Spacious Skies Inc. Non-Profit Animal Rescue

As a pet owner, no doubt you want to give your dog or cat the best care possible. And caring for your pet means feeding him the best diet you can.

Animals, because they are color blind, choose their foods by smell. Most dogs like gamey flavors best, as well as liver, fat, garlic, onions, horsemeat, lamb, beef, cheese and fish. Cats enjoy chicken, liver, fish, turkey, lamb, and yeast, and prefer fresh to aged flavors.

Remember that cats are fussy eaters and it is not wise to continually feed them their favorite foods. Soon they will refuse to eat anything else. It is your job to see your cat has a balanced diet.

Animals do not need salt added to their diet as the natural salt in the food is enough for them. However, small amounts are okay, as some pets simply will not eat unless they have some salt. You may leave the salt and pepper out of the recipes below if you wish.

Dogs may eat any vegetable they want, but cats should not have any starchy veggies, like peas and corn. Some dogs and cats even enjoy fruits! Birds should not eat avacados, kale or brussle sprouts, cabbage or cheese. Please make sure you carefully review with your vet what foods your specific breed of bird can consume as some birds can eat meat and do in the wild and some actually require certain foods in thier diets.

It's a good idea to always add a grain, such as Kibble, wheat germ, cooked oatmeal or whole wheat bread to meat dinners. For dogs use 75% carbohydrate foods (grains and vegetables) to 25% meat for cats use half carbohydrate foods to half meat.

You will find, once you begin making your own pet foods, that it is really relatively simple and you will save some money as well. remember that all pet foods should be served at room temperature don't serve food cold from the refrigerator nor hot from the stove.

Incidentally, you should know that cats should be fed three times a day, while an adult dog needs only one meal a day.

**************** With the recent petfood recalls I like so many have begun making all of our dogs food, I have included those which are hits below and believe me I have several who are very finicky eaters and they all have enjoyed these "Meals" please scroll down below treats.**********************************************************************************************

Here are some pet recipes you can make at home:

SAUTEED LIVER

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan.

Add 1/4 pound beef liver and fry on both sides until cooked but not dry inside.

Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and mix it up with all the brown bits.

For dogs, cut the liver into pieces and serve for cats, grind the liver in a blender, using the pan juices.

CHICKEN SOUP

Combine 1 chicken liver, 1 giblet, 1 chicken heart, 1 chicken neck, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley.

Cover and simmer until the giblet is tender.

Chop all the meat for dogs removing bones and mix with kibble for cats, you may want to grind the meat in the blender.

Veal Stew

Combine 1/2 pound stewing veal, 1 cup canned tomatoes, 1 cup water, 1 chicken bouillon cube, 1/2 onion (chopped), parsley and a dash of garlic powder in a pot and simmer.

When meat is tender, remove all the bones.

For dogs, cut the meat in chunks, and mix stew with kibble or some other grain for cats, grind the stew in blender, adding a tablespoon of wheat germ or 1/2 slice of whole wheat bread.

LIVER COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine 1/2 cup dry milk and 1/2 cup wheat germ drizzle 1 teaspoon honey on top.

Add one 3 1/3 oz. jar of strained liver baby food or homemade blended liver and stir until everything is well mixed.

Form the mixture into balls place them on an oiled cookie sheet and flatten them with a fork.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Consistency should be fudgy.

Store in a jar in the fridge freeze if keeping more than a few days.

  Lamb Stew

Follow the recipe for Veal Stew, using chunks of lamb instead and leaving out the tomato if desired.

MACKEREL DINNER

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a skillet and fry 1 small mackerel until it flakes apart easily. Remove and cool.

Pour 1/2 cup hot water into the pan and scrape the brown bits into it. Remove the bones from the fish and mix with the juice. For dogs, serve in pieces with kibble for cats, grind with the pan juices.

FISH COOKIES

Follow the recipe for Liver Cookies but use instead 3 1/2 ounces of mashed and boned mackerel, either canned or freshly cooked. For Cats, roll into tiny balls and flatten lightly with a fork.

BEEF COOKIES

Following the recipe for Liver Cookies, using cooked beef puree instead.For cats, roll into tiny balls and flatten lightly with a fork.

DOG MORSELS

2 cups whole wheat flour 2 tsp. garlic powder

2 cups white flour

1 cup skim milk powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted beef or pork drippings (or lard)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix ingredients together with enough water to make a stiff dough. Roll out and cut into Christmas shapes. Bake on cookie sheet until hard.

 Kitty treats

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup tuna oil, chicken broth or beef bouillon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients into a dough. Dust hands with flour and form small, 1/2-inch-thick, round "biscuits". Set on greased cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes (or until biscuits are slightly browned).

Cool 30 minutes before serving.

BUDGIE BROWNIES

1 cup cornmeal

1 tsp. finely ground cuttlebone

1 cup hulled millet

2 tbsp. liquid honey

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 eggs

2 tbsp. raw wheat germ

4 egg yolks (for larger birds add 1/2 cup peanuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Pat into a greased and floured baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm (if edges start to get too brown, cover with foil).

Cool and cut into small squares.

                       Heart Healthy  Peanut Butter Honey Soft Biscuit Treats (Dogs)

1 Cup peanut butter

1/2 Cup Honey

2 cups flour

1/4 cup Olive oil

1 egg

Mix all ingredients thouroughly. By teaspoonfuls roll by hand into small logs and press ends in lightly making a small semisquare, place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for aprox. 10 minutes or till just lightly brown. Let cool on sheets before removing. Store in a air tight container and keep in fridge. All of our dogs love these and you can make them according to the size of the dog, just roll smaller pieces and watch cooking and remove when lightly brown. For my small dogs I roll into balls and flatten slightly with a fork.

                                                                  Chicken/Veggie Rice Casserole (Dogs)

2 cups Brown rice (cook according to directions on package) except use the V-8 juice in place of part of the water called for in directions.

2 chicken thighs and 2 legs cooked in enough water to cover till falls off bone.

1 can mixed vegetables

1 large can V-8 juice

1/8 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 Tablespoon Pepper

Cook chicken pieces in just enough water to cover chicken on medium heat for aprox. 30 minutes, till meat falls off bones. Remove meat and bones with a slotted spoon and place on a plate to cool. After meat is cooled carefully and thouroughly remove all bones. Chop finely or run thru a food processor till finely ground or chopped. Return to the pot with any liquid left over from cooking chicken. Add remaining ingredients and heat till hot. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Place in "meal size" containers, may be freezed for later use up to 1 month. 1 cup of brown rice when cooked makes 2 1/2 cups, so this recipe will make 5 cups of rice plus the chicken and vegetables aprox. 8 cups of food.

                                                          Southern grits (Dogs)

1 Lb. of meat ( chicken, beef, lamb, liver, pork) 

 3 cups cooked grits ( cooked according to package directions)

1 can mixed vegetables

1/8 cup olive oil

1 TSP. Salt

1/2 Tsp. pepper

In a large saucepan cook meat in enough water to cover meat over medium heat till tender and Well cooked. Add cooked grits and remaining ingredients and heat till hot. Cool to room temperature before serving. May be frozen for later use.

                                                            Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes (Dogs)

1 pound  meat ( beef, lamb, chicken, pork)

3 cups mashed potatoes (cook according to package directions)

1 can mixed vegetables

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook meat until well cooked and very tender in enough water to cover over medium heat. Add cooked mashed potatoes and drained vegetables, salt and pepper. Cool and serve at room temperature. May be frozen up to one month for later use.

                                                            Oat and Savory Stew (Dogs)

3 cups cooked oatmeal slightly undercooked ( not gummy but still somewhat firm)

1 lb. meat ( beef, chicken, lamb, pork)

1 can mixed vegetables (optional)

1 Tsp. salt]

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/8 cup olive oil

Cook meat in enough water to cover over medium heat until very tender. Add cooked oatmeal, olive oil and salt and pepper and vegetables. Mix thouroughly. Cool to room temperature and serve. Best not frozen but keeps 5 days in fridge.

                           Beaky Treat (Birds) Parakeets, Cockatiels, Parrots, Conures

1 cup mixed frozen vegetables (cook till tender with just enough water to cover over medium heat) Drain completely after cooked.

1 cup cooked brown rice according to directions on package

Mix together and cool completely till room temperature. ( Please do not endanger your bird by serving hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Never feed hot food to your birds it can seriously injure or kill them.

                                         Fruit Oatmeal (Birds) Parrots, Conures, Cockatiels,

1cup cooked oatmeal

1 Tablespoon finely chopped banana

1 tablespoon finely chopped grapes

1 tablespoon finely chopped apple

Add the chopped ingredients to cooled oatmeal. Serve at room temperature. Discard any uneaten food within 1 hour if not eaten, bacteria in cooked foods are harmful to birds and should not be left if not eaten within 1 hour. ( Our birds all love this)

If you have a recipe that is a favorite of your bird, dog or cat that you would like to include on this page please email it to us at the link directly below.  Thanks so very much for sharing!!               SpaciousSkiesInc@wmconnect.com