CAT CUISINE

Is your pet turning up its nose at mealtimes? Try home cooking, says Debora Robertson

When my husband Séan and I acquired our first cats, Delphi and Liberty, 20 years ago, we did what we thought we were supposed to do. We began feeding them a high-quality dry food with suitably scientific-looking packaging. Every morning and every evening, we dutifully doled out the specified amounts. They would sniff it with their beautiful noses, sometimes pat it with their dainty velvet paws. And then they might wander off, coming back to it later, maybe. See ya! Trees to climb, sofas to shred, more exciting stuff to do.

I can’t say my feelings weren’t hurt. I write recipes for humans for a living. I am used to people diving into my culinary offerings with glee. But here they were, these two snooty Burmese princesses, turning their noses up at the meals I was serving them. And who can blame them? Dried kibble. Every day. Wouldn’t you be a little put out? I would.

I began to feed them commercial wet food. This was an improvement – at least they looked happy to see me when I ventured into the kitchen, swirling around my ankles in a hungry dance of pleasure. They would dive into their food, eating everything and clattering their bowls across the floor as they licked every remaining morsel.

Then, because I can’t help myself, I began cooking for them too. If you come into my house, I am going to make you something to eat. Them’s the rules. It made me – and them – inordinately happy. I’ve rarely had such an enthusiastic response from