by Dan Scott

Created on: September 05, 2009   Last Updated: September 06, 2009

Have you ever wanted to make your cat a special treat for dinner, instead of just opening up a new can of cat food or pouring out the dry kibble? There are a lot of things that you can do to make a special meal for your feline friend, and that are also good for your cat, and can be good for your budget too!

One of the first things to remember is to not serve your cat raw meats, poultry or fish from the store. Your cat can get the same parasites from raw meats and fish that people can, so make sure that you fully cook the meats you give your cat.

Your cat will enjoy any type of meat, whole or ground, beef, pork, lamb, chicken or fish. You can grill, fry, bake or boil the meat. The meat should be chopped into small pieces before you give it to your cat. The cuts of meat that you use can be very inexpensive, and you can even use organ meat such as liver and kidney, or giblets from a chicken or turkey such as hearts and gizzards. You can also add very small amounts of cooked rice, potatoes, pasta or vegetables to help extend the food and provide additional nutrients.

It isn't a myth that cats love fish. White fish like cod, haddock and scrod are very good fish for your cat. These can even be used to tempt a cat that is sick or has a poor appetite to eat more. Broiled, poached or steamed are best. Canned tune and salmon are also a tasty treat. Tuna packed in oil can also be better for your cat than that packed in water. Other canned fish that you can feed your cat are sardines, herring and mackerel.

Shredded chicken, both the meat and the skin, are a great treat to your cat. When feeding your cat chicken or fish, make sure that you have removed all of the bones. Another chicken product that your cats will love are eggs. Gently scramble the eggs, and allow to cool before giving to your cat.

With chicken, or with any of the cooked meats, you don't need to make a special preparation just for your cat. They will love your leftovers, as long as it has not been overly spiced. Part of a hamburger, some beef or pork or lamb steak, ground meats such as turkey, lamb, beef or pork that you are going to use in another dish are all wonderful treats, to your cats way of thinking.

I will offer one word of warning when feeding your cat people food. Do not feed your cat directly from your plate by hand. It isn't dangerous to your cat, but it could cause problems down the line. What happened to me is that I was eating some cold fried chicken as a snack while watching television. I gave one of my cats a small piece of chicken off of the piece that I was eating. I have never been able to eat fried chicken since then without the cat being almost in my face demanding his fair share!

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