This High-Protein Homemade Feline Food Is the Cat’s Meow

Dear SOS: I’m in urgent need of a cat’s yummy recipe. My cats, Julian and Cleo, will be most grateful. You frequently print a dog’s biscuit recipe, but none, to my knowledge, for cats. Several brands of cat food are sold in grocery stores, but they are very expensive. I’d like to try making it for my own and my friends’ cats.

--ERICA

Dear Julian and Cleo: Mummy wants to make you some cat food, so we are printing this high-protein meal formulated only for healthy adult cats, which I assume you are. Growing kittens or pregnant queens have special dietary needs and should have their diets prescribed by a veterinarian. Another thing: Have Mummy ask your veterinarian to purchase some supplements that fulfill the feline minimum daily requirements for vitamins and trace minerals because they have to be added to the formula as insurance. And, meow. It was good talking to you.

DIET FOR CATS

1 pound ground beef (not lean), cooked

1/4 pound pork liver, cooked

1 cup cooked rice

1 teaspoon corn oil

1 teaspoon ground egg shell

Balanced supplement that fulfills feline minimum requirements for all vitamins and trace minerals

Combine cooked ground beef and liver in large bowl. Stir in rice, oil and egg shell. Feed sufficient amount to maintain normal body weight, adding supplement in amount recommended for cats by veterinarian. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Makes about 1 1/2 pounds.

Note: Recipe was developed for healthy adult cats. Consult veterinarian for feeding growing kittens or pregnant cats.

Dear SOS: Several of my friends and I would be most grateful if you could furnish us with a recipe for Italian Sausage Soup from One West California Restaurant in Pasadena.

--PATRICIA

Dear Patricia: The recipe was scaled down to a fourth of that used at the restaurant. But what a good, simple soup it is.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

6 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons brown cooking sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 pounds spicy Italian sausage links

2 onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Burgundy wine

3/4 pound tomatoes, diced

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sweet basil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano

1 tablespoon minced parsley

4 ounces bowtie noodles

6 ounces shredded Jack cheese

Combine beef stock and brown cooking sauce in large pot. Bring to boil.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil and add sausage links. Fry until browned on all sides, turning often. Cool sausages and slice 1/4-inch thick. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.

Add sausage slices, onions, green pepper and garlic. Saute until onions are tender, but not browned. Add sausage mixture to stock mixture.

Add wine to skillet in which sausage mixture was cooked. Scrape brown bits with wooden spatula to loosen from bottom of skillet. Bring to boil. Boil until wine is almost absorbed and pan is glazed. Add to stock mixture in pot. Skim off fat from stock mixture.

Add tomatoes, zucchini, basil, oregano and parsley. Bring to boil again. Add noodles. Simmer until noodles are tender, about 12 minutes, stirring soup occasionally. Top soup with shredded cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Note : Add more beef stock if a thinner soup is desired.

Dear SOS: Could you please send me a copy of Cornmeal Cookies, printed in the Food Section a couple of years ago? At the time I thought I was allergic to corn, as well as wheat, so did not save the recipe.

--P.

Dear P.: Oh, good. It’s time for a repeat performance, anyway.

CORNMEAL COOKIES

3/4 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

1/2 cup raisins, optional

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add egg and beat well. Add baking powder, flour, salt, cornmeal, nutmeg and raisins and mix well. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Makes about 3 dozen.