In response to the problem of insufficient pet rations due to the closure of various places, poor logistics, the editor asked experts in pet nutrition for help on how to make some emergency food for pets using common ingredients at home.

Tip: Please note that due to limited conditions, these are only alternatives and do not achieve complete nutritional balance. They are feasible as emergency solutions for a period of time, but are not suitable for long-term feeding.

Cats and Dogs

National Pet Nutrition Level 2 Technician, National Pet Nutritionist Vocational Training Senior Lecturer, Founder of Valve Pet Classroom Jin Feng:

1. Ingredients:

Meat and eggs

Chicken breast,no need to process bones, affordable, high protein content, highly recommended;

Chicken leg meat, needs to be boneless, but not skinless. It is affordable. In addition to its high protein content, it can also help cats and dogs who spend less time in the sun due to isolation to supplement vitamin D. It is highly recommended; p>

Beef and mutton, most of them in supermarkets are meat rolls for hot pot, and there are also a few supermarkets that sell whole pieces of meat. This ingredient does not require bone processing, but the price is relatively high. The protein content is actually not much different from chicken. It is optional but does not need to be the first choice;

​Duck meat,The fat content of duck meat is much higher than that of chicken, and the protein is lower, so you need to remove the bones yourself;

Fish meat is a very good choice from a nutritional point of view, but it is very troublesome to remove the scales and spines. You need to peel off the spines by hand after cooking;

Pork, Pork has always been misunderstood, and it is believed that cats and dogs are not suitable for eating. In fact, there is no problem. Just be careful to choose parts with as much lean meat as possible;

Pork liver, liver-based food, is the best natural vitamin A supplement, and can be absorbed by cats and dogs. The one we most commonly use is chicken liver, but in supermarkets they generally only have pork liver, so there is no problem.

Eggs, both egg whites and egg yolks are rich in protein with an almost perfect amino acid ratio. Egg yolks are also rich in lecithin and unsaturated fatty acids. Even eggshells can be ground into powder, making them the most accessible and natural source of calcium.

Cereals (for dog food)

​JadeRice,because it is sweeter, dogs also like to eat it. However, since corn may be affected by aflatoxins, try not to choose cornmeal, but choose coarsely crushed corn kernels or corn grits. Do not choose whole corn kernels, because what you eat will be what you pull out;

Oats, are one of the grains with the highest nutritional value. The protein level is higher than that of most grains, and the fiber content is also relatively high. You can choose flattened oatmeal, or cooked oatmeal that can be brewed for digestion. The rate will be much higher than that of whole raw oats;

​Rice, the most easily available grain, has relatively average levels of protein, fat, carbohydrates and fiber, so you can choose;

Millet is sweeter, dogs love to eat it, and the particles are smaller, making it easier to cook.

Black rice is very difficult to soak, resulting in uncooked rice after cooking. Unless you have a grinder at home, it is not recommended.

Fruits and vegetables

Carrots,Dogs can convert the beta carotene in carrots into vitamin A, but cats cannot, so there is no need to add it to cat food;

Spinach, is the first choice among green leafy vegetables. Its beta carotene level is not much different from that of carrots, and it is also rich in chromium. The only problem is that its palatability is slightly worse, so picky cats and dogs should choose it with caution;< /p>

Tomato, may be one of the fruits and vegetables that contributes most to palatability. Its sour taste is liked by cats and dogs. It is also rich in lycopene, which is a good natural antioxidant;

Yam,Yam has a definite effect on repairing gastric mucosa, and can be used for cats and dogs with poor gastrointestinal problems.

Chinese cabbage is not very nutritious, but it can provide some fiber. Choose it only when you really have nothing to choose from.

　2. Production

Combination of homemade dog food

Meat and eggs 50%-60%, (liver should account for about 5% of the total proportion)

About 20% of cereals

About 20% of fruits and vegetables

Eggshell powder 0.5%

Combination of homemade cat food

Meat and eggs 90%-95% (liver accounts for 10% of the total)

Fruits and vegetables 5%-10%

Eggshell powder 0.7%

You can make more of the above ingredients at one time. If possible, use a food processor to puree them. If not, chop them into pieces, divide them into portions, steam them in a pot, and then freeze them for storage. Take it out and defrost it before eating. The feeding amount is roughly 2-3 times that of the previous puffed dry food.

If you have an oven, you can also make the pureed ingredients into cakes or granules, bake them at a high temperature and dry them at a low temperature. This will save them better and does not require freezing. If it is made into small granules, it is also more suitable for cats who are accustomed to eating puffed food and do not like canned or fresh meat.

3. Notes

Grain needs to be protected from moisture when stored;

Meat needs to be stored frozen, and it is easiest to handle in a semi-thawed state;

Raw materials containing bone must be deboned;

Fruits and vegetables with a high moisture content need to be refrigerated and stored, and seeds need to be removed before use. If possible, it is better to blanch the fruits and vegetables in boiling water before making;

4. Feeding methods

Dogs: Under normal circumstances, dogs only need to be fed once a day. Thaw the day's food in a microwave or soak it in hot water, and then you can feed it directly. Since homemade food is more delicious, dogs tend to eat it too quickly and choke. You can use a slow food bowl for feeding, or put a chew toy, such as a rubber ball, in an ordinary food bowl, which will greatly slow down the dog's eating speed.

Cat:Cats have very high requirements for the freshness of food ingredients. Generally speaking, they will not eat much about an hour after thawing. Therefore, when dividing, it is recommended to divide it into 40-50 grams (about one or two) portions and feed them multiple times a day. Never defrost too much at one time as this will cause a lot of waste.

Guo Shijie, PhD in Nutrition, College of Food Engineering, Qingdao Ocean University and founder of Chongzhiai Animal Hospital:

1. Three kinds of dog food recipes can be made in rotation.

1) Minced pork 60% + staple food 20% + liver 5% + vegetables 10% + eggs 2% + bone broth 3%

2) Mutton 55% + staple food 25% + liver 2% + vegetables 10% + eggs 5% + bone broth 3%

3) Beef 50% + staple food 20% + liver 10% + vegetables 15% +Egg 2%+Bone Broth 3%

2. Notes:

1. For vegetables, you can choose carrots, cabbage, and seaweed;

2. Beef is not easy to digest and a pressure cooker must be used;

3. The staple food can be corn, flour, or millet;

4. Food should not contain: onions, celery, leeks, peppers, chocolate, kohlrabi, lilies, etc.

Hamster and Rabbit

Shanghai Aiji Pet Hospital Small Pet Specialist Dr. Hu

Hamster: Omnivorous, you can give it some other food, be sure to keep enough drinking water.

Rabbits: The staple food is hay (alfalfa, wheatgrass, oat grass) with high fiber content, which can be replaced by vegetables for a short period of time. The vegetables need to be washed and fed with as little water as possible. If possible, they can be dried or fed with dried vegetables. Vegetables to choose from: lettuce, rape, zucchini, peas, lettuce, bell peppers, coriander, cucumber, celery, lettuce, broccoli, bitter chrysanthemum, carrots are also acceptable, but feed them sparingly. Finally, be sure to keep enough drinking water.