Question:
Today I took the leap and brought home a mass of cheap chicken to cook for the cats. I am so tired of the canned crap - and the cats seem to be too. Can't afford the really expensive stuff. I'll go on giving them quality kibble, however. As a vegetarian for upwards of thirty years, I am completely ignorant when it comes to cooking meat or anything else that previously moved. The chicken has been boiled thoroughly, no pink meat, and I simply shredded it off the bones and let it cool. The response was ah, mixed. The stray fell on it and polished off two plates. Simon and Badger had two bites each and strolled away. So disappointing. Will they come around? Can I add vegetables - which ones? Anyone else doing this? I am assuming what is left can be frozen in small portions for later.

Answer:
Cooked chicken is totally inadequate nutritionally as a diet for cats.

If you want to start feeding a homemade diet, it must be raw.

Here's a great site on BARF for cats. You'll need to take a look around to find out exactly what to use and how to make it.

BARF diet

Answer:
Badger, I own a Yahoo group, mainly dog-nutrition related. However since there's also quite a bit of interest in raw feeding, or home cooking, for cats, I put together a small folder of different links & groups. Too much to post here, but if you PM me I can get it to you.

LR is right - cats have narrower nutritional requirements than dogs, and cooked chicken (or a diet of only cooked muscle meat of any sort) is terribly inadequate. They need calcium, taurine, and such. It's not rocket science, but you do have to be aware of basic principles.

Older cats can be finicky about diet change...one time honored way people change cats from canned/kibble is to slowly mix the meat portion of the diet with canned, & gradually phase from canned to the new diet.

Here's one very excellent site (I know this lady, she is nationally known for her work & knowlege on feline nutrition & care)...her diet focuses on raw, but you can maybe pick up some basic principles here:
http://www.blakkatz.com/

Answer: