- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Restorative and nutritious, bone broth is a go-to for people wanting a vitamin-rich addition to their diet. So, when I walked into my local pet store and spotted a haul of lamb bones from a local butcher, I knew I wanted to offer the collagen-rich goodness with my cats.
Bone broth can be a restorative source of nourishment for humans, but experts say the nutritional benefits of bone broth for pets is still up for debate. According to DVM360, “although bone broth may provide a bioavailable source of minerals and nitrogen, whether this provides benefits to pets eating complete and balanced diets is questionable.”
Even so, many pet parents (including this one!) agree that pets can benefit from being offered bone broth as an occasional treat, meal topper, or mix in. Here’s a recipe I developed to feed to my own cats.
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Easy Bone Broth for Cats
You can have some fun with how you serve this recipe to your cats.
Freezing the broth in small silicone molds made fun summer treats. They easily pop out of the molds and can be stored in a freezer bag all summer long. Or, store and freeze your cat bone broth in small freezer-safe containers, defrosting and adding the broth to kibble as an aromatic topper, wet food like a gravy, or simply in a small dish for your cat to lap up any time of the year.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1–2 pounds of a variety of unseasoned bones, such as marrow, oxtail, and hooves
- 6–8 cups water
- Optional: Cat-safe veggies such as 1 to 2 stalks of celery and 1 to 2 carrots
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, add unseasoned bones and optional roughly chopped cat-friendly veggies like carrots and celery.
- Add enough water to cover.
- Let simmer for at least 8 hours, periodically skimming the white foam that forms at the surface.
- Let cool to room temperature then strain the broth from the solids, making sure to strain and discard any bones, bone fragments, or vegetables.
- Serve to your cat with their favorite meal, add to silicone molds and freeze for a summer treat, or store in small freezer-safe containers to defrost and serve later.
Notes
When making bone broth for humans, you might roast your bones in olive oil before simmering. While this produces a richer flavor, olive oil isn’t easily digested by cats.
It’s easy to toss together homemade bone broth for cats with ingredients you might already have—like leftover unseasoned bones, carrots, and celery. Just remember to check the ASPCA list of cat-safe veggies and steer clear of anything in the Allium family like onions, garlic, and chive—these are toxic to pets.
How Do I Feed My Cat Bone Broth?
When introducing new food to your cat, do so slowly and sparingly. Bone broth is rich in healthy fats. Like any food, too much bone broth in one sitting could upset your cat’s stomach. My cats love licking the frozen broth straight from their bowl as a treat on a hot day. Or, they’ll enjoy it all year round as an occasional supplement in their meals.
This easy bone broth recipe for cats is as easy to make as it is for your cat to enjoy, show here as frozen pops. Photo by Janelle Leeson
“There is no reason cats can’t be given human food as long as it is nutritionally appropriate,” Dr. Gary Richter, Rover’s resident veterinarian on The Dog People Panel says. “That said, cats tend to be very specific about what they will eat and they like consistency. Most are not enthusiastic about changes in their diet.” So, don’t take it personally if your cat doesn’t clean their bowl the first time you serve them a homemade treat like bone broth.
If you see bone broth at the grocery store, check the ingredients before sharing it with your favorite feline. Typically, broths produced for humans are made with onions, garlic, and sodium—ingredients that aren’t safe for cats. And don’t serve the cooked bones from the broth to your cat; cooked bones can be a hazard if eaten by any pet.
