Ditch the Kibble: My Secret to Healthy, Homemade Cat Food on a Budget

our cats will be healthier, happier, and you’ll save a fortune. Here’s the ultimate lazy-chef guide.

I get a ton of DMs asking the same question: “Your cats look amazing! What do you feed them?” People are always shocked when I tell them I skip the expensive, commercial cat food. Instead, I make my own.

And no, it doesn’t take all day, and it doesn’t break the bank. In fact, it’s dirt cheap. Let me walk you through the super-simple, big-batch recipe that keeps my feline overlords happy and healthy.

The Core Ingredients (And How to Get Them Cheap)

The key is buying in bulk. Think wholesale clubs like Costco or the bulk freezer section of your local supermarket.

• Chicken Breast: Look for bulk frozen packs. I can usually find it for around $1.50 a pound.
• Chicken Hearts: An amazing source of taurine. Often found for less than $1.00 a pound in the freezer aisle or at a butcher.
• Chicken Liver: The secret ingredient for flavor. Super cheap, usually around $0.75 a pound.
• Butternut Squash: Available year-round and incredibly inexpensive. My cats go crazy for the sweetness. It’s the MVP of cat-friendly veggies.

The Step-by-Step “Lazy Chef” Method

This recipe makes a massive 10-pound batch—enough for one adult cat for a whole month. I usually make one batch per cat and get it all done in one afternoon.

1. Prep the Base: Dice about 5 pounds of chicken breast into bite-sized chunks, roughly the size you’d use for a stir-fry. A quick note on cat anatomy: cats don’t really chew. Their teeth are for tearing and ripping, so they mostly lick and swallow. Don’t worry about making the pieces tiny.
2. Add the Veggies: Cube about 4 pounds of butternut squash and toss it in a large pot or steam basin with the chicken.
3. First Steam: Steam the chicken and squash mixture for about 15 minutes after the water starts boiling. While other veggies like carrots or broccoli are safe, I find butternut squash is the most popular and cost-effective.
4. Create the “Flavor Bomb”: While the base is steaming, finely mince half a pound of chicken hearts and half a pound of chicken liver. You want a texture that’s almost like a coarse pâté. Crucial tip: Do not rinse the minced organs! The bloody juices are what cats crave. In fact, many commercial brands use a form of liver plasma as a palatant.

Here are a few options for palatant:

1. “Flavor Enhancer”: (Pros: Common industry term, sounds scientific and clear. Cons: A bit dry and clinical.)
2. “Appetite Stimulant”: (Pros: Accurately describes its function. Cons: Can sound slightly medicinal.)
3. “The Stuff That Makes Them Go Wild”: (Pros: Fun, punchy, and perfectly captures the informal, enthusiastic tone of the original post. Cons: Too casual for a formal guide, but perfect for a blog.)
4. Final Steam: Spread the minced organ mixture over the top of the steamed chicken and squash. Steam for another 5 minutes.
5. Mix & Store: Once it’s all cooked, stir everything together thoroughly. The squash will break down into a nice purée, creating a thick, savory stew. The final product, including the broth, will be about 10 pounds.

Pro Tips & Common Pitfalls

• Serving and Storage: I divide the batch into four containers. One goes in the fridge (covered) for the current week. The other three get frozen. Each week, I pull one from the freezer, let it thaw, and give it a quick re-steam to freshen it up. I serve it cold straight from the fridge—no heating required since it’s low in fat.
• The Power of Steam: Cats vastly prefer steamed food to boiled. Why? Because steaming locks in the flavor and creates a rich, natural broth. It’s all about the natural cooking juices.