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Eggshell powder: a natural source of calcium for homemade cat food
Calcium is an essential mineral in every homemade cat food recipe, especially when bones are not included. In a natural prey diet, cats obtain calcium and other important minerals by consuming the bones of their prey. When preparing homemade cat food without bones, an additional calcium source is needed to provide the minerals that would naturally come from bones.
Meat and organ meat provide many important nutrients for cats, but they do not contain enough calcium to balance the naturally higher phosphorus content found in meat. Calcium and phosphorus need to be provided in the right balance, as both minerals work together in many important processes within the body.
A diet without an appropriate source of calcium may not provide the mineral balance needed to maintain normal bone structure. Therefore, calcium is an essential part of a properly balanced homemade cat food recipe.
Calcium and phosphorus balance
For cats, calcium and phosphorus need to be supplied in an appropriate ratio. A calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of approximately 1.1:1 to 1.3:1 is commonly used when formulating homemade diets.
Eggshells are a natural source of calcium carbonate. When finely ground into powder, eggshell provides a concentrated source of calcium and can be used to balance homemade cat food recipes when fresh bones are not included.
Calcium is needed for
- maintaining normal bone structure
- normal muscle function
- normal cell function and renewal
- normal heart function
- normal nerve signalling
- normal blood clotting
- normal energy metabolism
Use eggshell powder according to a recipe. When preparing homemade cat food, always ensure an appropriate calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of approximately 1.1:1 to 1.3:1 in the complete diet.
As a general guideline, use approximately 5–6 g of eggshell powder per 1,000 g of fresh boneless meat (with or without organ meat) to help balance the calcium content of the recipe.
Please note:
Eggshell powder provides mainly calcium and only small amounts of phosphorus. While it can be used as a calcium source when preparing homemade cat food without bones, adding eggshell powder to meat alone does not make a complete and balanced diet. The overall recipe should provide an appropriate balance of calcium and phosphorus based on the ingredients used.