The Petwork

Always consult your vet before introducing new foods. Some ingredients safe for humans are toxic to pets. Suspected poisoning? ASPCA Animal Poison Control.

The Munchie Menu

Real, published pet recipes written out in full — ingredients, method, and the ingredients you must keep out of the bowl. Every card credits where the guidance comes from.

Dogs 10 min prep · 20 min bake Vet ApprovedBaked treat

Peanut Butter & Banana Dog Treats

A three-ingredient baked biscuit built on the classic peanut butter and banana combination, using only foods the AKC lists as safe for dogs.

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe banana, mashed
  • 1/2 cup xylitol-free natural peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat or oat flour
  • 1/4 cup water, as needed

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a tray with baking paper.
  2. Mash the banana, then mix in the peanut butter until smooth.
  3. Fold in the flour a little at a time, adding water until a stiff dough forms.
  4. Roll to 1 cm thick, cut into small shapes and bake 18–20 minutes until firm.
  5. Cool completely. Keep refrigerated and use within one week.

Danger alert — keep out of this recipe

  • Xylitol (birch sugar) in peanut butter — fatal to dogs even in tiny amounts
  • Chocolate, raisins, macadamia nuts
  • Added salt, sugar or honey
Source: American Kennel Club — Dog Nutrition
Dogs 35 min Vet ApprovedBalanced meal

Sweet Potato & Chicken Dog Bowl

A cooked whole-food bowl of lean chicken, sweet potato and green beans, following AKC guidance on balanced homemade dog food.

Ingredients

  • 500 g boneless skinless chicken, diced
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup green beans, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fish or flaxseed oil
  • Vet-prescribed calcium and multivitamin supplement

Instructions

  1. Boil the chicken in plain water until cooked through, no salt or masala.
  2. Steam or boil the sweet potato and green beans until soft.
  3. Combine, mash lightly and let it cool to room temperature.
  4. Stir in the oil and the supplement your vet has prescribed for your dog's weight.
  5. Portion into daily servings; refrigerate 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Danger alert — keep out of this recipe

  • Onion, garlic and all Indian tadka spices
  • Cooked bones of any kind
  • Feeding long term without a vet-prescribed calcium and vitamin supplement
Source: American Kennel Club — Homemade Dog Food
Dogs 5 min + 4 hr freeze Vet ApprovedSummer treat

Frozen Yogurt Pupsicles

A cooling summer treat of plain curd and dog-safe fruit, portioned small so it stays an occasional snack rather than a meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain unsweetened curd or Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup mashed banana or seedless watermelon
  • 1 tbsp xylitol-free peanut butter (optional)

Instructions

  1. Blend the curd with the fruit until smooth.
  2. Spoon into silicone moulds or an ice tray.
  3. Freeze at least 4 hours until solid.
  4. Serve one small pupsicle on a hot afternoon, outdoors or on a washable floor.

Danger alert — keep out of this recipe

  • Grapes, raisins and any sweetened yogurt
  • Xylitol-sweetened peanut butter
  • Large portions for lactose-sensitive dogs — start with a teaspoon
Source: American Kennel Club — Dog Nutrition
Cats 20 min Vet ApprovedHigh protein

Tuna & Rice Cat Bowl

A plain cooked topper of water-packed tuna and soft rice. Cats are obligate carnivores, so this is an occasional bowl alongside a complete diet — never a full-time replacement.

Ingredients

  • 1 tin water-packed tuna, no salt, drained
  • 1/4 cup well-cooked plain rice
  • 1 tbsp cooked and flaked white fish or boiled chicken
  • Vet-recommended taurine supplement

Instructions

  1. Flake the tuna finely and check carefully for bones.
  2. Mix with the cooled rice and the extra cooked protein.
  3. Stir in the taurine supplement at the dose your vet advises.
  4. Serve at room temperature; refrigerate leftovers and use within 24 hours.

Danger alert — keep out of this recipe

  • Onion, garlic, chives and leeks — toxic to cats
  • Cow's milk, which most adult cats cannot digest
  • Brine or oil-packed tuna, and any added salt
Source: Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat
Cats 25 min + freeze Vet ApprovedHydration

Chicken Broth Ice Cubes for Cats

Cats drink far too little water. Unsalted homemade chicken broth frozen into cubes is a simple way to add moisture during a Delhi summer.

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless chicken thighs or breast pieces
  • 4 cups plain water
  • Nothing else — no salt, no stock cube, no aromatics

Instructions

  1. Simmer the chicken in plain water for 20 minutes.
  2. Remove the chicken (use it in another meal) and strain the broth.
  3. Cool fully, skim off the fat and pour into an ice tray.
  4. Drop one cube into the water bowl or over food on hot days.

Danger alert — keep out of this recipe

  • Shop-bought stock cubes — almost all contain onion, garlic and heavy salt
  • Bones left in the broth
  • Serving frozen cubes whole to kittens or senior cats; melt them first
Source: PetMD — Cat Nutrition
Cats 10 min prep · 15 min bake Vet ApprovedBaked treat

Homemade Salmon Cat Treats

Small baked bites of cooked salmon and egg, rich in omega-3 for coat health. Treats should stay under 10% of your cat's daily calories.

Ingredients

  • 1 tin cooked salmon in water, drained and deboned
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1 tsp catnip (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Mash the salmon, mix in the egg, then add the flour to make a thick paste.
  3. Roll into pea-sized balls and flatten on a lined tray.
  4. Bake 12–15 minutes until firm, cool completely before serving.
  5. Store refrigerated for up to five days.

Danger alert — keep out of this recipe

  • Raw salmon and raw egg
  • Onion or garlic powder in any flavouring
  • Salt-cured or smoked fish
Source: Cornell Feline Health Center