Homemade cat food
Chicken & Sardine Omega Topper
A quick, lickable topper of finely shredded cooked chicken and a little mashed sardine, stirred into a smooth paste to tempt fussy eaters and boost omega-3s.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 15 min
- Makes
- 2 days
🧺 Ingredients
- 80g cooked, plain, skinless chicken breast, finely shredded
- 2 sardines tinned in spring water, drained and mashed
- 2–3 tablespoons unsalted chicken broth or plain water
- 1 teaspoon plain cooked pumpkin (optional, to thicken)
👩🍳 Method
- Poach or steam the chicken plainly until fully cooked, then cool and shred it very finely.
- Drain and mash the sardines, checking for any larger bones.
- Blend or mash the chicken and sardine together with enough broth or water to make a smooth, lickable paste, adding a little pumpkin if you want it thicker.
- Warm very slightly to release the aroma, which helps tempt a reluctant eater.
- Spoon a small amount over your cat’s usual food or onto a lick mat, and refrigerate the remainder for up to two days.
Nutrition: Lean chicken provides highly digestible protein and the amino acid taurine, while a little sardine adds the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA plus extra moisture — a gentle, aromatic way to support skin, coat and hydration.
📝 Notes
This is a good trick for tempting a fussy or recovering cat, or for hiding nothing more than extra moisture in the diet — but it is a topper, not a complete meal. Use only unsalted broth (many shop-bought stocks contain onion, garlic and far too much salt, all of which are harmful to cats) and sardines in spring water rather than brine or oil. Keep oily fish to a small, occasional part of the diet.
⚕️ 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.