Can I Give My Cat Chicken Broth Or Add It To Dry Cat Food?

You know just how effective chicken broth is when you catch the sniffles during the cold season. Chicken broth (or any kind of broth that comes from simmering poultry) has a lot of health benefits for humans, even when it’s not cold and flu season. But have you ever wondered if the same is true for your sick cat? What about canned chicken broth? Can I add chicken broth to dry food? What about chicken broth for cats with kidney disease? If you’re wondering about these questions, read on!

Is Fancy Feast Cat Food Good For Cats?

Can Cats Have Lemon Juice?

Is Chicken Broth Good For Cats?

Here’s the lowdown: you can feed your cat the occasional chicken broth (and they will be in for a treat when you do) so long as it does not contain anything else. This means that commercial chicken broth is out of the question, as it usually contains onions, garlic, sodium, and other ingredients that can be harmful to cats.

Ready-made chicken broth can be really salty, and since cats are not big drinkers, feeding them salty food can disrupt the electrolyte balance in their body. This can be dangerous for cats with kidney disease. Take caution when feeding chicken broth for cats with kidney disease. You can give your cat pure chicken broth or some low sodium chicken broth.

Benefits Of Bone Broth Chicken: Good for Cats

Detoxifies Liver

Glycine is the amino acid used by the liver to clear toxins from the body. Your cat can get a lot of glycine from chicken broth and it will enable your cat’s liver to flush itself fully as already mentioned.

Boosts Digestion

The collagen and gelatin that the chicken broth contains helps strengthen the lining of your cat’s intestines. This is rich in collagen, conjugated linoleic acid, and cartilage that has the nutrients that can boost a feline’s immune system. Broth is a great way, the bacteria from undigested food will not find their way into their bloodstream. These will also repair leaky gut and aid digestion naturally.

Strengthens Immunity

Your cat’s immunity can be boosted by the bone marrow content from chicken broth nutrients like collagen, which is a part of bones and ligament. A stronger immune system means that your cat will be able to battle illnesses better with increased appetite.

Helps Joints

Many minerals come from chicken broth because it comes from simmered chicken bones. Magnesium, glucosamine, and chondroitin, in particular, helps strengthen joints and are also easily absorbed by the body. Older cats with arthritis and those who are prone to bone fractures and sprains will benefit greatly from eating chicken broth. It is good for bones and joint health and helps repair joint issues and digestive tract.

Healthy Bones

Chicken broth is also rich in nutrients like calcium and phosphorus, which have great benefits for your cat’s bones and teeth. Your cat’s energy levels will also be boosted with these minerals.

Boosts Nutritional Quality

Chicken broth nutrients can help cats that are pet food sensitive to eat more and absorb more nutrients. Not only is it tasty, it’s also easy to digest great for digestive system, and can provide your cat with a lot of nutrients that chicken broth can provide.

Other Benefits

• Thicker and healthier fur
• Smoother skin
• Better vision
• Prevents allergies
• Helps with weight loss
• Less likelihood of getting UTI and kidney stones (as long as it remains low in sodium or totally sodium free)

How To Prepare Chicken Bone Broth Recipes Safe for Cats

• Fill a pot with clean water. The amount of water depends on just how much broth that you want to make. You can opt to make it in a huge batch and then freeze it for later, but you can also make it fresh and give it to your cat immediately.

• It’s ideal to get an organic chicken that’s meaty to make your broth with. It’s going to be healthier than the alternative. Rinse the chicken, put it into the pot and turn on the heat.

• Don’t forget to add vinegar to your stockpot. The acetic acid from the vinegar will help leech the minerals from the bones into the water. Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water or you may add lemon juice.

• You can add some vegetables and herbs for seasoning and taste.
• Put it on a very low simmer until the meat falls off the bone. Remove the meat and vegetables. Let the bones simmer for another 24 hours.
• Remember to keep the heat on very low so that you won’t run the risk of having any accidents in the kitchen, especially since the stove will be on for a long while.
• Once the cooking time is up, skim off the fat that has gathered on the top of the water. Then remove all the bone fragments in the broth. Some of the bones would have disintegrated, but that’s okay. That only adds to the minerals and essential nutrients that your cat will be fed with.
• You can feed it to your kitty in different ways: adding chicken broth can hydrate your dry food (great for hydration), adding it to canned dry or wet food like sauce, freezing it in ice cube trays and giving it to your cat as a freeze-dry popsicle treat that your cat will enjoy. It is recommended to add at least two tablespoons per day.

How To Dilute Chicken Broth For Cats?

To dilute chicken broth for cats, follow these steps:

1. Start with a high-quality, low-sodium chicken broth. It is important to choose a broth that does not contain any additional seasonings or additives that may be harmful to cats.
2. Measure out the desired amount of chicken broth for your cat. Keep in mind that broth should only be given in a small amount as an occasional treat or to encourage hydration.
3. Add an equal amount of water to the chicken broth. This will help dilute the broth and reduce the sodium concentration, making it safer for your cat to consume.
4. Mix the chicken broth and water well to ensure they are thoroughly combined.
5. Serve the diluted chicken broth to your cat in a clean dish. You can offer it as a treat or mix it with your cat’s regular food to enhance its flavor and encourage them to eat.

Things To Take Note Of:

There are some chicken broth for cat recipes that require additional ingredients like onions or garlic, parsley, and/or chives. This is more convenient if you’re making bone broth at home with high-quality ingredients. There might also be some herbs recommended that you add to make it even tastier for humans who are going to eat it, but that’s not going to be helpful for your cat. For one, these herbs and spices may be harmful to your cat instead of helpful. Beware of these so your homemade chicken broth will be safe and more nutritious for your cat than other wet cat food.

Also, you’re going to need the bones when it’s made by simmering for about 24 hours. But you should take every last solid bit of it out before you feed it to your cat, whether you’re in a hurry or not.

Your cat should only be fed the liquid part of the broth, and that’s all. If you want a serving of the broth of your own with all the herbs and vegetables and spices and all that stuff, you’re going to have to set apart the portion for your cat so as not to give them the other ingredients that they shouldn’t be eating.

Try these chicken broth for cat recipes! Remember to be careful about feeding it to cats with kidney disease, especially when you’re just gonna buy bone broth.

So, Is Bone Broth Safe for Cats?