If you’re looking for a healthy snack to give to your pet, you may be wondering whether pumpkin is the perfect choice for your pet.
However, as cats are sensitive creatures, you will of course want to ensure whether they can safely eat pumpkin before you give it to them.
The good news is that yes, cats can eat pumpkin! However, you will need to be careful about which type of pumpkin you give to your pet.
This is because while some types of pumpkin are safe for your cat to munch on, such as cooked pumpkin or raw pumpkin, other types of canned pumpkin are best avoided.
This is because the types of pumpkin that we use for things like pumpkin pie filling aren’t good for your cat.
There are a whole bunch of spices and seasonings included in there which aren’t good for your feline friend.
Today, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about giving your cat pumpkin.
There are also a whole bunch of health benefits in pumpkin for cats, which we will cover in more detail below.
So let’s take a look at everything you need to know about giving your furry friend pumpkin!
Which Pumpkin Can I Give To My Cat?
It’s important to stick with plain pumpkin when it comes to giving this to your feline friend.
This is because plain pumpkin won’t have any of the additional spices that could harm your cat when they eat it.
Feeding pumpkin to your cat is super simple.
We would advise either roasting or boiling chopped pumpkin, then adding this to your cat’s food bowl alongside their regular food.
Make sure to avoid cooking your fresh pumpkin with any seasonings such as garlic, salt, or onions, as these can be toxic for your cat.
While this is perfectly fine for human food, your adult cat won’t need these in their diet, and it could cause them gastrointestinal issues if you were to include them.
Remember not to feed your cat sweeter things such as pumpkin pie filling. This will have too many sugary things in it that will be detrimental for your cat’s health.
It will be better to stick with fresh pumpkin, and to make sure to prepare this properly.
Remove any pumpkin seeds from your pumpkin, and make sure to peel the pumpkin skin.
The pumpkin seeds can pose a choking hazard for your pet, which we’re sure you want to avoid. The pumpkin skin will be too tough for your cat to chew.
How Much Pumpkin Can I Give My Cat?
It will be important to err on the side of caution when it comes to giving your cat pumpkin for the first time.
Even though pumpkin is technically safe for your cat to eat, you will need to monitor their reaction after they eat it for the first time.
You will also only want to give them a small piece at a time and see how they cope with this.
Monitor your cat’s reaction after they first eat a teaspoon of pumpkin.
If they display any signs of discomfort, such as an upset tummy or diarrhea, it will be significant to stop feeding your cat pumpkin.
Even though pumpkin for cats is considered to be safe, your cat’s delicate digestive system won’t want to eat too much of this.
It’s also essential to note that cats are carnivores. This means your cat will need to have a high protein diet so that they can maintain lean, healthy muscles.
So even though they will need some dietary fiber in their diet, veggies should only account for around 10% of your cat’s daily intake.
There are of course many benefits of pumpkin for your cat. It is an excellent source of fiber, which can help improve any digestive issues your cat may be suffering from.
It can help to make their bowel movements more regular, even when given in small amounts.
Pumpkin also has plenty of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
Can Cats Have Pumpkin Purée?
Cats can have pumpkin purée, however, you will need to opt for the plain cooked pumpkin purée.
Make sure to avoid opting for pumpkin pie fillings, as these have additional ingredients such as spices and sugar which will have a detrimental effect on your cat’s health.
It will always be best to opt for cooked pumpkin over raw pumpkin, as this will be easier for your cat to eat.
By choosing pumpkin purée, you can easily mix this in with their regular cat food to make it easier for them to eat.
Will Pumpkin Hurt My Cat?
No, pumpkin won’t hurt your cat if you give it to them in moderation.
It will be best to opt for plain, cooked pumpkin, as this will be much more beneficial for your pet.
If you give them too much pumpkin in one sitting, this could cause them to suffer from diarrhea, an upset tummy, and other gastrointestinal issues.
This is because cats are carnivores – they largely need protein in their diet rather than vegetables.
So if you were to give your cat too much pumpkin, this would of course affect their delicate digestive systems.
If you give your cat the wrong type of pumpkin, this could cause gastrointestinal upsets.
Especially if it has lots of ingredients which are considered to be toxic to cats, such as a high sugar content, garlic, or onions.
In Summary
So there you have it! Pumpkin is indeed safe for cats, however, you will need to be careful as to what type of pumpkin you give to your pet.
It will be important to opt for organic pumpkin rather than canned pumpkin pie filling, as this will be healthier for your cat.
This is because canned pumpkin purée has a whole load of added spices and flavorings to make it more palatable to us humans, which aren’t good for your cat.
Instead, make sure to opt for cubed, cooked pumpkin.
You should also opt for a small bit of pumpkin rather than large chunks or amounts, and this will be best fed alongside your cat’s usual wet food.
There are many benefits of pumpkin for your cat, with pumpkin being an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, as well as soluble fiber.
If in doubt, opt for a small bit of pumpkin mixed in with your cat’s usual food as a treat.
I’m Courtney Trent and I hope that I can answer some burning questions that you have about cats, as well as some questions that you’d never have thought to ask before.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
