Is Pumpkin Good for Dogs or Cats: What Are the Health Benefits?

This seasonal squash is good for more than carving jack-o'-lanterns or baking pies. Learn more about the health benefits of pumpkins — for you and your pet.

By Stephen C. George
Oct 10, 2023 1:00 PMNov 3, 2023 4:13 PM
Cat dog pumpkin
(Credit: Piotr Braniewski/Shutterstock)

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Since its domestication by early farmers around 10,000 years ago, few cultivars have been more burdened by myth and misinformation than the unassuming winter squash we know as the pumpkin. But pumpkins are good for much more than warding away evil spirits (when carved) or acting as a delivery system for nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves (when pureed for pie).

As it happens, pumpkins are nutritional powerhouses, pharmacological wonders and offer tasty treats for both humans and their pets. Here are some facts worth knowing about the health benefits of these amazing orange orbs.

What Are the Health Benefits of Pumpkin?

(Credit: olgaman/Shutterstock)

As fruits go (yes, pumpkins are classified as a fruit, not a vegetable) pumpkins are known to nutrition experts as a superfood, meaning that their flesh and seeds are particularly nutrient-dense and packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

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