Most commercial pet foods have cereal added. These are a mix of different grains. Most are just 'fillers'. Pressure canning would be required. You can add a little parsley as it helps to deodorize most pet foods. A ground product would be suitable.

Thank you very much! I do have a meat grinder, so that isn't a problem, but I wouldn't have thought to add parsley. It should help with their breath, lol! :-)

I thought I'd follow the direction on this recipe, but I want to use smaller jars. What would be the proper processing time for half-pint or 4 oz. jars?

The same time as for the pints.

Carol

Robin, read around before you decide (and remember you can't can grains). I know there are some dog nutrition forums on the web, I'm sure there are cat ones. Dogs don't need grain, but do well with meat and vegetables. I feed my dog commercial food but supplement with cooked vegetables for extra eating without too many extra calories (he also likes the fiber and will eat grass if he's not getting enough). I'm sure people have strong opinions on what's good for cats, so read up and try to find some hard science to back up what you think!

By the way, I tried to mention a specific forum site which I know has reputable pet groups, but I got a blocking message saying not to mention them specifically...odd. Message me privately if you can't find one you trust, and I'll tell you which dog training forum I like so you can try that site.

Melissa

Soy protien is a good additive. Crushed up corn flakes as a cereal should also be safe enough. I recall a friend who had a pug and the dog was a very fussy eater. They used to cook up calves liver and add corn flakes to feed him on a daily basis. This dog would turn up its short nose on any commercial dog food.

As clarification, amendments like soy protein or cereals would be added to the canned product when it's opened.

Canned meat should be perfect as cat food. As obligate carnivores they need a high % of protein in their diet. Although cereals are added to many commercial cat foods, cats don't really require it. It is common in weight-loss formulations and in products for senior cats which may have kidney or other issues.

Carol

Here is a good site with cat food advice
about.cats.com

They break down the cat's nutritional needs pretty well. The only important thing to remember is that cats need plenty of good organ meat, ground bone, and skin and fur or feathers to digest properly.

Cats are pretty big carnivores. Much more carnivorous than dogs.

This is the recipe I use. I'm not saying it's the best, but it works for me.

8 oz light meat or 6 oz Dark meat
1 fish head
4 oz organ meat (hearts and livers--no liver if your cat gets a vitamin A supplement)
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 rounded tsp bonemeal Or 350 MG calcium
1/2 cup pumpkin or sweet potato puree.

Blend well, freeze, and I feed it to them raw, because cooking breaks down the taurine. If you have taurine vitamins or cat vitamins you should be okay cooking it.

My next door neighbor's dog has a constant chewing problem. Somehow he got a hold of a $10 bill and chewed and ate it. A few days passed and no one could figure out where the money went. A couple of weeks passed and the father, had a $20 bill taken from his wallet and that was found a day later in the dogs droppings, half here, and half there.. Needless to say that dog likes eating money among other non-edibles..

After a night of intensive Googling, I ordered some of this, to add to canned meat when I'm feeling lazy or if circumstances require it, and to add to raw meat the rest of the time. I love my kitties, and am really looking forward to seeing how they respond - a few have some health issues.

They even give canning instructions for canning prepared food for vacations or emergencies - I must say, that rather impressed me. :-)