Here's my stupid question(s) for the day. 

Why can't I just make a BIG batch of whatever I'm preparing for DH and myself and feed that to the cats and dogs on a regular basis?  I've been around 5 decades and I'm still kickin' after all.

Cassi (kitty) wants just about everything DH and I are eating, which I don't give her, but she wants everything.

I do love to cook, but I find all the measurements and analyses for pet food recipes daunting.

Of course, I'd leave out stuff like onions and other items which dogs and cats aren't supposed to have.  I use "natural" and organic as much as possible.  Maybe add taurine to the cats' portions and give the cats more meat/poultry/seafood/ground eggshells and/or supplements.

So, why can't I just give the cats and dogs a bigger portion of meat/poultry/seafood?  Why is this so complicated.  I'm not going to feed raw. Way too expensive for me, not to mention the gross out factor, and sanitation factor.  They may get an occasional commercial raw and canned.  Just thinking out loud, trying to simplify this.

I want to research daily requirements of people food as opposed to cat and dog requirements, but don't know where to start.

Right now, we're spending $200-$250 every 2 weeks to feed 12 fur kids.  I could buy a lot of "people" food with that.

Justme- Sometimes I do that. If I am making meatloaf or meatballs I mix all the basic ingredients[minus onion & garlic] & split it in 1/2. Then I finish ours with the seasonings & add eggshell,vitamins,etc to theirs. Put in pans & cook all together in oven. I've done it with soup also,again do the basics & split into 2 stockpots. For soups & stews I always add extra meat & less noodles or potatoes to theirs. I'm doing dog & cat food right now. 1 thing I have found that really helps is prep everything the day you get it. The meats can be cut up & cooked & frozen in ziplocs by lb. Then you just need to defrost it & mix with the other ingredients. Even the veggies can be cut up & blanched or pureed raw & frozen. You do lose a little of the nutrients that way,but its a big time saver.Also when its all measured & ready,you can easily make both cat & dog at the same time. I'm doing batches of 24 lbs of meat at a time & that lasts for 2 weeks [approx]. Thats for 2 cats & 3 dogs.

JustMe,
I homecook for my dog. She eats what we eat minus the seasonings or onion,etc. I do what lesliek does. If I'm making meatloaf or meatballs, I make extra for the dog (sometimes several helpings for her, freeze for later use). If I make a beef roast in the crockpot - I don't season so some can be given to her. Same for beef stew in the crockpot.
If I make chicken, hers isn't seasoned. If I'm grilling food - she has hers unseasoned.  I buy my meat in bulk to take advantage of sales. I also learned to talk to the butcher. If I take 10lb packages he will give me a price cut. Also if meat needs to go off the shelf because of pull date - I buy and cook it immeadiately and than freeze in portions. With vegtables, meat and some grain (oats,barley and brown rice - my dog needs carbs) the cost of her meals(she eats twice a day)/day is $0.92 - $1.34. She weighs 50 lbs and is modertely active. Another thing is to use fruits and vegtables that maybe overly ripe, ends of celery stalks, etc. I have to admit my cooking for one is a whole lot easier than you cooking for 12! Dog requirements are very similar to humans. I am not familiar with cats. To find info re:requirements there are several sites online. Mary Straus of Whole Dog Journal has a site Dogaware.com which is very informative, B-naturals has good info. in their archive and several Yahoo groups on cooking for pets. K9Kitchen,etc. Some of the lists are scewed torwards raw but many of the people on the lists home cook and some use commercial. What I've learned is I was starting to make this home cooking way to complicated - it doesn't need to be.

Katie

Gee, thanks for all the information everybody and the links.   

Last night, we had Creekstone beef chuck roast cooked in oven. Everybody wanted some.  Had to fight the dogs and cats off. 

I have half the roast leftover.  In this instance, I cooked it in a roasting bag with a mix, so I'm assuming the mix got infused into the meat, so didn't give the fur kids any.

I'd have to cook it without seasonings.

I'd take it easy on the sodium, for people and for pets.  You can start by leaving salt shakers off the table and adding less and less when you cook.  Replace the salt with other spices.  You won't even miss it after awhile.  I haven't cooked with it in at least 20 years.  Also not a good idea to give pets luncheon meats or cured ham or other sandwich meats and poultry.  Way too much salt.   Some of them are dunked in brine, as well.

This is absolutely right!  After a while, you and your family don't miss the salt at all.. I hardly ever use salt in my cooking now... my family season their own plates when they want to... usually my son-in-law would "pour" pepper on almost all his measl (blehhh). 

Mine all prefer people food. The only 1 that is a  big problem is Trooper,because his nose & mouth are at table height when he walks by. Oreo is the thief who hides on a chair under the table & jumps up the minute you turn your back.