Homemade cat food
Ostrich & Sweet Potato Novel-Protein Mince
Lean cooked ostrich mince folded through a little soft sweet potato — a genuinely unusual red meat for cats trialling a novel protein under veterinary guidance.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 30 min
- Makes
- About 10 small portions
🧺 Ingredients
- 100 g plain ostrich mince
- 1 tbsp cooked, mashed sweet potato
- 1 tbsp plain water or unsalted bone broth, to loosen
👩🍳 Method
- Dry-cook the ostrich mince gently in a non-stick pan, breaking up any clumps, until fully cooked through with no pink remaining.
- Steam or boil a little sweet potato until soft and mash one tablespoon smooth.
- Stir the cooked ostrich and mashed sweet potato together, adding a splash of plain water or unsalted broth to reach a soft, spoonable mince.
- Cool to room temperature before serving a small portion.
- Keep the rest refrigerated in a sealed tub and use within two days.
Nutrition: Ostrich is a very lean red meat that few cats have ever eaten, making it a valuable novel protein for suspected food sensitivities, while a little sweet potato adds gentle fibre, moisture and beta-carotene.
📝 Notes
Cook the ostrich plainly with no salt, oil, onion or garlic. Because ostrich is a true novel protein, it is most useful for cats on a vet-guided elimination or hypoallergenic trial — introduce it slowly and, for a real diagnostic diet, only under veterinary supervision. Offer as an occasional treat, not a complete meal.
⚕️ Before you cook for your cat
- Homemade food must be balanced. Cats need taurine, and deficiency causes heart and eye disease.
- Treat recipes are supplements to a complete diet, not a replacement for it.
- Check any new ingredient against the toxic-foods list, and ask your vet before switching diets.