Why make homemade pet food? What's wrong with commercial kibble, canned or gently cooked products?
This article explores the reasons pet parents may choose to make fresh, homemade meals for their pets.
Individuality
Just like us, each and every dog and cat is a unique individual, and their precise needs and preferences can differ. Homemade diets give us the opportunity to curate recipes specifically to the needs of each pet as individuals.
Ingredient control
We can search for commercial diets that use ingredients we prefer and avoid ingredients that may not agree with our pet, but beyond that we have limited control over how and where the products are created. Homemade diets allow pet parents to source ingredients that they are most comfortable with and cook them according to their preference. This also means freshness control - homemade diets can be prepared frequently, resulting in pets always eating fresh, wholesome foods.
Processing
Most commercial pet foods are processed into shelf-stable products that help simplify and ease the process of feeding a complete and balanced diet daily. However, some dogs and cats may either not like, or not tolerate, these processed products. The interactions between nutrients and ingredients during different commercial processing methods can result in formation of complexes that are less digestible and may be irritating to a particularly sensitive pet. Furthermore, there is a growing body of research that is examining the health impacts of processed foods on dogs and cats, suggesting that fresh cooked whole foods may be as beneficial for them as they are for us.
The human-animal bond
Food may not just nourish the body, but the act of preparing and and offering food to a beloved family member can be a joyful experience for pet parents. In many cultures the sharing of food is a very meaningful event and that has transcended the species barrier for pet parents. Feeding a wholesome, home-prepared meal can help pet parents feel connected to their dog or cat in a way that feeding a commercial product may not be able to replicate.
Health management
For some dogs and cats, a homemade diet is necessary to manage nutritionally-responsive health conditions. This may be because the individual has conflicting or numerous comorbidities that make identifying an appropriate commercial therapeutic diet a challenge, or because there are so few therapeutic commercial options and the pet doesn't like the one or two that might fit the bill for them.
If you're considering feeding a homemade meal to your dog or cat, we recommend discussion with your family veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to our in-house board-certified veterinary nutritionist by emailing info@wholedogg.com.