Pumpkin supplement for cats

[moreknow]

I've been reading that pumpkin is really good for cats' digestion and has good source of vitamins and fiber, what is the best pumpkin product y'all recommend? I'll make sure to introduce it slowly to my outdoor cats' diet

 

[daftcat75]

Pumpkin is a good source of fiber and an excellent source of moisture. Pumpkin puree is more than 90% moisture. It is a questionable source of vitamins however because cats lack (or lack sufficient amounts of) many enzymes that utilize plant-based nutrients. Cats are evolutionarily designed to get those vitamins from meat. For example, cats cannot convert beta carotene to vitamin A. For the fiber and the moisture alone though, we can overlook whether or not those pumpkin vitamins are bioavailable (cat can use them.) Any pumpkin puree that's simply pumpkin (no spices, no pie filling!) or a pet/cat formulated pumpkin topper like those made by Tiki Cat and Soulistic will be suitable. Remember, it's just fiber and moisture. Anything the cat can get out of the pumpkin through digestion (maybe some small amount of iron and potassium but probably not the vitamin A from beta-carotene) is simply bonus.

 

[LTS3]

Generally, veggies have no use in a cat's diet. Pumpkin is probably the only one that is ok to give once in awhile to help with constipation. There are canned and pouched cat foods that contain pumpkin. That's easy enough to include in your cat's diet. There are pet specific pumpkin only products such as Weruva's Pumpkin Patch Up you can buy at pet stores but they're no different from a large can of pumpkin puree you can buy at a store for way less.

A can of 100% pumpkin puree can be portioned out into small cat serving sized portions (use ice cube trays) and frozen to use whenever needed. Any brand works, even store generic. It just has to be 100% pumpkin only, not pumpkin pie filling or anything else. Libby's is one brand name you can find in grocery stores and big box stores.

For digestion help, look into probiotics. Here's some info:

How To Improve Digestion?

I wasn't sure if this belonged here or in the health thread but I need a little help with something. Recently, Fayola has been having bathroom troubles when pooping. She's either constipated or her poops are too soft. Not as firm as before. Same thing is starting to happen to Harvey and Felix...

thecatsite.com

Probiotics Search - Human Grade and CFUs

I've been trying to find a good probiotic. All my research has results in some questions: Human probiotics - Have heard different stories on whether or not to give to a cat. Have heard that you shouldn't give them to a cat because some human strains could irritate them. Have also heard that you...

thecatsite.com

Prebiotics & Probiotics for Cats: Healing Inflammation and gut dysbiosis

How to restore gut health, not just manage symptoms, in feline IBD

www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org

 

[JulietteTruong]

What’s a good amount to add per meal? A teaspoon, once a day? How often per week?

 

[livismom1]

My cat eats Farmina venison and pumpkin wet food every day. It is the only food besides his raw dehydrated food that he will eat. He eats 1-11/2 cans a day.

 

[moreknow]

Pumpkin is a good source of fiber and an excellent source of moisture. Pumpkin puree is more than 90% moisture. It is a questionable source of vitamins however because cats lack (or lack sufficient amounts of) many enzymes that utilize plant-based nutrients. Cats are evolutionarily designed to get those vitamins from meat. For example, cats cannot convert beta carotene to vitamin A. For the fiber and the moisture alone though, we can overlook whether or not those pumpkin vitamins are bioavailable (cat can use them.) Any pumpkin puree that's simply pumpkin (no spices, no pie filling!) or a pet/cat formulated pumpkin topper like those made by Tiki Cat and Soulistic will be suitable. Remember, it's just fiber and moisture. Anything the cat can get out of the pumpkin through digestion (maybe some small amount of iron and potassium but probably not the vitamin A from beta-carotene) is simply bonus.

Interesting analysis of the nutrition value, than you so much
I think I'll look for a supplement, it's just tough trying to feed 20 cats and making sure they get the suplements ;

 

[moreknow]

Generally, veggies have no use in a cat's diet. Pumpkin is probably the only one that is ok to give once in awhile to help with constipation. There are canned and pouched cat foods that contain pumpkin. That's easy enough to include in your cat's diet. There are pet specific pumpkin only products such as Weruva's Pumpkin Patch Up you can buy at pet stores but they're no different from a large can of pumpkin puree you can buy at a store for way less.

A can of 100% pumpkin puree can be portioned out into small cat serving sized portions (use ice cube trays) and frozen to use whenever needed. Any brand works, even store generic. It just has to be 100% pumpkin only, not pumpkin pie filling or anything else. Libby's is one brand name you can find in grocery stores and big box stores.

For digestion help, look into probiotics. Here's some info:

http://[URL]https://thecatsite.com/threads/how-to-improve-digestion.426158/

[/URL]

http://[URL]https://thecatsite.com/threads/probiotics-search-human-grade-and-cfus.262587/

[/URL]

http://[URL]http://www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org/probiotics-for-cats---why-and-which-ones.html

[/URL]

 

[moreknow]

Generally, veggies have no use in a cat's diet. Pumpkin is probably the only one that is ok to give once in awhile to help with constipation. There are canned and pouched cat foods that contain pumpkin. That's easy enough to include in your cat's diet. There are pet specific pumpkin only products such as Weruva's Pumpkin Patch Up you can buy at pet stores but they're no different from a large can of pumpkin puree you can buy at a store for way less.

A can of 100% pumpkin puree can be portioned out into small cat serving sized portions (use ice cube trays) and frozen to use whenever needed. Any brand works, even store generic. It just has to be 100% pumpkin only, not pumpkin pie filling or anything else. Libby's is one brand name you can find in grocery stores and big box stores.

For digestion help, look into probiotics. Here's some info:

http://[URL]https://thecatsite.com/threads/how-to-improve-digestion.426158/

[/URL]

http://[URL]https://thecatsite.com/threads/probiotics-search-human-grade-and-cfus.262587/

[/URL]

http://[URL]http://www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org/probiotics-for-cats---why-and-which-ones.html

[/URL]

IM going to look into this product and the Weruva one. Thank you so so much
It's just that my outdoor cats seem to have stomach issues here and there and there's no really an effective supplement that can help them with their digestion. Would I add a little bit of pumpkin to each plate?
This is how i feed them daily

 

[moreknow]

What’s a good amount to add per meal? A teaspoon, once a day? How often per week?

those are things im still trying to figure out, my 24 cats would have me run out of pumpkin the first day i get it for them lol

 

[moreknow]

My cat eats Farmina venison and pumpkin wet food every day. It is the only food besides his raw dehydrated food that he will eat. He eats 1-11/2 cans a day.

is his stool and digestion appearing healthy?

 

[LTS3]

What’s a good amount to add per meal? A teaspoon, once a day? How often per week?

Try a teaspoon once a day to start. Some cats won't eat pumpkin straight up or mixed with food but may eat canned cat food that contains pumpkin.

moreknow What stomach issues do the cats have? Food sensitives can be a culprit.

 

[livismom1]

is his stool and digestion appearing healthy?

Since he really no longer gets kibble, he has stopped throwing up, less hairballs, and poo seems good. He's still a big fat lazy cat but he seems to finally tolerate wet food. He gets 1/2 a 2.8 oz can at a time.

 

[LadyLondonderry]

Some cats won't eat pumpkin straight up or mixed with food but may eat canned cat food that contains pumpkin.

Sylvie is one of those cats. I tried adding a bit of Libby's pumpkin puree to her food and she refused it, but she eats Rawz rabbit & pumpkin canned food with no complaints.

 

[lisahe]

What’s a good amount to add per meal? A teaspoon, once a day? How often per week?

Every cat is different but based on our experience, I'd start with a lot less! I put small amounts in our cats' homemade food. Each batch gets a heaping teaspoon, each batch is 11 meals. So each cat gets one heaping teaspoon over 11 days. We feed it because one cat has a tendency to get constipated. The right amount helps but too much can make her constipated, too. (Pumpkin can work both ways.)

I've always used either Weruva's packets or (now) Beechnut baby food. It's organic pumpkin and (at least where I am) cheaper to buy and easier to use than Weruva since it's in a little jar instead of a pouch. It's much, hm, more pureed than Weruva -- it looks very, very different -- so maybe it would be worth trying if a cat hasn't liked Weruva pumpkin.

 

[moreknow]

so I plan on trying (in no particular order):
-Weruva pumpkin cat supplement
-Farmina cat food
- Libby's pumpkin
- Tiki Cat
- Soulistic
I will post an update soon on here on which one I'm currently trying and if the cats like it

 

[catsknowme]

My cats have had plain Libbys which works well.

 

[Flybynight]

I second the Farmina foods with pumpkin. I don't feed them everyday but like the mix of proteins, Pumpkin & venison, pumpkin & quail and duck and pumpkin.

 

[livismom1]

I second the Farmina foods with pumpkin. I don't feed them everyday but like the mix of proteins, Pumpkin & venison, pumpkin & quail and duck and pumpkin.

The Farmina Venison and pumpkin is the only wet food that my cat will eat more than a few bites of at a time. He will kind of eat the duck and quail ones. I don't know what I'll do if they stop making it, or he decides he hates it.

 

[Flybynight]

L livismom1
Have you tried the other Farmina lines - lamb and blueberry or wild boar and apple might be liked.
There is also quinoa & coconut Varieties.
Also, I think it may be Tiki Cat who does a similar food with pumpkin but with chicken.

 

[livismom1]

L livismom1
Have you tried the other Farmina lines - lamb and blueberry or wild boar and apple might be liked.
There is also quinoa & coconut Varieties.
Also, I think it may be Tiki Cat who does a similar food with pumpkin but with chicken.

My cat is a jerk! Lol. He hates everything. He will nibble on the boar and apple flavor. He despises the quinoa one I tried. He hates every other brand of wet food we've tried. He was fed trash dry food (meow mix and kit n kaboodle) for over 6 years before coming to live with me. So the fact that after a year, he is finally off dry food completely and I have found 1 wet food and 1 raw dehydrated food that he will eat, is a win. My daughters farm cats have gotten pounds and pounds of wet and dry food that Oliver won't eat.