Great Feed, House and Keep Your Pets Hunt

desperatemoneysaver

does anyone know any recipies for home made cat food?

i used to buy tescos cheapy version and put it in the blender and add some gravy and they used to eat it. or sometimes i mix half whiskas and half cheap and they dont mind too much.

kateykat

desperatemoneysaver wrote:

does anyone know any recipies for home made cat food?

i used to buy tescos cheapy version and put it in the blender and add some gravy and they used to eat it. or sometimes i mix half whiskas and half cheap and they dont mind too much.

Hi, yep I have a tried & tested recipe - will copy it our for you tomorrow cos am pretty busy tonite.
You might also want to sub a Yahoo Group called RawPets or Holisticat where cat-barfing is popular


Kate:D

sluggy1967

Pets are like children - they don't ask you to have them. If you have pets you must accept responsiblity for them and that includes their illnesses or accidents. I don't think anyone keeps a pet alive simply because "The insurance is paying for it". If people are not keen on giving money to an insurance company they are concerned they will never use then I suggest they put the equivalent amount aside into a building society account where they are getting interest. No responsible owner should have their pet put down just because of the cost and the fact that they are easy to replace by going to a rescue centre.

gromituk

Accepting responsibility for pets includes having the strength to make the decision that enough is enough, when their suffering has reached a certain point. It is kinder than keeping them alive. I strongly disagree that no-one keeps pets alive because the insurance is paying for it - after all, vets are extremely expensive and some people's attachment to their pets is irrational in the extreme. It is also in a vet's interest to keep an animal alive - that is how they make their living, after all. They are commercial operations, not NHS doctors. I agree, though, that you should invest the premiums instead - that is what money saving is about.

I have already said that I don't believe that no-one should have pet insurance. I just don't agree that we should all be blackmailed into having it because if we don't, we're somehow irresponsible.

What is irresponsible about putting an animal down because you can't afford its treatment? As I said before, the animal doesn't know its fate: the only one to suffer is you.

rach1973

gromituk wrote:

Have you read the rest of this thread? Several suggestions have been made already.

I had read the thread - a few times, all I can see is that someone suggested Wilkinsons Wood Based Cat Litter....I shall try him with that.

Thanks

catkins

It's not always a good idea to go too "cheap" when it comes to dog food. Bakers is pretty cheap but every vet I have ever spoken to says it is the worst food you can feed your dog because it is full of colourings and additives. I gave it to my dog for a short time and he became hyper and was scratching all the time because he was allergic to it.

secondhandsusie6cats

Hi, first post; will try not to write war and peace

For people 'owned' by cats, James Wellbeloved have an offer on at the moment at certain pet stores. 225g pack at a trial price of 99p with a voucher on the front entitling you to £3 (I think) off your next 2kg pack. The voucher must be used by the end of October (I think).

Check out large pet stores like Pet Smart who also have special offers from time to time on Hills, Purina, Iams, James Wellbeloved etc. - the 3 for 2 offer saves you a small fortune on the large bags of food.

If your pet is on a prescription diet, try the online pet pharmacies.

Someone has already posted on the topic of prescriptions being free from your vet and you can save on medication and prescription diets.

I think I ordered with Bestpet Pharmacy. A good tip is to go to the site and put the items you want in your basket but don't check out! Bestpet will send you an e-mail after a while noting that the order hasn't been completed and will offer you a discount off your first order! (I think it was 10%?) Get your order in early if you need the prescription item quickly as I can't recall if it was a couple of hours or days before I got the discount offer.

I have heard of clinics where they will offer your pet vaccination at a very reduced price (as that is all they do) but I don't have any further details.

Finally (phew!), one of the best ways to save money is to NEUTER YOUR PET!
There are many physical and mental benefits for your pet by having this done which will save you a packet in the long run. Pets are less likely to stray (and be involved in a RTA), fight (which can lead to abscesses etc.) or contract certain diseases such as cancer simply by having them neutered/speyed/castrated. Your pets will be much healthier and happier for it.

mccombie_2

Hi, we have been using a company Family Pets, that delivers the big bags of dog food for free they are excellant and give discounts for bulk orders on certain foods https://www.familypetservices.co.uk

hope this helps

kateykat

desperatemoneysaver wrote:

does anyone know any recipies for home made cat food?

i used to buy tescos cheapy version and put it in the blender and add some gravy and they used to eat it. or sometimes i mix half whiskas and half cheap and they dont mind too much.

Hi again,
Here's my tried and tested recipe - has to be fed RAW tho - please DO NOT COOK - cooked bones are dangerous

**Raw Cat Food Recipe**
Makes a 6-7 kg batch

Ingredients - Main Part:
organic where possible especially offal
2 x 2 kg whole chickens [ or rabbit + duck/guinea fowl/gamehen/pheasant
250gms chicken liver [or lamb/mutton]
250gms chicken heart [or lamb/mutton]
125gms chicken kidneys [or lamb/mutton]

Supplement:
Wet
2 eggs i.e. 1 per bird or small animal
Small lettuce
500gms butternut squash
2gms Vitamin E
2 tbls Olive Oil

Dry
10 tsp flax seed
2 tsp pumpkin seeds
2/3 tsp mixed kelp & dulse
2/3 tsp eggshell powder
1 gram taurine

METHOD
Cut meat off chickens and chop into cat-sized chunks. Chop liver, kidney and heart. Mince rest of chicken bones and mix with chunked meat + offal.

Lightly steam butternut squash and allow to cool. Together with eggs and lettuce place in liquidiser and mix until smooth.
Grind dry ingredients in a coffee mill until finely ground. Place in large bowl and pour liquidised squash, eggs and lettuce over dry ingredients, mix together and add Vitamin E.

Pour liquefied supplement over chicken/bone/offal mix, add olive oil and mix well. Divide into approx 50gms per cat-meal portions, place in plastic bags, flatten into foil trays if possible, and freeze. 2 x 50gms portions per day should feed average sized cat.

Mine weigh about 13 lbs each and survive mainly on this – with a small snack mid-day of tinned food.
I use the foil trays from commercial catfood as these nicely hold 2 cat-meals and stack easily in freezer.

secondhandsusie6cats

My first post! Will try not to write war and peace

James Wellbeloved has an offer on certain 225g packs of dried cat food - 99p trial offer. There is also a £3 money off voucher with it for when you buy a 2kg pack. The offer expires on 30 November 2006. Try here for details of your nearest stockist: - https://www.wellbeloved.com

Pet Smart and other large pet stores often have 3 for 2 offers on their food for pets which can save you a packet on the large packs.

Not sure what paper bedding hamsters etc. can have but if it is safe, has anyone thought of using a manual paper shredder for paper no longer in use? Perhaps someone with more knowledge can post on this? *Please don't use this tip unless you know the paper is safe to use for your pet*

Online pet pharmacies already mentioned. I went to Bestpet pharmacy and if you put your items in a basket but DON'T checkout, within a few hours/day or so, they will send an e-mail noting that the sale wasn't completed and will offer you a discount off your first order! I think I got 10%!

Have heard of vaccination clinics where you get them at a discounted rate as that is all they do but don't have any details. Bear in mind if you come across one, that they don't have to check your pet over first so any underlying health problems won't be picked up.

Finally, one of the best ways to save money in the long run is to have your pet neutered/castrated/speyed! Pets who have this done will be happier and healthier and are at less risk of straying (and getting run over/stolen), getting into fights (abscesses are painful and costly) and have less chance of getting certain types of cancer etc. It is also the moral and humane thing to do; thousands of healthy animals are put to sleep each year because homes can't be found for them.
Thanks

£2 fund - £30 (15.09.06)