Too much pumpkin?

[myfamilia]

I was just wondering how much pumpkin can you feed a cat? Is there a limit or can they be fed too much? My cat would eat a little food with his pumpkin if I let him.

[catbrothers]

I don't feed my cat pumpkin on a regular basis, I only use it in case
they are constipated - In that case, I give about a tablespoon.

[myfamilia]

Can pumpkin be used as an alternative to Lactulose? My vet gave me the impression the it was a good thing that my cat was eating pumpkin, especially because the lactulose upset his stomach so much. I had been giving him lactulose with each meal and wondered if I could do the same with the pumpkin. My cat suffers from chronic constipation but does not have megacolon.

[doodlebug]

I would give a little pumpkin with each meal to help keep things consistently moving. You probably want to adjust based on how it affects your cat. Pumpkin is a fiber source...too much may cause gas, and of course too little may not have the desired effect. So I'd start with the tablespoon a day split between meals for a few days, see what's happening and adjust accordingly.

[catbrothers]

I was just talking with my vet today regarding the pumpkin for constipation as my senior cat sometimes has problems.

pumpkin and Lactulose both work for constipation, but Lactulose is
stronger - he suggests to try pumpkin first to see what happens; and then if the cat is still having problems try lactulose.

He also mentioned to look for a good quality, higher fiber cat food.

[myfamilia]

Thanks for the input guys. There is alot of talk about how good pumpkin is to give a cat suffering from constipation. But, there isn't much info on what's enough or, more important, too much.

I know common sense says start small, and I know cats systems are all slightly different, but how would you know if it wasn't working? I mean, is there a chance that it could do more harm than good?

I'm asking this because I have been feeding pumpkin, about a tablespoon a day, to my cat for a couple of weeks and my cat has not moved his bowels for 8 days. He's going to the vet in the morning at 7:30. He is passing gas. I started the thread: Impacted stools, kitty can't poop

I'm just wondering if pumpkin can have the opposite effect in animals that suffer from chronic constipation. He just refuses to eat if the lactulose is mixed in his food. And I'm talking days.

[catbrothers]

If your cat has not pooped in 8 days even after giving him the pumpkin, something is not right - poor thing. No, I don't think that pumpkin would
hurt him and give him the opposite affect, I have never heard my vet telling me that it is harmful for him. When my cat has problems, I give him about a tablespoon for a couple of days and then he is okay.

When I have used the Lactulose, I don't mix it in my cats food, I use a syringe given to me by the vet and dispense it into the corner of my cats mouth quickly.

I hope that your cat will be okay, but that is not normal for them.

[myfamilia]

He's is ok, now that he's been to the vet. I had always been told to add the lactulose to his food. It wasn't until today that I was given a syringe.

No wonder he wouldn't eat that nasty sticky food. I'll be giving him lactulose for awhile. Until he realizes that he can poop easily and not be holding it back. After he gets it back in his head that he can poop easily, again, then I can slowly whean him into the pumpkin, the vet said.

I told her I was going to have some real funny pictures to share next time we came in. There going to be, of him, with pine needles sticking off of his face in every direction. Cause, after he gets most of what comes out of that syringe around his mouth instead of down his mouth, he's going to want outside just so he can go roll around with his face in the ground!

[catbrothers]

My Familia.

Glad you got the syringe. First of all, wait until your cat is in a relaxed state of mind and then give him the lactulose. I wait until my cat is lounging on a chair and then dispense it into the corner of his mouth(so he doesn't choke on the liquid) - it goes in quickly and he rarely has any leftovers to attract pine needles with The lactulose should work within a couple of days.

Good advise then from your vet in regards to offering him the pumpkin once things get going again. Hope it works out.

[Janis]

Just found this. This is a good discussion re use of pumpkin & amounts to use for cats when they have constipation...I keep some frozen in balls so I don't have to open a can & use for only a week sometimes.