Okay, so yesterday I decided to try making broth cat food. I know, sounds kinda bougie, right? But hear me out. My cat, Whiskers, has been a bit off his food lately, and I figured a little something extra might tempt him. Plus, I read online that bone broth can be good for their joints or something. Whatever, worth a shot, right?
First thing I did was hit up the grocery store. Grabbed some chicken necks – they’re cheap and supposedly full of good stuff. I also snagged a carrot and a stalk of celery, just to add some flavor. I rinsed everything off real good when I got home. Didn’t want any weirdness in Whiskers’ food.
Next up, I tossed the chicken necks, carrot, and celery into a big pot. Covered it all with water, like, a lot of water. Then I brought it to a boil. Once it was bubbling away, I turned it down to a simmer and let it go for, like, three hours. Yeah, a long time, I know. But the longer it simmers, the more flavor you get, or so they say. Plus, it’s supposed to extract all the good stuff from the bones.
While it was simmering, I did some research online about sodium. Some stuff I read said broth has too much sodium for cats, even the low-sodium kind. That got me a little worried. So, I decided to skip the salt altogether. Better safe than sorry, right? I mean, I don’t want to make Whiskers sick.
After three hours, I turned off the heat and let the broth cool down a bit. Then I strained it through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of all the bones and veggies. I was left with this golden-brown liquid that actually smelled pretty good. I even tasted a little bit myself – not bad, actually! Kind of bland, but hey, it’s for a cat.
I let the broth cool completely, then poured it into ice cube trays. Figured that would be an easy way to portion it out later. Popped the trays into the freezer and waited. I was so excited to see if Whiskers would actually eat it.
This morning, I took out a broth cube and let it thaw a little. Then I poured it over Whiskers’ regular dry food. He sniffed it for a second, then started chowing down! I was so stoked! He ate the whole thing, lickin’ the bowl clean.
So, yeah, broth cat food: success! I’m gonna keep making this for him, see if it helps with his appetite. And who knows, maybe it’ll even make his joints feel better. Either way, he seems to love it, and that’s all that matters, right?
- Rinsed chicken necks, carrot and celery
- Simmered for 3 hours
- Strained the broth
- Froze in ice cube trays
- Served over dry food
I’ll keep you guys updated on how it goes. Maybe I’ll even try some different flavors next time. Tuna broth, anyone?
Update: One Week Later
So, it’s been a week since I started feeding Whiskers the broth cat food. And honestly, I think it’s making a difference! He seems to have more energy, and he’s definitely eating more. He even comes running when he hears me open the freezer, knows exactly what’s coming.
I’ve been giving him one broth cube a day, mixed in with his regular food. I haven’t noticed any negative side effects, so I’m pretty confident that it’s safe for him. I’m not a vet or anything, but I’m just going by what I’m seeing.
One thing I did notice is that his fur seems a little shinier, but that could just be my imagination. Who knows? Either way, I’m happy with the results so far. I’m gonna keep making this for him, see if it keeps working its magic.
I’m also thinking about trying to make my own cat treats with the broth. Maybe I can bake some little biscuits or something. I’ll have to do some research and see what recipes I can find. Stay tuned!
