Published Oct 16, 2024
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Whether you’re looking for a simple way to support your cat’s digestion or want to include them in your plans for spooky season, pumpkin cat food could be a good option. As an ingredient in cat food, pumpkin supplies dietary fiber and essential nutrients.
In this guide, we’ll cover our favorite cat foods containing pumpkin and briefly discuss what qualities to look for when shopping for pumpkin cat food.
At a Glance: Best Pumpkin Cat Foods To Buy
Almo Nature Classic Complete Premium Chicken Recipe with Ocean Fish & Pumpkin in Gravy Wet Cat Food
- Contains nearly 67% dry matter protein
- Limited list of ingredients, easily digestible
- Good source of hydrating moisture
Made by Nacho Cage-Free Chicken, Duck & Quail Recipe with Freeze-Dried Chicken Liver Dry Cat Food
- Rich in animal-sourced protein
- Contains freeze-dried chicken liver pieces
- Enriched with probiotics for digestive support
Weruva Kitten Chicken & Pumpkin Formula in Gravy Wet Cat Food
- Rich in protein to support kitten growth
- Contains plenty of hydrating moisture
- Short list of main ingredients, easily digestible
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Caté Variety Pack Wet Cat Food
- Contains more than 45% dry matter protein
- Rich source of hydrating moisture
- Smooth paté texture is easy for cats to eat
Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Chicken Variety Pack Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
- Variety pack includes four flavors
- Short ingredient list is easily digestible
- Rich in hydrating moisture
I and Love and You Feed Meow Tummy Tuna & Pumpkin Feast Grain-Free Chunks in Gravy
- Formulated for digestive support
- Rich source of hydrating moisture
- Individual pouches are easy to serve
Why Trust Cats.com
Over the past decade, I’ve tested hundreds of cat food products with my cats. From limited-ingredient diets to prescription products, we’ve tried it all. Throughout the process, I’ve spent countless hours researching brands, reading customer reviews, and analyzing cat food labels to learn what makes a product worth recommending.
Drawing on my extensive experience, I selected six pumpkin cat foods for in-depth testing. In addition to delving into brand research, customer satisfaction ratings, and more, I put these products to the test with my two cats, Munchkin and Biscuit. Together, we evaluated these pumpkin cat foods to determine their nutritional value, species appropriateness, and overall appeal for cats. Here’s a guide to how we rate cat food.
The Best Cat Foods With Pumpkin
Although pumpkin cat food isn’t a replacement for veterinary treatment, when necessary, it offers several potential health benefits. For cats with sensitive digestion, the fiber in pumpkin might help ease symptoms like diarrhea or constipation. Pumpkin has also been recommended for healthy weight loss and hairball support.
Every cat is unique, so we’ve included a variety of different products in our list of recommendations. Consider your own cat’s life stage, preferences, and nutritional needs when choosing a pumpkin cat food to try at home.
#1 Overall Best: Almo Nature Classic Complete Premium Chicken Recipe with Ocean Fish & Pumpkin in Gravy Wet Cat Food
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 13% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 36
- Typical Cost Per Day: $3.8 per day
Featuring chicken muscle meat as the primary ingredient with supplemental protein from sardines, this Almo Nature recipe is simple and easily digestible for cats. Measured as dry matter, it contains nearly 67% protein and slightly more than 10% fat.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Sunflower oil is the main source of added fat and one I’d prefer to see replaced with an animal-sourced option like salmon oil or chicken fat. It’s likely, however, that the sardines contribute some fat that also helps boost the omega-3 content of the formula. Aside from the pumpkin and a little tapioca starch and guar gum used as binders, this recipe doesn’t contain much added carbohydrate.
This wet cat food is full of shredded chicken and fish with very small pieces of pumpkin. It does have a little bit of gravy, but it’s mostly shreds of meat. My cat seemed to enjoy it.
Ingredients
Chicken, Water Sufficient For Processing, Sunflower Oil, Sardines, Pumpkin, Tapioca Starch, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Guar Gum, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B1 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K).
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Sardines, Pumpkin
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Starch
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Contains nearly 67% dry matter protein
- Limited list of ingredients, easily digestible
- Good source of hydrating moisture
What We Didn’t Like
- Relies primarily on plant-based fat
- Contains some added starch
#2 Runner Up: Made by Nacho Cage-Free Chicken, Duck & Quail Recipe with Freeze-Dried Chicken Liver Dry Cat Food
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 32% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 110
- Typical Cost Per Day: $0.80 per day
Though no dry food provides the moisture your cat needs, some cats simply prefer it over wet cat food. If your cat loves to crunch on kibble, this recipe from Made by Nacho offers a nutrient-dense choice made primarily from animal ingredients. You’ll find protein from three different animals on the list of ingredients: chicken, duck, and quail.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
What sets this dry food apart from the average commercial kibble is the inclusion of freeze-dried pieces of chicken liver. This boosts the protein content of the food, not to mention enhancing its flavor and appeal for carnivores like your cat. Like any dry food, this recipe is high in carbohydrates, but it features whole grains with pumpkin for added fiber.
This Made by Nacho kibble comes in small, round kibbles interspersed with pieces of freeze-dried chicken liver. It has a noticeable meaty aroma that caught my cat’s attention. I like that it comes in smaller bags but you’ll get the best per-ounce price buying the 10-pound bag.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Millet, Brown Rice, Dried Eggs, Sunflower Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Oat Groats, Chicken Bone Broth, Natural Flavor, Freeze Dried Chicken Livers, Deboned Duck, Quail, Chicken Livers, Squash, Pumpkin, Miscanthus Grass, Salmon Oil, Salt, Dried Apples, Dried Blueberries, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, Pomegranate Powder, Inulin, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamin Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin ), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Methionine Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Ethylene Diamine Dihydroiodide), Dried Cranberries, Dried Parsley, Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Dried Eggs, Freeze-Dried Chicken Livers, Deboned Duck, Quail, Chicken Livers, Pumpkin, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Sunflower Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Rich in animal-sourced protein
- Contains freeze-dried chicken liver pieces
- Enriched with probiotics for digestive support
What We Didn’t Like
- No dry food provides the moisture cats need
#3 Best for Kittens: Weruva Kitten Chicken & Pumpkin Formula in Gravy Wet Cat Food
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 11.5% Min
- Age Range: Kitten
- Calories Per Ounce: 29
- Typical Cost Per Day: $4.15 per day
Absolutely packed with protein from numerous animal sources, this Weruva kitten food is a species-appropriate and easily digestible choice for young cats. Measured as dry matter, it contains more than 67% protein and about 23.5% fat. It’s a nutrient- and energy-dense option that comes in a finely minced texture that’s easy for kittens to eat.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
To help ensure quality and safety, Weruva produces every cat food product in human facilities in Thailand. This food is free from animal by-products and artificial additives, and it is very low in carbohydrates. If your kitten prefers something smoother, the Weruva Kitten line also includes paté-style foods (though they don’t contain pumpkin).
When I opened the can of this food, I wasn’t surprised to find it looks like many other chicken-based Weruva products. It’s very soft and moist—somewhere between a finely minced and paté texture with small chunks of chicken mixed in. Munchkin really seemed to like the flavor of this one.
Ingredients
Chicken Broth, Chicken, Tuna, Pumpkin, Natural Flavor, Potato Starch, Sunflower Oil, Calcium Lactate, Guar Gum, Dried Egg, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source Of Vitamin K).
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Tuna, Pumpkin, Dried Egg
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Potato Starch, Sunflower Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Rich in protein to support kitten growth
- Contains plenty of hydrating moisture
- Short list of main ingredients, easily digestible
What We Didn’t Like
- Relies primarily on animal-sourced fat
#4 Best for Seniors: The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Caté Variety Pack Wet Cat Food
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 10% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 31
- Typical Cost Per Day: $5.75 per day
Smooth and moisture rich, these gourmet patés from The Honest Kitchen are easy for senior cats and cats with dental problems to eat. In this variety pack, you’ll find four flavors: Chicken Recipe, Turkey Recipe, Beef & Chicken Recipe, and Salmon & Cod Recipe. Each flavor comes in a resealable cardboard carton containing 2.8 ounces of food.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
On top of being easy to eat, the high protein content of this food makes it a great choice for senior cats. Measured as dry matter, the chicken recipe contains about 45.5% protein. The food is relatively calorie-dense, so your senior cat won’t have to eat large portions to meet their daily calorie needs. The food might also help older cats maintain healthy muscle mass.
My cats enjoyed the moist texture of this food and I appreciated how easy it was to store the leftovers right in the carton. The carton was sometimes tricky to open, but overall I prefer it to cans that I have to cover or put in a bag to refrigerate.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Pumpkin, Carrots, Blueberries, Cranberries, Natural Chicken Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Agar Agar, Dandelion Greens, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Magnesium Proteinate, Taurine, Copper Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Zinc Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Salmon Oil.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Pumpkin, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Contains more than 45% dry matter protein
- Rich source of hydrating moisture
- Smooth paté texture is easy for cats to eat
- Fairly low in carbohydrates
What We Didn’t Like
- Cartons might be tricky to open
#5 Best for Picky Eaters: Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Chicken Variety Pack Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 10% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 26
- Typical Cost Per Day: $4.40 per day
If you’ve got a picky eater on your hands, switching up the flavor of your cat’s food sometimes helps. Featuring five different recipes, the Aloha Friends chicken variety pack from Tiki Cat offers protein-rich, easily digestible, and flavor-packed recipes for finicky cats. Because they’re all variations on the same base formula, you should be able to rotate through the recipes easily once your cat has gotten used to one flavor.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Each recipe starts with chicken muscle meat as the primary ingredient, followed by chicken broth as a flavorful source of moisture, and pumpkin for a boost of dietary fiber. From there, the recipes include a variety of supplemental proteins like duck, lamb, beef, or egg. All five recipes contain more than 55% protein measured as dry matter and plenty of hydrating moisture.
If chicken doesn’t appeal to your picky eater, the Aloha Friends variety pack also comes in an assortment of four fish-based flavors. These recipes feature tuna as the main ingredient with supplemental protein from ocean whitefish, shrimp, or calamari. All the foods have a moist, shredded texture that cats seem to enjoy.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Pumpkin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Source Of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium Iodate, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Menadione Bisulfite Complex.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Pumpkin
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Variety pack includes four flavors
- Rich in moisture and animal-sourced protein
- Short ingredient list is easily digestible
What We Didn’t Like
- Might not be appropriate for cats with chicken allergies
#6 Best Food Topper: I and Love and You Feed Meow Tummy Tuna & Pumpkin Feast Grain-Free Chunks in Gravy
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 8% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 21
- Typical Cost Per Day: $5.28 per day
If you want to introduce some extra fiber into your cat’s diet, a food topper made with pumpkin is a simple solution. More than just pureed pumpkin, however, this meal topper from I and Love and You is also rich in animal-sourced protein and hydrating moisture. With pumpkin as a main ingredient, it’s a good source of prebiotics to help support healthy digestion.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
It’s worth noting that while this recipe is called Tuna & Pumpkin Feast, it also contains lamb. Unless your cat has food allergies, this is a good thing—it contributes additional flavor and protein to the product. Measured as dry matter, this food contains 50% protein. Plus, it’s a complete and balanced recipe, so you can feed it as a standalone meal if you want to.
I liked that this product was nice and moist—there’s plenty of liquid but no lack of meaty shreds. I ended up buying this product as part of a variety pack, but it’s the only flavor in the selection that contains pumpkin.
Ingredients
Fish Broth, Tuna, Lamb, Pumpkin, Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Starch, Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Reduced Iron, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide), Fructooligosaccharide, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source Of Vitamin K Activity)), Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride.
Ingredients We Liked: Tuna, Lamb, Pumpkin
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Starch
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Contains 50% dry matter protein
- Formulated for digestive support
- Rich source of hydrating moisture
- Individual pouches are easy to serve
What We Didn’t Like
- Not a single-protein recipe
What To Consider When Buying Pumpkin Cat Food
When shopping for cat food, it’s essential to keep your cat’s core nutritional needs in mind. Since cats are carnivores, products made primarily from animal ingredients are ideal. That’s not to say cats can’t derive nutrients from healthy plant foods, but their bodies are designed to absorb and utilize nutrients from animal proteins more efficiently.
As long as the product you’re buying meets your cat’s basic requirements, you have plenty of freedom to get picky about ingredients or flavors. If your cat has occasional digestive issues or your vet recommends a fiber-enriched diet for another reason, pumpkin could be a helpful ingredient to look for.
Here are some things to consider when shopping for pumpkin cat food:
- The higher pumpkin appears on the list of ingredients, the more significant it is—ingredients are listed by weight, so those used in large volumes will appear first.
- Pumpkin is often added as a source of dietary fiber in cat food but, more specifically, as a prebiotic fiber to help encourage healthy bacterial balance in the gut.
- If you’re buying pumpkin cat food for its digestive benefits, consider a wet food rather than a dry food—the added helps keep things moving through the digestive tract.
- Be sure to introduce new cat food products slowly—especially if they contain high-fiber ingredients like pumpkin that your cat might not be used to.
Want to learn more about the benefits of pumpkin for cats? Check out this detailed article.
Can Cats be Given Pumpkin Baby Food?
Yep, you can feed your cat a little pumpkin baby food as long as it’s 100% pure pumpkin with no added sugars or spices! It’s actually helpful for their digestion if they’re having tummy troubles, but keep it to a small amount—about a teaspoon per meal should do the trick
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed my cat pumpkin every day?
Yes, in small servings. As an ingredient in a complete and balanced cat food product, pumpkin is safe to serve your cat every day. Daily portions of plain pumpkin might be appropriate for some cats, but it's best to get your veterinarian’s approval.
How fast does pumpkin work for cat constipation?
It varies. In some cases, you might notice improvements in just a few hours after feeding your cat pumpkin. Results could take one to two days in cases of severe constipation. Some cats might experience faster results eating fresh pumpkin than cat food containing pumpkin.
What is the best pumpkin for cats?
If you want to feed your cat pumpkin on a regular basis, look for it as an ingredient in a complete and balanced cat food product. Otherwise, stick to unsweetened pumpkin puree or fresh pumpkin baked or steamed without the seeds and skin.
