Would you believe that today I want to talk about pumpkin power? And it's not even Halloween or Thanksgiving. :)

However, in my Internet ramblings, I have discovered that pure pureed pumpkin is an almost miraculous digestive aid for kitties ~ and puppies, too.

This tip is from www.pets.ca:

Tip 75 - Pumpkin for cats - pumpkin for dogs - Pumpkin for diarrhea or constipation

If your dog or cat is having the occasional case of constipation or diarrhea, one of the things that might help is canned pumpkin. Yes canned pumpkin in its pureed form (NOT pumpkin pie filling) is a fantastic stool softener which makes it a good natural remedy for constipation. It often helps with upset stomach or indigestion for both cats and dogs. It is very rich in fibre and adding just one or two teaspoonfuls to your pet's food often gets the system moving in no time. Dogs will occasionally want to eat it directly and that's fine too. Sometimes though, finicky cats and dogs won't touch it no matter what you do.

On the opposite end of things is diarrhea. Since the dietary fibre in canned pumpkin absorbs water, it can be a great help to a cat or dog that has diarrhea. Some pet owners report that it firms up their pet's loose stools or diarrhea within a few hours. Again one to two teaspoonfuls is all that is needed.

N.B. It should be noted that both diarrhea and constipation can both be very serious and require immediate veterinary care depending on the cause. Whatever the cause, diarrhea or constipation lasting more than 24-36 hours requires vet care.

Since Trey has had some serious pooie problems, I have used the pumpkin successfully. Another site said that the pumpkin, administered weekly, also deters furballs, so I plan to add it to all my kitties' food.

Yet another tip recommended freezing the pumpkin in usable amounts by making pumpkin twisties out of plastic wrap or using baby food jars for larger amounts.

Who would have thought that something that looks amazingly like orange poo itself could be so useful? :)