Homemade cat food has become increasingly popular in recent years, but pet parents should exercise caution when they venture into homemade cat food territory. While homemade cat food has many benefits for our feline friends, it must include the right cat supplements so that it provides all the nutrition our cats need.
But why consider a homemade cat food diet at all? Why do most homemade cat food diets fall short? And what’s the best cat supplement to ensure our cats are getting the vitamins and minerals they need to live their best nine lives?
What are the benefits of homemade cat food?
The benefits of homemade cat food include the following:
-
Homemade cat food is less processed. Most commercially-made cat food is ultra-processed and can contain fillers, binders, and preservatives. Homemade cat food comprises fresh ingredients and no unnecessary additives.
-
Homemade cat food is more environmentally friendly. A cat might eat 3 cans of commercially-made cat food a day. That’s 1,095 empty cans in the trash every year! Even when pet parents are able to recycle their cat food packaging, switching to a homemade diet lowers the eco-impact connected to processing, packaging, and shipping all that commercially-made food.
- Homemade cat food can be cheaper. Making homemade cat food in large portions and freezing it for future use means you can often make it for less money than commercially-made cat food.
A word of caution, though: if a pet parent doesn’t add a veterinary nutritionist-approved cat supplement (also known as a premix) to their homemade cat food, they risk hurting their cat’s health instead of helping.
But cats are natural meat eaters, right? Why wouldn’t a simple meat diet be enough?
Why you need a cat supplement for your homemade cat food
If you search for “homemade cat food recipes” online, you’ll find hundreds of options. However, very few of them are nutritionally balanced.
In fact, one study examined over 100 of these recipes but couldn’t find any that met the nutrient requirements of adult cats. When a cat doesn’t have the nutrients they need, they risk serious health problems.
The risks of a nutrient-deficient diet
In the study mentioned above, the most common nutrient deficiencies the researchers saw included choline, iron, thiamine, taurine, and vitamin E.
Here’s what these particular nutrients do in your cat’s body and what can happen without them:
-
Choline supports your cat’s liver and brain health. Without it, they can develop fatty liver (a potentially fatal condition) or mental issues.
- Your cat needs iron for their blood, skin and coat, thyroid, and immune system. Without it, you may see symptoms like lethargy, a dull coat, or even anemia.
-
Thiamine is a B-vitamin that your cat needs for proper nerve function. It also plays a vital role in converting food to energy. A lack of thiamine can contribute to slow or stunted growth in young cats and weakness or even seizures in cats of any age.
-
Taurine is critical in supporting your cat’s heart and eyesight. Over time, taurine deficiencies can lead to heart problems like murmurs or an enlarged heart. Blindness may also occur.
-
As an antioxidant, Vitamin E protects your cat’s cells from damage and keeps their whole system working well. If they have a Vitamin E deficiency, your cat may experience muscle weakness and problems with their immune system. “Muscle weakness” doesn’t just mean affecting how they move or jump - it can even lead to heart problems.
And these weren’t even all the nutrient problems they found! Calcium, Vitamin A, copper… the list goes on.
Most of the issues with these recipes stem from a common misconception that just because the ingredients are natural and healthy that they’re good for our cats. The truth is that if a homemade car food diet isn’t crafted by a veterinary nutritionist, it will not have the precise nutrient balance our cats need.
Health problems that come from nutrient deficiencies can be extra dangerous as many of these issues appear slowly or gradually. That means the pet parent may not notice these conditions are developing until they’ve already become serious.
Some pet parents have turned to raw cat food as a way to avoid these nutritional deficiencies. Raw food can be very nutritious, but it carries additional risks. In 2025, for example, multiple cats in the United States died or had to be euthanized after contracting bird flu from professionally-made raw food.
Why cat supplements are so important for homemade cat food
Even the most well-intentioned and well-prepared homemade cat food needs a properly formulated cat supplement to fill in its vitamin gaps.
To be clear, we are not talking about a cat multivitamin or “topper” that is made for cats eating commercially-made wet food or kibble. Those supplements are intended to add to the vitamins and minerals that are already included in commercially-made cat food and do not contain the right amounts of vitamins and minerals for a homemade cat food diet.
Balance is critical in our pet’s nutrition. While deficiencies can cause serious health problems, so can having too much of a good thing.
And that’s where a cat supplement / premix comes in.
What is the best cat supplement for homemade cat food?
When you’re shopping for a premix or cat supplement to complete your homemade cat food, there are several things to consider.
- Was it made by an expert? Ideally, you want a veterinary nutritionist’s expertise in formulating the premix so you know it’s balanced and correct for your cat.
- Does it meet AAFCO standards? The AAFCO (or Association of American Feed Control Officials) has set the standards for animal food for over 100 years. Any proper premix must meet those standards to be a good choice for your cat.
- Does it use human grade ingredients? While it’s not strictly necessary for a premix to be made with human grade ingredients, it provides yet another proof of the product’s overall quality.
- Can you use it with different recipes? Cats have a reputation for being picky eaters at times, and they can get bored of a food when you least expect it. Having the option to use the premix with different recipes and meat types allows your cat to have variety and choice in their diet.
- Are there options for cats of different ages? As our cats age, their nutritional needs change. For example, a cat’s aging kidneys benefit from a diet with controlled phosphorus levels, while their decreased vitamin absorption means they need extra B vitamins. A good premix brand should have different formulas to account for that.
Holistic Vet Blend’s Feline Premix checks every single one of these boxes, making it our recommendation for the best cat supplement for homemade cat food.
It is veterinarian-developed, veterinary nutritionist-backed, and made in the United States with human grade ingredients. This balanced premix meets AAFCO standards for kittens to adult cats (and we also offer Holistic Vet Blend Feline Senior Premix for cats over 7 years old). Our premixes can also be combined with dozens of our exclusive recipes so your cat will never get bored or tired of it.
In fact, it is an award-winning premix, as Holistic Vet Blend Feline Premix was “Cat Food Functional Diet Product of the Year” at the 2025 Pet Innovation Awards.
By combining its balanced nutrients with your own locally-obtained wholesome ingredients, you’ll have economical, healthy, and delicious meals that your cat will love.
Conclusion
Making homemade food for your cats is one the best ways to ensure they’re eating wholesome, healthy food - but not all recipes are created equal. Some lack vital nutrients and vitamins, which could lead to health problems for our cats. By adding a premium and complete cat supplement like Holistic Vet Blend’s Feline Premix to your home made cat food, you guarantee your cat has the best possible nutrition for a happy, healthy life.
