Can Cats Eat Pumpkin Puree?

It smells great and can lure anyone in, but can cats eat pumpkin puree? Whether you have fall leftovers or want to add a new dish to your feline’s menu, here’s the answer!

My cats are curious and love to taste anything they can, and I feel guilty for not sharing my pumpkin pie when the holidays are around. I decided that this festive season would be different, so I wanted to list cat-safe holiday foods that my cats can have with me. 

In this article, I share what I found out about pumpkins, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie!

Can Cats Eat Pumpkins?

Yes!

Pumpkin is a healthy veggie to add to your feline’s diet. It’s available year-round and can help your cat with digestive issues. You can serve pumpkin in various ways, making it a versatile vegetable to work with. 

The Benefits Of Pumpkin For Cats

Let’s carve deeper into the good stuff! 

Pumpkins are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. Here’s how it can help your cat:

Vitamins

Pumpkin is packed with Vitamin A, C, and E and minerals like iron and folate.

These can boost your cat’s immune system, increase blood cell production, improve their eyesight, and help them get a healthy coat that shines!

Fiber

Pumpkin is full of fiber and can boost your cat’s digestive health. If your cat struggles with constipation, servings of pumpkin can relieve this, and if your cat has diarrhea, the right amount of pumpkin can stop it. 

Antioxidants

The antioxidants in pumpkin can prevent the formation of cancerous cells and help cats with anxiety and stress. Both of these can lead to heart disease and chronic illnesses in cats. 

Weight Loss

If your cat is overweight, or you’d like to adjust their diet to prevent this, pumpkin is an excellent vegetable to add. 

Replacing 20% of your cat’s regular food with fiber-rich veggies like pumpkin, which is also low in calories, can make them feel fuller for longer and keep them away from their food bowl and snacks. 

Can Cats Eat Pumpkin Puree

Typically, store-bought pumpkin puree isn’t the best choice for your kitty. These are often preserved with additives that may be toxic to cats, and the added sugars are bad for their health. 

If you’d like to serve your cat pumpkin puree, you can make your own at home! All you have to do is:

• Cook the pumpkin until it’s soft, without any salt or sugar.
• Puree it in a blender until you reach your desired consistency.

That’s it! So easy!

Can Cats Eat Pumpkin Pie?

Unless you’re making pumpkin pie at home, you shouldn’t feed your cat any.

Many of the ingredients in store-bought pumpkin pie can harm your cat and make them uncomfortable and sick. If you really want your cat to enjoy the goodness of pumpkin pie, opt for making it yourself and only using cat-safe ingredients.

Learn more about Why Is Pumpkin Good For Cats?

How To Serve Pumpkin To Cats

Plain and simple is the way to go. The natural aromas of pumpkin will be enough to convince your cat that a taste will be worth it! But, if you want to be more creative, you can try these serving suggestions:

Pumpkin Popsicles For Cats

Pumpkin popsicles are fun for kitties to lick, and they’ll get a healthy dose of protein and fiber with these. All you need to make them is boneless chicken breasts (skin removed), the leftover cooking liquid from making it, and pumpkin puree. 

Steps:

• Thoroughly cook 2 chicken breasts
• Remove it from the water, and blend it with ⅓ cup of pumpkin puree until it’s smooth.
• Add some of the cooking liquid and mix further to reach a runny texture (add more water as needed)

When you have the right consistency, you can pour the mixture into popsicle molds and let the freezer do its work. Your cat will love this treat!

Mashed Pumpkin for Cats

I prefer making mashed pumpkin for my cats because it’s so versatile. 

You can serve mashed pumpkin as is, mix it with either dry or wet cat food, or use it as a topping. 

To make mashed pumpkin for your cats, you simply need to cook it as usual and then use a potato masher or fork to mash it up. 

How Much Pumpkin Can Cats Eat?

Because it’s so healthy, cats can have pumpkins daily. Adult cats can have a serving of ½ to 1 teaspoon per day, and smaller kitties should have less than ½ a teaspoon. 

If you only serve pumpkin once in a while, you can increase the portion to tablespoons. 

Read mores about Is Pumpkin Good For Cats With Kidney Disease?

In Ending

Besides its bright, earthy color, the pumpkin has lots of goodness, making it an attractive veggie to add to your cat’s menu. It’s unlikely to cause any issues, even if you accidentally overfeed your kitty, and you can serve it in different fun and tasty ways. 

My cats love pumpkin with their regular meals and on their own as a treat. I try to serve it no more than three times a week, and we haven’t experienced any issues yet.

I hope this answered all your pumpkin-serving questions and inspired you with fun ways to include it in your cat’s diet. If you have any other questions not answered above, ask them in the comments!