Free vet approved cat food recipes online are not complete

Everyone warns us to use vet approved cat food recipes. But are these free vet approved recipes online actually complete for cats?

The articles say they are “medically reviewed” by DVMs. But most of these “vet approved” recipes include inappropriate ingredients for cats. And none of the recipes provide a nutritional analysis.

Well, I pay for diet formulation software created by a pet food formulator and a vet. And I took 3 vet approved recipes from top articles, plugged it into the software, and found…

All 3 were deficient in essential nutrients.

Recipe 1: Vet approved chicken and rice feast

This “vet approved” cat food recipe is deficient in the following essential amino acids (basically every single one):

  • Tryptophan
  • Threonine
  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Methionine
  • Methionine – Cystine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Phenylalanine – Tyrosine
  • Valine
  • Arginine
  • Taurine

This recipe is also deficient in vitamins D, E, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, and choline.

There isn’t enough calcium, chloride, iron, copper, zinc, or iodine in this recipe either.

These are major nutritional deficiencies that will cause harm. Especially if this is the only diet the cat parent is feeding.

Recipe 2: Vet approved raw chicken and salmon

This cat food recipe is deficient in vitamins D, E, B1, and choline. And it’s deficient in minerals potassium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, and iodine.

I’m glad there is a pro-raw vet who supports homemade diets. However, we need to feed a complete raw recipe.

One of the main reasons vets argue against raw feeding is nutritional deficiencies!

Recipe 3: Chicken and pumpkin

This recipe lacks proper calcium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, and iodine essential minerals.

It is also deficient in vitamins D, B1, and choline.

These recipes show up at the top of Google search results when you search for vet approved cat food recipes.

I’m glad that more veterinarians are open to cat parents feeding a homemade diet. That’s great!

But we need to make sure the recipes are complete and provide all essential nutrients.

How many cat parents are taking these incomplete recipes and just going with it? Only because they are labeled “vet approved”!

Unfortunately, the cats will suffer. There are major nutritional deficiencies in these recipes.

Looking for a complete raw recipe? My simple raw chicken cat food recipe is complete and balanced for healthy adult cats.