Cats are obligate carnivores, so they need nutrients only found in animal products for a complete diet—including animal protein and fat. Cats are also notoriously picky, so reliable kibble may not be enough to entice their appetite sometimes.
While it’s difficult to feed cats a homemade diet and achieve the perfect balance of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, you can give your cat some gravy topping on occasion to encourage them to eat their healthy kibble.
Here are three vet-approved cat gravy recipes you can prepare at home and make mealtime more fun for your cat.
Top 3 Homemade Cat Gravy Recipes
1. Catster Recipe: Easy Homemade Cat Gravy
Catster Recipe: Easy Homemade Cat Gravy
Equipment
- Stock pot with lid or slow cooker
- Strainer
- Storage container
Ingredients
- Plain meat (chicken, duck, pork, beef, lamb, turkey)
Instructions
- Throw whole carcass or animal parts into the stock pot or slow cooker. You can include the skin, fat, and bones, which make a rich gravy. The meat or carcass you use should not be seasoned and should be safe for human consumption once cooked.
- Fill the pot with water to cover the meat you have in the pot.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down to a medium or soft boil. Place the lid of the pot on and let simmer for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Let cool. Strain so there’s nothing left but the liquid. Portion out the gravy and freeze for a great yet simple topper for your cat’s food.
Notes
Notes: An additional optional ingredient for this recipe is a low-sodium chicken broth at a ratio of 1:4 with water (for example, only add 1 part broth for every 4 parts of water in your pot). It must be garlic and onion free, however.
If this gravy is frozen, it can last for up to 2 months. However, once you thaw it to serve, you shouldn’t re-freeze it. If you opt to refrigerate it rather than freeze it, it will only last for a week at most.
It’s best to freeze several batches to ensure you don’t thaw too much at once. The night before you want to add the gravy, take one portion out and leave it in the fridge. You can bring the gravy to room temperature on the stove or microwave (make sure it’s not too hot!), then add it to your cat’s meals.
2. Chicken Gravy Recipe for Cats
| Prep Time: | 5 mins. |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 30 mins. |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 35 mins |
Equipment
- Stock pot with lid or slow cooker
- Strainer
- Storage container
- 1 cup chicken meat
- 2 cups chicken broth (no onion or garlic)
- 2 cups water
- Chop chicken into small pieces.
- Boil chicken in a pot with 2 cups of water.
- Add 2 cups of chicken broth.
- Stir the gravy for about one hour.
- Cool the gravy.
- Strain or include the chicken in the gravy.
- Divide gravy into two portions.
- Add ½ of one portion to your cat’s food.
- Freeze or refrigerate the second portion. Gravy will only keep in the fridge for a few days.
Notes: You can make this quick gravy with chicken meat, but you can do the same with whole chicken parts like thighs or wings. Just be sure to strain all the meat, bones, skin, and fat out of the gravy before serving.
3. Easy Chicken Carrot Gravy
| Prep Time: | 10 mins. |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins. |
| Total Time: | 40 mins |
Equipment
- Pot
- Blender
- Storage container
- 5-6 oz chicken breast
- 1 medium carrot
- Chop and boil chicken breast for 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool once fully cooked.
- Chop and boil the carrot for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Combine the carrot with chicken.
- Separate broth.
- Combine chicken breast and carrots into a blender.
- Blend into a fine paste.
- Gradually add broth while blending until you reach the desired consistency.
- Store excess gravy in portions and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze.
Is It Safe to Give Gravy as a Cat Food Topper?
Yes, as long as the gravy doesn’t contain toxic ingredients, it’s generally safe to give your cat gravy as a topper. However, cats may have individual preferences and tolerances for different ingredients, so start slowly to see how your cat tolerates new foods.
Avoid overfeeding gravy or any other supplements. These foods are not nutritionally complete and adding them to your cat’s diet can upset their balance of nutrients. The general rule is not to exceed 10% of your cat’s daily caloric intake with supplements or treats.
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Conclusion
If you have a picky eater, these cat food gravy recipes should entice your cat to eat their kibble or wet food. Be sure not to overfeed cat gravy, as it can disrupt the balance of nutrients in your cat’s diet. These gravies should be frozen and reserved as occasional treats for your cat to add some taste and variety, not as a complete meal.
Featured Image Credit: Elizabett, Shutterstock
