Yes! Pumpkin is safe for your dog to eat and is packed with lots of different nutrients. It contains Vitamin A which promotes eye health and reduces eye degeneration. It contains vitamin C which promotes overall immune health and when combined with other vitamins, can act like an antioxidant and potentially reduce the risk of cancer. Pumpkin is rich in nutrients such as potassium to help regulate blood pressure, improve muscle health and assists with metabolism. Vitamin A and zinc boosts your pets skin and coat by adding moisture to make the skin less flaky and reduce shedding. Pumpkin can be toxic to a whole array of dog parasites and cause them to expel from the digestive system making it a natural dewormer. Pumpkins have a high fiber content so can be very beneficial to weight loss in a dog when just a few teaspoons are added to their diet daily and can also reduce constipation. On top of that, it has a high moisture content, providing your dog with some of its required water intake easily and naturally.

Yes, cats can also eat pumpkin. Again, it is a great aid to their digestive system which can help with diarrhea and constipation. Dietary fiber has been known to soak up excess stomach acid and water and can also help move any ingested fur through the digestive tract. It can also be used as a weight loss supplement. 20% of their diet can be substituted with pumpkin which will result in lower calories but will leave your pet feeling just as full. The high content of fatty acids present are great for aiding good urinary and digestive health.

Yes, our small animal friends can eat pumpkin but in smaller amounts, ideally as a treat. Keep a close eye not to over feed pumpkin or it will result in constipation or diarrhea. Same as cats and dogs, pumkin is high in antioxidants to improve coat and eye health, high in fiber to improve digestion and low in fat which is perfect for weight management. It has natural anti-fungal properties due to its high potassium content levels to help prevent infection. It also provides many essential nutrients into their diet such as zinc, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus that are essential for boosting immunity. Pumpkin keeps your pet fuller for longer and will reduce the risk of hairballs.

Another yes for our exotic birds! Pumpkin can be given as a treat in small amounts. It provides a natural source of protein to the diet which is needed for muscle and tissue growth. It is also a fantastic source of calcium which is crucial for the normal function of nerves, the brain and muscles as well as bone formation. The fats it contains are another essential part to the diet which can be a great benefit as it provides good amounts of Omega 3 and Omega 6. This will help with heart health which is especially important as your parrot gets older. The most common source of unsaturated fats is fish oil which birds commonly don’t like the taste of, so pumpkin is the perfect alternative for this!

Don’t throw away the pumpkin seeds you scrape out when carving pumpkins. Let them dry, and put them in a bird feeder and leave them in your back garden! Once you’re finished with your pumpkin, cut it into smaller pieces for foxes, deer and other mammals to feast on.

Alternatively, if you have a south facing patch of land that has well-drained soil you could plant your seeds! This will give you your very own pumpkin for the following year and you’ll be feeding the pollinators (bees) for the spring and summer too!