the most accurate measurement, weigh out 29 grams of Supplement Mix per pound for the Chicken Liver Flavor Formula or 19.6 grams per pound for the Liver Powder Free Formula. 
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Mix the meat, water, Supplement Mix and Omega-3 Oil together thoroughly - if mixing by hand, aim for 100+ strokes. 

Time Saver Tip: if you have a Kitchen Aid or Stand Mixer and have 3+ pounds of prepared meat, add everything to the bowl and let the mixer do the work!

If the mixture seems a little dry, add in a small amount of water at a time until it reaches the desired consistency
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*adding Omega-3 Oil is not required, but there are many benefits in doing so. To learn more about Omega-3 Oil and the two types we recommend and offer, see our Blog Post: Chia Oil vs Fish Oil.

Portion into Containers

Portion the prepared food into containers (½ to 2 cups sizes generally work well) and label the containers with the date and type of meat

TRIAL SIZE TIP: use smaller containers - this works well for transitioning with smaller portions of food.

Put a container of the prepared food in the fridge to serve to your cat(s) for the next feeding, if needed

Freeze the rest of the food and pull a container to thaw in the refrigerator as needed.
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PRO TIP: Our cats prefer their food frozen and then thawed vs freshly made food, so try both options with your cat(s)

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Pro Tips & Guidance

Vary the Proteins

Feel free to experiment with other ground meat options!

It’s good to vary the proteins you feed your cat(s) so that they don’t get tired of one protein and then refuse to eat it or develop an allergy to it.

Example: You could rotate protein options weekly. Some veterinarians recommend a slow transition by mixing increasing amounts of the transition food into the current food at the beginning of each cycle.

A couple of our cats prefer different homemade food proteins throughout the day. 

Example: Turkey in the morning, Pork for mid-day and Chicken or Beef in the evening.

As always, make sure to experiment to discover what your cat prefers!

If your cat will only eat one protein option, try adding toppers to it for some variety - see our recommendations in the Tips & Troubleshooting section

Helpful Resources & FAQs

Meat Prep Options Document

There are a variety of ways to prepare meat - we put together a helpful document of methods we and our customers have tried with success:

Click Here for the Meat Prep Options PDF

How much homemade food should I feed my cat?

The amount of homemade food to offer your cat depends on a number of factors including age, activity level, size, breed and health. Generally, plan for your cat to consume between 2-4% of its body weight daily.

 

You may need to experiment with the amount of food your cat needs (more/less food) to find the amount that works best for them and supports their health, growth and energy needs.

 

Please see the Feeding Guidelines Page with more information regarding feeding amounts, including age, weight and special breeds.

Transitioning from Wet or Dry Food

If your cat is used to eating wet food, we’ve found it easier to transition them starting with whole meat that is cooked/mostly cooked and then decrease it a little more each time we make it, until we find the level of doneness that the cat prefers.

 

If your cat is used to eating dry food (aka: kibble), ground meat is a great option! The consistency lends itself to be chunkier and closer to that of kibble - especially when cooked on the stovetop and juices are strained out. 

 

For more information and transitioning tips, please see the Tips & Troubleshooting Page

Help! My cat won't eat it!

Believe it or not, this is normal! Not all cats love homemade food right away. Some need a transition period and some just need a little "encouragement" 😉 In fact, we have to "trick" one of our cats into eating homemade food daily! Below are a few of our favorite "tricks":

Liver Powder Food Toppers - our Liver Powder Toppers are a favorite! Our cats rarely eat their food unless we add one of these tasty toppers to it! Most cats love the taste of liver - plus, it's not only delicious but very nutritious! 


Trial Size Kits include a Trial Size Liver Powder Topper to try out! 😀

Does your cat have a favorite treat or are they addicted to kibble? Try crushing up their favorite treat or food and add this on top of the homemade food or mix it in. 

Shredded Chicken Breast - all 4 of our cats love shredded chicken breast! Sometimes we mix a little into their food (especially if a batch of food got a little "soggy") or put it on top and it entices them to eat their food.

Some cats just don't like homemade food made with pre-ground meat. Our girls (past and present!) do not care for any pre-ground meat food. Try using whole cuts of meat instead! Cooking the meat in a slow cooker is easy and a great time saver!

For more options and details, check out our Tips & Troubleshooting page!

Help! My cat is having digestive issues!

Thankfully, this isn't a common occurance, but it can happen. If your cat is experiencing digestive upset, it could be due to a number of reasons:

The most common reason is transitioning the kitty to homemade food too quickly. 

 

Some cats need a slower transitioning process. Their little tummies are sensitive and need more time to adjust to the new food. 

 

Please go back to feeding kitty their previous food. Once their issue clears, add a little bit (example: a teaspoon or less) of homemade food to their current food for few days. Then, slowly increase the amount of homemade food while decreasing the amount of the current food every few days until their meals consist of mostly homemade food. 

Another common reason is the consistency of the food. 


Some kitties need food that is more paté-like in consistency. Their little tummies don't do well with chunkier food. 


A food processor or immersion blender work well for this. Try putting the homemade food into the food processor and pureéing it or add the food to a bowl and use an immersion blender to make it a fine consistency. You may need to add water to each of these methods to create a paté.
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For more info and ways to troubleshoot digestive issues, please download our document:

Troubleshooting Digestive Issues PDF

If you are concerned for your pet's health, please contact your Veterinarian.

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