Homemade Chicken & Fish Toppings: what should I do first?

When using homemade foods (chicken tenderloin, chicken breast, or white fish such as cod) as a topping, the golden rule is to keep it within 10–20% of total daily calories (about a pinch to 1 teaspoon). When cooking, never use any human seasonings—salt, soy sauce, bouillon cubes, or soup stock granules—and simply boil (or steam) in plain water. The most useful part is the cooking liquid (broth) from boiled chicken. Rather than giving a lot of the meat itself, pouring warm broth over dry food adds moisture and aroma while keeping phosphorus down.

What should I avoid doing?

Giving human dried fish flakes, dried small fish, salted dried anchovies, or canned tuna (packed in oil or with salt) as is (too much salt, magnesium, and phosphorus can cause urinary stones and high blood pressure; always choose salt-free products made for pets). / Feeding large amounts of raw oily fish (such as mackerel or sardines) every day (too many unsaturated fatty acids can cause yellow fat disease (steatitis), a painful inflammation of body fat).

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Homemade Chicken & Fish Toppings: Phosphorus and Salt Rules

🚨 Check first

Giving large amounts of boiled chicken breast, raw fish, or dried fish flakes every day with good intentions leads to excess phosphorus and protein, upsetting the balance with calcium and causing strain on the kidneys and urinary stones.

📌 The answer in 3 seconds

When using homemade foods (chicken tenderloin, chicken breast, or white fish such as cod) as a topping, the golden rule is to keep it within 10–20% of total daily calories (about a pinch to 1 teaspoon).
When cooking, never use any human seasonings—salt, soy sauce, bouillon cubes, or soup stock granules—and simply boil (or steam) in plain water.
The most useful part is the cooking liquid (broth) from boiled chicken. Rather than giving a lot of the meat itself, pouring warm broth over dry food adds moisture and aroma while keeping phosphorus down.

📊 Flowchart

Step 1Boil chicken tenderloin or chicken breast (with skin and fat removed) thoroughly all the way through in water with no seasonings at all (raw chicken carries a risk of food poisoning from bacteria such as Campylobacter or Salmonella, so always cook it).
Step 2Shred the meat finely and wrap it in single portions (about 5 g [0.2 oz]) in plastic wrap, freeze the broth in an ice cube tray, and at each meal thaw one cube and pour it over the food at skin temperature.
Step 3For senior cats aged 7 or older or cats whose kidney values are a concern, hold back on phosphorus-rich dried small fish, dried fish flakes, and the chicken meat itself, and make use of the broth (the clear top layer) that carries only the aroma.

⭕ Step-by-step fix

Step 1 · What you can do at home right now
Boil chicken tenderloin or chicken breast (with skin and fat removed) thoroughly all the way through in water with no seasonings at all (raw chicken carries a risk of food poisoning from bacteria such as Campylobacter or Salmonella, so always cook it).
Step 2
Shred the meat finely and wrap it in single portions (about 5 g [0.2 oz]) in plastic wrap, freeze the broth in an ice cube tray, and at each meal thaw one cube and pour it over the food at skin temperature.
Step 3
For senior cats aged 7 or older or cats whose kidney values are a concern, hold back on phosphorus-rich dried small fish, dried fish flakes, and the chicken meat itself, and make use of the broth (the clear top layer) that carries only the aroma.

❌ Never do this

Giving human dried fish flakes, dried small fish, salted dried anchovies, or canned tuna (packed in oil or with salt) as is (too much salt, magnesium, and phosphorus can cause urinary stones and high blood pressure; always choose salt-free products made for pets).
Feeding large amounts of raw oily fish (such as mackerel or sardines) every day (too many unsaturated fatty acids can cause yellow fat disease (steatitis), a painful inflammation of body fat).

📋 Make notes for the vet

Your notes save automatically on this device, so they stay even without a signal at the clinic.

Your cat

Since when

Symptoms and things to tell the vet

The types of human foods you usually give as toppings and the daily amount.
Any history of kidney disease or urinary stones (such as struvite) (if your cat eats a prescription diet, always check with your vet whether homemade toppings are okay).

Urine

Stool

Photos and items to bring

Notes (breathing rate, amount eaten, times, etc.)