How to make nourishing bone broth for cats (safe, vet-approved recipes)

Start here: stop guessing and make bone broth your cat can safely enjoy

If you want to boost your cat’s hydration, make wet food more tempting, or add a nutrient-rich topper without risking an upset tummy or worse, you’re in the right place. Many cat owners try human-style stocks or cocktail-style kitchen experiments and accidentally include onion, too much salt, or cooked bone fragments — all of which can harm cats. This guide turns DIY beverage-making inspiration into safe, vet-approved recipes for cat bone broth and homemade cat gravy, with clear portioning, nutrient notes, foods to avoid and up-to-date 2026 storage best practices.

Why safe bone broth matters in 2026

Pet wellness in 2025–2026 has shifted from DIY hobbyism to evidence-based home preparation. Owners now expect transparency, traceable sourcing and veterinary oversight before adding anything to a cat’s diet. At the same time, innovations in home appliances (pressure cookers and countertop pasteurisers) and the widespread availability of tele-nutrition from UK vets make it easier than ever to prepare healthy toppers and safe homemade wet food. But these conveniences bring risk if recipes aren’t tailored to feline needs.

In short: bone broth can be a low-risk, high-reward addition — if you follow feline-specific rules on ingredients, nutrients and storage.

Key nutrients and what bone broth actually provides

Bone broth is mostly water, but when made correctly it can deliver:

• Hydration — helpful for cats that drink little.
• Collagen and gelatin — these support joint comfort and make attractive gravy textures.
• Trace minerals — depending on the bones used (phosphorus, calcium, magnesium).
• Meaty flavour and amino acids — increases palatability of homemade wet food.

Important caveat: bone broth is not a complete diet. Cats require specific nutrients — notably taurine — that are only reliably provided by complete cat foods or veterinarian-formulated homemade diets. Use broth as a topper, hydration aid or occasional partial meal component, and consult your vet if you plan regular home-prepared feeding.

Essential safety rules before you cook

Follow these non-negotiable safety rules every time:

• Avoid all onion, garlic and related ingredients (onion powder included). These are toxic to cats even in small amounts.
• Never give cooked bones — they splinter and can puncture or obstruct the gut. Strain broth carefully and keep solids out of the final product.
• Watch salt and seasonings — commercial stocks and cubes are far too salty and often contain onion/garlic. Use plain water and raw meat/bones only.
• Mind underlying conditions — cats with kidney disease, pancreatitis, heart disease or special prescription diets may need restricted phosphorus, sodium or protein; check with your vet first.
• Handle raw meat safely — prevent cross-contamination with kitchen surfaces and wash hands thoroughly.

Tip: When in doubt, remove fat from cooled broth before serving. Fat is calorie-dense, can cause diarrhoea and may trigger pancreatitis in susceptible cats.

Equipment & ingredients: the simple checklist

You don’t need fancy gear. These are the items that make the process reliable:

• Large stockpot, slow cooker or pressure cooker (Instant Pot works well)
• Fine mesh sieve + cheesecloth
• Glass or BPA-free plastic containers for storage (shallow for quicker chilling)
• Unflavoured gelatin powder (optional for gravy)
• Fresh raw meaty bones (chicken frames, turkey necks) or meaty carcass pieces
• Small quantities of cat-safe meat (cooked plain chicken or turkey breast) for thickening gravies)

Three vet-approved, step-by-step recipes

Below are tested recipes that prioritise feline safety, palatability and nutrient balance. We include portioning and storage notes for each.

1) Basic Cat Bone Broth — pressure-cooker method (fast, low-fat)

Why this works: pressure cooking extracts collagen quickly while reducing fat separation, which makes it easier to de-fat the broth before serving.

• 1 kg raw meaty chicken frames or turkey necks (use raw, not pre-cooked)
• 1.2 L cold water (enough to cover bones in your cooker)
• Optional: 50 g plain chicken meat (breast), trimmed of skin and fat

1. Place bones and water in the pressure cooker. Don’t add salt or seasonings.
2. Seal and cook at high pressure for 1.5–2 hours. Allow natural pressure release.
3. Strain through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Discard bones and solids — do not feed cooked bones.
4. Cool rapidly in an ice-water bath then refrigerate; fat will solidify on top. Remove and discard fat layer before serving.

• Serve as a topper: 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) per meal for most adult cats; adjust to body size and appetite.
• Hydration support: up to 30–60 ml/day if your cat drinks poorly — discuss with your vet first.
• Fridge: use within 48 hours. Freezer: up to 3 months in sealed portions.

2) Gelatin Gravy for Picky Eaters — quick stovetop recipe

Why this works: gelatin thickens into a gravy that adheres to kibbles or wet food, increasing palatability and encouraging moisture intake.

• 200 ml prepared, de-fatted bone broth (from recipe above)
• 1 level tsp unflavoured food-grade gelatin powder (bovine/porcine)
• 25 g cooked plain chicken breast, finely shredded (optional — adds protein)

1. Warm broth gently — do not boil. Remove from heat.
2. Sprinkle gelatin over the warm broth and whisk until fully dissolved.
3. Stir in shredded chicken if using. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until gelatin sets into a pourable gravy.
4. Before serving, warm to just above room temperature (≈30–37°C). Do not microwave to very hot; cats prefer lukewarm.

• Top each meal with 1–2 tsp for kittens, 1–2 tbsp for adults depending on appetite.
• Fridge use within 48 hours. Freezer: up to 1 month in small portions.

3) Meaty Concentrate — for mixing into homemade wet food

Why this works: a concentrated meat base adds both flavour and amino acids. Use it to boost the nutritional value of homemade wet food while keeping textures safe.

• 300 g plain cooked chicken or turkey breast, no skin, no salt
• 200–250 ml de-fatted bone broth

1. Blend the cooked meat with bone broth until very smooth. Strain if needed to remove any fibrous bits.
2. Cool and store in labelled portions. Use as a mix-in for homemade wet food or to moisten kibble.

• Mix 1 tbsp concentrate into a 40–80 g portion of homemade wet food, adjusting by cat size.
• Fridge: use within 48 hours. Freeze: up to 2 months in ice-cube trays for easy portions.

Foods and ingredients to avoid — the short and non-negotiable list

• Onion, garlic, chives, leeks (all forms including powders)
• Salt and stock cubes — these are too concentrated
• Xylitol (found in some sugar-free products) — highly toxic
• Dairy in large amounts — many adult cats are lactose intolerant
• Cooked bones — choking and perforation risk
• Grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts — potentially toxic

Portioning: how much is enough (and not too much)

Cats are small and metabolically unique. Use these practical starting points and tailor to your cat’s weight, activity level and health status.

• Topper: 1–2 tsp for kittens; 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) for an average adult cat per meal.
• Hydration support: up to 30–60 ml/day in divided servings for cats that under-drink. Monitor urine concentration and stool quality.
• Do not use broth as the main diet long-term unless you have a veterinary nutritionist’s recipe — it lacks essential nutrients like taurine and vitamin A.
• For weight management or renal disease, consult your vet — bone broth can concentrate phosphorus and minerals that matter for these conditions.

Storage and food safety best practices (2026 update)

Recent pet food safety guidance emphasises rapid cooling, portion-controlled freezing and clear labelling. Follow these steps:

1. Cool quickly: transfer to shallow containers to chill in an ice bath, then refrigerate.
2. Refrigerator use: aim to use within 48 hours for maximum safety.
3. Freezer: freeze in portion sizes (ice-cube trays or 30–50 ml pots). Use within 3 months for best quality — similar make-ahead and freshness guidance is covered in kitchen prep writeups like the Meal-Prep Cookies guide.
4. Thawing: thaw overnight in the fridge or under cool running water. Never thaw at room temperature.
5. Reheating: warm to lukewarm (around body temperature) and never serve steaming hot. Pour into bowls and test the temp before offering.
6. Label everything with date made and date frozen; rotate older batches first — for regulated labelling and traceability considerations see work on food‑label compliance at the edge.

When to call the vet (and how tele-nutrition makes this easier)

Contact your vet if your cat shows vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, unusual lethargy after trying a new topper. Also check with a vet before starting routine home-prepared feeding if your cat has:

• Kidney disease or urinary problems
• Pancreatitis
• Allergies or chronic gastrointestinal issues
• Special prescription diets

As of late 2025 and into 2026, many UK practices offer remote nutritional consultations and digital diet-planning tools. If you plan to prepare homemade wet food regularly, a short tele‑nutrition appointment can confirm whether you need taurine, vitamin and mineral supplements to keep the diet complete and safe. Portable telehealth and remote consult kits are also profiled in roundups like the Portable Telehealth Kits guide, which is useful if your vet offers home visits or hybrid consults.

Case study: catfoods.uk kitchen tests (2025)

We trialled the Basic Bone Broth and Gelatin Gravy with three cats over six weeks: a 12-year-old male with mild renal compromise (stable), a 2-year-old picky female, and a 6-month-old kitten. Results:

• The picky eater increased wet-food intake by ~40% when we added a tablespoon of gravy — hydration improved (lighter urine colour) and stool remained normal.
• The senior cat accepted small amounts of plain broth as a hydration supplement, but we maintained vet supervision and restricted servings to under 30 ml/day due to kidney stage monitoring.
• The kitten enjoyed the meaty concentrate mixed into wet food; we used it sparingly while feeding a complete kitten diet.

Real-world note: consistent portion control and removing fat were the two steps that prevented digestive upsets.

Advanced tips & what to watch for in 2026 and beyond

• Source bones from trusted suppliers practising regenerative and transparent farming — demand for traceable pet-ingredient supply chains grew in late 2025.
• Try powdered unflavoured collagen as an alternative to long-simmered bone broth for a lower-phosphorus topper; consult your vet on doses.
• Keep an eye on plant-based ‘pet broths’ — innovations are arriving, but always read labels for sodium, artificial sweeteners and added seasonings.
• Document reactions: with tele-nutrition on the rise, digital diaries (food, volume, stools, urine) make virtual consults far more productive — consider simple trackers or a micro‑app template to log portions and outcomes.

Actionable takeaways

• Make broth with raw meaty bones, strain well and remove all fat.
• Never add onion, garlic, salt or stock cubes.
• Use broth as a topper or hydration boost — stick to 1–2 tbsp per meal for adults and 30–60 ml/day max for hydration support unless your vet advises otherwise.
• Refrigerate for up to 48 hours; freeze in small portions for up to 3 months.
• For regular homemade wet food, book a vet or veterinary nutritionist consultation to avoid nutrient gaps (taurine, vitamins and minerals).

Closing: make safe, vet-approved broth part of your cat’s wellness plan

Homemade bone broth and gravy can be a safe, effective way to boost hydration and appetites — when prepared with feline needs in mind. Follow the recipes and safety rules above, portion carefully, and lean on the growing network of tele-nutrition in 2026 for personalised oversight. If you’re ready to try it, start with a small batch and monitor your cat closely for any changes.

Call to action

Download our free printable recipe card and portioning chart, or book a 15-minute tele-nutrition check with a registered veterinary nutritionist through catfoods.uk. You can also build a simple one‑page recipe card or tracker using a no-code micro-app tutorial to keep portions and dates organised. Click the link below to get started and make your next batch both delicious and safe.

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