making homemade food for pets

Committed to making your pet’s food? Make sure you consult with your veterinary team first. We’re here to help you make sure your pet is getting the good stuff they need, in the right quantities, for their age, health, and breed.

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Nutritional needs are a big deal when you become your pet’s personal chef

Some pet owners are not fans of commercially prepared pet food. They may have concerns about ingredients, quality, or processing. Other owners want to try to help their pet’s specific health issues by modifying their diet. Still others believe that making pet food will be cheaper than buying it.

Preparing homemade meals for your cat or dog means you always know what your pet is eating. It allows you to make conscientious decisions about natural, organic, vegetarian and vegan ingredients. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy watching the pet you love snarf up food you’ve made just for them?

However, making a quality homemade pet diet can be a very involved (and expensive) process. Cats and dogs have different nutritional needs than people. It can be easy to set their systems out of whack without a diet specifically created or approved by a veterinary nutritionist.

woman feeds white dog fresh mushroom at kitchen table

Do pets need homemade diets?

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The reason to make homemade food for your pet is simple — because you enjoy doing it. But if you’re trying to address specific health concerns, your pet may be better served by a quality, vet-approved diet specifically designed for their particular issues. If you’re trying to save money, you may find that meeting your pet’s nutritional needs is more complex and expensive than you expect. And, if you’re concerned about processing or specific ingredients, it may put your mind at ease to know how and why some foods often show up on ingredient lists.

How to read pet food labels

What you need for a balanced, nutritious homemade pet diet

Truly balanced, nutritionally sufficient home-prepared diets require time, effort and expense. We recommended working with a veterinary nutritionist, who can help you make sure your pet is getting the good stuff they need.

However you feel about quality commercial pet food manufacturers, they do have one big advantage — they have access to official testing methods to confirm that they’re providing the right nutrients, and in just the right amounts, based on age, size, and dietary needs. Unfortunately, this kind of testing is harder to do in your own kitchen space.

Because it’s so easy for homemade diets to fall short of providing all the essential nutrients that pets need on a daily basis, we always recommend having your pet’s diet formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Once those recipes are in hand, they’ll need to be strictly prepared, just as listed, with all of the correct ingredients.

Pet food needs are complex! Your veterinary team is here to help you avoid these common errors: