Can Cats Eat Pumpkin Seeds? Best Skipped, Here's Why

The short answer on pumpkin seeds and cats

Pumpkin seeds are best left out of your cat's bowl. Pet Poison Helpline's fall food guidance says that pumpkin itself is nutritious, but that the seeds and rind should not be fed to your pet because they can cause choking and blockages. That is a physical risk rather than a poison, and it is the main reason this page says no.

Cats are small, and a seed is a hard, flat, slippery thing that a cat tends to swallow whole rather than chew. If you carve pumpkins this fall, treat the seeds as people food only and keep the pile out of paw reach. If you want to share pumpkin with a cat, read on for the plain flesh option, or play with cat puzzle feeders that make mealtime more interesting instead.

Why seeds are a poor snack for a cat

The trouble starts with size and texture. A whole seed does not break down easily, and a few swallowed together can pile up in a small cat's digestive tract and block it. A blockage is a veterinary problem that can mean repeated vomiting, no appetite and a sore belly, and it is not something to wait out at home.

There is also nothing in a pumpkin seed that a cat needs. Cats eat meat, and a well-balanced cat food already covers their needs, so a seed adds risk without adding anything the cat is missing. The ASPCA also cautions that high-fat foods such as nuts can cause vomiting, diarrhea and possibly pancreatitis, which is another reason to be wary of oily, calorie-dense seeds as snacks.

Roasted, salted and spiced seeds are worse

Most pumpkin seeds people actually have around the house are not plain. Roasted jack-o-lantern seeds are usually salted or oiled, and snack-bag seeds are often seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder or spice mixes. The ASPCA notes that onions, garlic and chives are a particular concern for cats, which are more susceptible than dogs, so a seasoned seed is a double problem.

Keep seeds that have touched pumpkin spice, chocolate coatings or sweeteners away from your cat as well. VCA Animal Hospitals' fall food advice for cats says to avoid pumpkin-flavored sweets such as pies and lattes, because the sweeteners and preservatives can upset a cat's stomach. If your cat has eaten something seasoned and you are worried, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661; a fee may apply.

What to do if your cat swallowed a few seeds

If your cat stole a few plain seeds from the counter, stay calm and take the rest away. Watch your cat closely over the next day or so for vomiting, a swollen or painful belly, loss of appetite, straining in the litter box or unusual hiding. A cat that is bright, eating and passing normal stools is generally behaving as usual.

Call your veterinarian the same day if your cat swallowed a large number of seeds, ate seasoned or salted ones, or shows any of those signs. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home and do not give human medicines. Your vet can tell you what to watch for and whether your cat needs to be seen.

Can kittens eat pumpkin seeds?

Kittens should not have them either, and the risk is higher because everything is smaller, from the throat to the intestine. A kitten also has far less room for error, and a blockage or an upset stomach can make a very small cat unwell quickly.

Keep decorations, carved pumpkins and bowls of seeds out of reach while kittens are exploring. For a young cat, the safest treats are the ones made for kittens and anything your veterinarian suggests, in small pieces, never human snacks.

Plain pumpkin is the better choice

Pumpkin flesh is a different story. VCA lists pumpkin among the good fall foods for cats, and Pet Poison Helpline says cooked or processed pumpkin is much more digestible than raw. Choose cooked, plain pumpkin or canned pure pumpkin with pumpkin as the only ingredient, and offer a spoonful at most as an occasional extra. Our guide on whether cats can eat pumpkin covers how to serve it.

If your cat is food-motivated, you can spend that energy somewhere safer. A wooden cat foraging maze or an interactive cat puzzle feeder turns part of your cat's normal meal into a game, and a slow feeder bowl suits cats that gulp. For more ideas, read our guide to cat puzzle toys or browse all cat puzzle feeders.

Signs of trouble and when to call the vet

Call your vet the same day if your cat vomits more than once, stops eating, strains to pass stool, seems painful when you touch the belly, or becomes lethargic after eating seeds or any pumpkin treat. Do not wait to see whether it passes. Cats that stop eating can become seriously ill quickly.

Go to an emergency vet immediately if your cat is gagging, drooling, pawing at its mouth or struggling to breathe, which can mean something is stuck in the throat.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.