Canned Pumpkin

Question
I have read and heard that canned (pureed) pumpkin has many benefits for cats (I have 4- ages 4-12 years).  I buy organic
canned pumpkin and put it into ice cube trays to freeze and just
thaw out one cube at a time.  I am not sure how much to give my cats.  They recommend 1/4 teaspoon all the way to 1 tablespoon
depending on weight but fail to stay the breakdown of- how much if so many pounds.  My cats range from 10 lbs. to 15 lbs.  I would
really appreciate if you could tell me how much is safe to
give them by their weight.

Answer
Cheryl,

Canned pumpkin is a great source of fibre for cats who have issues with constipation or frequent furballs. My advice would be to start out at the lower end, say with 1/2 tsp or so per cat and gradually work up to no more than 1 tbsp. There aren't any real weight guidelines as this isn't a drug but if you find that your cats have loose bowels back off a bit on the pumpkin. Keeping the digestive system healthy is incredibly important in cats just as it is in humans, my recommendation would be to consider checking out www.catinfo.org (a website with extensive common sense nutritional information written by a veterinarian, Dr. Lisa Pierson) for further information on the unique nutritional needs of your feline companions. In addition to providing small amounts of canned pumpkin for your cats I would also suggest that you consider occasionally supplementing the cats' diet with 1 tablespoon or so of plain unsweetened organic yogurt at least 2-3 times a week since probiotics are an incredibly important part of many aspects of a cat's health (not just for their digestive benefits). Probiotics are being used to treat renal failure, digestive upsets (aka vomiting and diarrea), skin conditions, and immune system support. I do recommend speaking with a licensed holistic vet in your area to get recommendations for a good quality probiotic should you choose to supplement with powder/pill versions of probiotic supplements that have been specifically designed for cats, but I generally just go with the yogurt because the vast majority of cats tolerate it well (the probiotics and other enzymes break down the lactose sufficiently so that most cats don't have any ill effects from small portions of yogurt). I give each of my furry kids about a tablespoon of plain organic yogurt daily and they enjoy their special treat. If you have any further cat related questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me again - I'm more than happy to help you and your cats in any way that I can.

Regards,

Ali