A couple of years ago I decided it was time to get rid of cat chow, because that brand, like most, contains gluten. Dry cat food containing gluten has the disadvantage of spreading gluten dust around the house, making a gluten-free lifestyle impossible.
The first attempt was a failure. I bought a number of higher quality brands of cat food at the pet store, and the cats went on a hunger strike. Two were eating, if begrudgingly. The other two (I had four at the time) started to lose weight. I decided it was time to try something different when they became known as "the naked cat" and "the scabrous cat".
So I went back to supermarket food and bought "sensitive systems". My boyfriend moved in with his cats, who had been accustomed to eating a pet store brand of dry kibble that contained barley. All the cats accepted the new food and ate it without reservation.
Since then Fluffy, the old man kitteh in the household, developed a digestive problem we called "splorts", involving explosive liquidy diarrhea. Before bringing him to the vets, I decided to make a last ditch effort to remedy this on the presumption there was something in that cat food he had an intolerance for.
The main ingredients were turkey, brewer's rice, corn gluten, and soybeans, which I made sure to omit. I instead developed a recipe based on what goes into pet store quality kibble.
Gluten-free Chicken and liver cat food (AKA "swill")
1 cup dried split peas
1 sweet potato, about 1 pound
1 tub of chicken livers (16-24 oz)
2-1/2 pounds chicken thighs, with skin, bone-in
Put the split peas to soak for about an hour. Drain and rinse, put into a pot, cover with water, and bring them to a boil. They will likely foam, and you may need to keep the heat low until they stop foaming. It may help to skim the foam. Then cover and simmer until soft. Drain liquid and mash until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator.
Microwave the sweet potato whole until a knife goes through it easily. Allow to cool, then peel. Chill.
Drain and rinse chicken livers. Put in a nonstick pan under medium heat with a tablespoon of butter, chicken fat, beef fat, or pork fat. Turn them as they cook, then break up into smaller pieces with a spatula. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and allow the water to boil away. When dry, put into the refrigerator to chill.
Put the chicken thighs in a non-stick frying pan, skin down. Cook over medium heat until brown, then flip, cook until brown on the other side. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook until a knife goes easily through the thickest part. Cool until they can be handled, then remove the bones. Chill.
Chicken livers and chicken should be chopped small but not pureed. It is easier for the pooties to eat this if it is loose and crumbly rather than pasty, mushy, or soupy. You can chop in a food processor or with a knife. Include the skin. Then add the sweet potato and split peas and smash together with a fork until well mixed. You will be adding any chicken fat from the pan.
Result: Fluffy no longer has the splorts. He enjoys this and is eating large quantities, and he is putting on weight and acting perkier.