Best Cat Food in Gravy

Yes and no.

Gravy contains a lot of water, which is helpful for urinary health among other strategies including providing chicken broth and multiple water bowls.

However, gravy foods may also contain tapioca starch, which isn’t optimal for diabetic cats due to the increased carbohydrate content. 

There’s also question marks about thickeners used in gravy products like carrageenan, linked with inflammatory conditions.

Learn More:

• Best Cat Food Without Carrageenan

As cats are carnivores, the most nutritious gravy is meat based.

Collagen, is high in glycine and proline which are small amino acids. They give meat a tough texture and are used to make jelly.

Oxtail is high in collagen, which you can use to make a nutritious gravy for your cats wellness.

Ingredients:

• Oxtail pieces (as much as you’d like to cook, but ensure it fits comfortably in your pressure cooker)
• Water (enough to cover the oxtail pieces)

Equipment Needed:

• Pressure cooker
• Ziploc bags or airtight containers for freezing

Instructions:

1. Prep the Oxtail:
   • Begin by preparing your oxtail pieces. If they’re not already cut, slice them into manageable pieces that will fit into your pressure cooker.
2. Cooking the Oxtail:
   • Place the oxtail pieces into the pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the pieces completely. This is crucial for creating a rich gravy.
   • Secure the lid on your pressure cooker, ensuring it’s locked and the pressure valve is in the correct position for cooking.
3. Pressure Cooking:
   • Cook the oxtail on high pressure for 30 to 60 minutes. The cooking time may vary based on the pressure cooker model and the size of the oxtail pieces. Adjust accordingly.
   • After the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid. This step is essential for safety and ensures the meat becomes tender.
4. Creating the Gravy:
   • Once the pressure has released and it’s safe to open the cooker, remove the oxtail pieces. You’ll notice the liquid in the pot has turned into a white, gelatinous gravy. This is due to the collagen from the oxtail, which gives the gravy its body.
5. Cooling and Storing:
   • Allow the gravy to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, you can portion the gravy into Ziploc bags or airtight containers. Make sure to label them with the date if you’re freezing them for later use.
6. Freezing:
   • Freeze the portioned gravy. It can be kept frozen for several months, making it a convenient addition to stews or soups whenever needed.
7. Serving to Cats:
   • When ready to serve to your cats, thaw a portion of the gravy and warm it to room temperature. Cats generally do not like hot or cold food, so ensuring it’s at room temperature is key.
   • Serve the gravy as a special treat or supplement to their regular diet. Watch as your feline friends enjoy the delicious, gelatinous treat!

Notes:

• No Salt or Seasonings: Remember, this recipe is intended to be pet-friendly, so do not add salt or seasonings that could be harmful to cats.
• Human Consumption: If you plan to use some of the gravy for human consumption, consider removing a portion before adding any seasoning, keeping it separate from what you’ll serve to your cats.

Neither.

They are simply textures used to thicken canned cat food or wet cat food pouches.

What matters most is the contents of the food and whether it meets the nutrient requirements of your cat.

Learn More:

• What is Complete and Balanced Cat Food?

Look for meat cuts in gravy that your cat enjoys.

Gravy can sometimes be tastier than the food if it uses ‘less tasty’ protein sources like wheat gluten and pea protein.

Often you just need to improve the food quality and your cat will enjoy the food.

The texture of cat food can influence a cats preference.

It’s not clear as far as I know, what cats prefer. Either option are fine.

There is no reason you can’t give your cat gravy based cat food every day as part of a balanced diet.