#14 Beef or Chicken Broth
Cats tend to drink very little—most cats do not drink enough water—and can be fussy about how water is offered. Adding low-sodium beef or chicken broth to your cat’s food will increase her water consumption while providing a very low calorie treat.
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I’m pinched for time—is buying cat broth from stores smart?
Preparing a tailor-made cat broth will be challenging if you dont have time to cook. While the market is filled with complementary cat soups and broths, they can be rather pricey. Many cat parents have complained about ready-made broths being:
- Too expensive—As per recent research, broths for cats are ten times more expensive than human soups, which is why many cat parents do not buy them
- Loaded with flavour enhancers—Like most commercial cat food products, ready-made broths may contain taste additives and synthetic colours to compensate for the lack of real meat
- Full of iffy preservatives—Low-quality preservatives are red flags that will only harm your cat in the long run
- Packed with carbs—Many broths marketed as “healthy” are prepared with an unhealthy amount of carbs, mostly coming from potato, corn, or rice starch and flour paste
Homemade broths are better than commercial ones because you can control what your cat eats. If youre afraid that itll take forever to make soup for your cat, try cooking a bigger batch at home and splitting it into daily portions. In case store-bought products are the only solution for you, consider giving quality jelly food to your cat. Jelly food is essentially the gelatinised version of meat chunks cooked in clear soup, so it packs all the goodness of broth and is usually carb-free!
Parenting hacks—No time for broths? Serve them a bowl of their favourite jelly food!!
How to make chicken broth or soup for cats
Most cats love chicken, so a poultry broth is a popular option.
Vets highly recommend giving chicken broth to cats who:
- Are unwell—Sick or recuperating cats may have no appetite for regular food but tend to slurp up warm chicken broth easily. This nutrient-dense dish can speed up the recovery
- Have a sensitive stomach—Feline gastrointestinal disturbances, like diarrhoea, vomiting, and excessive regurgitation, are a nightmare to deal with. If your cat is struggling to keep food down, chicken soup can compensate for the rapid fluid and electrolyte loss
- Are prone to seasonal illnesses—Cats with a weak immune system are likely to suffer from a common cold in the autumn and winter months. Chicken broth is a natural booster for felines and also helps prevent hypothermia if they’re roaming around
No-good ingredients—what shouldn’t go in your cat’s chicken broth?
When cooking broth, soup, or any other food for your cat, avoid the following toxic ingredients:
Unsafe ingredients | Related health risks |
Allium vegetables (onion, chives, leeks, etc.) | ● Stomach cramps ● Diarrhoea and vomiting ● Increased heart rate ● Anaemia |
Green tomatoes and potatoes | ● Gastrointestinal issues because of a poisonous alkaloid called solanine ● Neurological damage |
Rhubarb leaves and stalks | ● Stomach upsets ● Excessive drooling ● Irritation of the mouth |
Wild mushrooms | ● Potential toxicity (although store-bought mushrooms are safe) |
Nuts | ● Choking hazard ● Stomach upsets (due to an overload of fats and oils) ● Certain nuts, like macadamia nuts, also cause tremors and hypothermia |
Grapes and raisins | ● Kidney damage or failure ● Prolonged diarrhoea, leading to anorexia |
Raw yeast | ● Excessive gas ● Bloating ● Alcohol poisoning (due to fermentation in the stomach) |
Alcohol and chocolate | ● Hyperactivity ● Tremors and seizures ● Coma |
#14 Beef or Chicken Broth Cats tend to drink very little—most cats do not drink enough water—and can be fussy about how water is offered. Adding low-sodium beef or chicken broth to your cat’s food will increase her water consumption while providing a very low calorie treat.
FAQ
Is beef broth healthy for cats?
Yes! True bone broth is good for cats because it contains amino acids, collagen, and protein. Some owners use bone broth as a way to make their cat’s food for enticing for a picky eater or to increase their cat’s water intake.
What kind of broth can I give my cat?
Chicken or turkey broth is good for cats. However, it’s important that chicken or turkey broth is cooked correctly so it can be used as just a tasty cat treat or perhaps a life-saving liquid to give to a sick kitty who is refusing to eat.
Is grocery store broth safe for cats?
It’s typically OK to give your cat a bit of chicken broth or baby food, but make sure it doesn’t include onions or garlic (or too much sodium). If you suspect your cat may have consumed any of member of the Allium family of foods, contact a veterinarian immediately.
Is chicken bouillon OK for cats?
If your cat does not readily rehydrate, you can make drinking water more appealing by boiling up a few pieces of chicken into a stew and storing it in the refrigerator, or by buying salt-free or low-salt chicken bouillon. Add a teaspoon of either to the cat’s water, which should be fresh every day.
