Cat food with pumpkin
Pumpkin turns up in a small number of cat foods and treats, usually as a source of fibre rather than a headline ingredient, and it is included in modest amounts alongside the main named meat protein cats need as obligate carnivores. It is not a substitute for meat in a cat's diet, but as one ingredient among several it is a genuinely reasonable one, and plain cooked pumpkin can also be given in small amounts alongside a normal complete diet.
What pumpkin does in a cat food recipe
Pumpkin is a source of soluble fibre, which some recipes include to support normal digestion and stool consistency. It is low in fat and calories relative to the amount of fibre it provides, which is part of why it appears in some sensitive-stomach or digestive-support style recipes rather than as a general everyday ingredient.
It does not supply the protein a cat needs, so it always appears well down the ingredients list, behind the named meat or fish that forms the backbone of a proper feline diet. A cat is an obligate carnivore, and no amount of pumpkin changes that basic nutritional requirement.
How to check whether a food or treat contains it
Not every wet or dry cat food contains pumpkin, and it is more commonly found in treats or in recipes specifically marketed around digestive support than in an everyday complete food. The ingredients list on the back of the pack, in descending order by weight, is the reliable way to check for a specific product rather than assuming from the range or the marketing on the front.
If your cat has a sensitive stomach and you are looking specifically for a recipe with pumpkin included, check a few packs directly, since formulations do change and the pumpkin content of any one product can vary from batch to batch.
Can I just give my cat plain pumpkin?
A small amount of plain, cooked, unseasoned pumpkin — with no added salt, sugar, spice or onion — is something many cats tolerate fine as an occasional extra, though it should never replace part of a proper complete diet. Introduce it gradually, in a small amount, and watch for any change in stools.
Pumpkin pie filling, spiced pumpkin, or anything canned for human cooking with added ingredients is not suitable, since these often contain sugar, spices or other additions that are unnecessary at best for a cat and unsafe at worst. If your cat has an ongoing digestive issue, speak to your vet rather than relying on pumpkin to manage it.
With it, and in stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Felix as Good as It Looks Meaty Selection in Jelly
Twelve 85G pouches of chunks in jelly, in a selection built for a cat who changes its mind
£5.79
Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food Tuna Fillet with Prawn in Broth
Tuna fillet and prawn in broth, with two can sizes to choose from
From£16.69
Bell & Duke Cat Complete Chicken
A complete raw chicken meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, 98% chicken. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Sheba Fine Flakes Cat Pouches Poultry Collection in Jelly
Fine flake cat pouches in jelly, a poultry collection across duck, chicken and turkey
From£7.49
Felix Pouches Deliciously Sliced Fish Selection in Jelly 12pk
Sliced fish in jelly across four recipes, for cats fed a fish-based diet
£6.49
Bella & Duke Cat Complete Turkey, Chicken & Lamb
A complete raw meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, made with turkey, chicken and lamb. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Bella & Duke Cat Complete Lamb & Duck
A complete raw meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, made with lamb and duck. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Bella & Duke Cat Complete Turkey & Salmon
A complete raw meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, made with turkey and salmon. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Bella & Duke Cat Complete Turkey, Rabbit & Lamb
A complete raw meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, made with turkey, rabbit and lamb. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Gourmet Perle Ocean Flakes Cod Salmon Plaice Saithe
Cat food pouches in fish-based jelly, made without colourants, in 85g portions
From£7.94
Felix Pouches Deliciously Sliced Mixed Selection in Jelly 12pk
Sliced meat and fish in jelly, four recipes in one box for cats who like variety
£6.49
Purina One Mini Fillets Mixed Selection in Gravy 40pk
Wet cat food in gravy, four flavours in mini fillets, 40 pouches
£18.15
Common questions
- Is pumpkin good for cats?
- In small amounts, plain cooked pumpkin is a reasonable occasional extra for many cats and is sometimes included in cat food as a source of fibre for digestive support. It is not a substitute for the meat-based protein a cat needs as an obligate carnivore.
- Can pumpkin help a cat with an upset stomach?
- Some owners find a small amount of plain pumpkin helps with mild, occasional digestive upset, and it is why some recipes and treats include it. It is not a treatment for an ongoing problem, so if your cat's digestion is regularly upset, speak to your vet rather than relying on pumpkin alone.
- How much pumpkin can I give my cat?
- A small teaspoon-sized amount of plain, cooked pumpkin mixed into a meal occasionally is enough for most cats. There is no benefit to giving more, and a large amount of any new food added suddenly can cause its own stomach upset.
- Does Giddy Pets stock cat food with pumpkin in it?
- Pumpkin appears in a small number of products across our cat food and treats range rather than being a standard ingredient throughout, so check the ingredients panel on a specific product to confirm. What is shown in the grid reflects what we currently have available to order.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.