The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

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Ruth B
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The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

Post by Ruth B »

Since Tiggy has started to have problems with bladder and kidneys, I have also noticed that her stools are also rather hard, something that the vet said is yet another symptom of he condition. I looked for pumpkin puree earlier in the year and to get a jar of pure pumpkin puree, not the pie filling was horrendously expensive, I don't mind paying out for her, but i do draw the line at some prices. So a couple of months later and it is that time of year, the run up to Samhain, and as turnip carving has gone out of fashion, pumpkins are plentiful in the supermarket, so I decided it was time to DIY and make and freeze some pumpkin puree. Having done a bit of research with the aid of my good friend Google, i chopped the small pumpkin in half, scooped out the seeds, (I couldn't help but put them in a container to put in the shed, some may get planted next spring, others may go on the lawn to feed the birds where hopefully Saturn won't be able to ambush them), then popped the two halves in the oven for a while. When they had cooled I started scooping out the insides to puree tomorrow, intending to follow some good advice from on here, use the ice cube tray to freeze it in. Tiggy was pestering around, as she had been when I had been peeling potatoes and chopping onion earlier, if you are working in the kitchen it has to be for her. So feeling perverse myself, and having told her she wouldn't like it, I put a small amount down for her, unpureed, just as it came out of the pumpkin, and Tiggy being Tiggy ate it, and was pestering for more.

I do wonder if it is the fibrous texture she liked, meat is fibrous so has a similar texture, I love potted beef (my sister can get it in Liverpool, but there is no sign of it in the Midlands so she buys me pots to freeze when ever we meet up), but I can't stand any thing made with minced beef, the meat is shredded for potted beef not minced so I think it has to be the texture, and I wonder if the same might be true for Tiggy. As I have plenty of pumkin I might shred some as well as pureeing it and see if it makes any difference in the future or if it it just that i was making it then and it was still a little warm.
The things we do to try and help our kitties.
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

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Oh good girl Tiggy! Interesting about it being linked to the condition, is that the bladder part or the kidneys or both? Because every now and again Molly gives me a dried shrivelled little pebble, whereas mostly we have decent normal-ish deposits.

PS you could also roast some seeds for yourself to enjoy.
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

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I'm not really sure, I think it was to do with the kidney issue, but I have a feeling it is all linked in together anyway. When we took her originally with the Cystitis, the vet did a urine test which is what picked up the kidney issue, not serious, no mention of any medication of special diet, but I think she said the gravity of the urine was wrong, I can't remember if it was high or low, which indicated problems with the kidneys, and was why the vet didn't want her to have Metacam. She asked about Diarrhea and that was when I mentioned that there was no Diarrhea, if anything Tiggy was the other way and the stools came out hard and small. The vet didn't seem overly concerned at that, and just said it was expected and not to worry about it, I guess if she had Diarrhea that would have been where the cause for concern lay.

Fortunately Tiggy does drink well which is probably helping things, Cat Milk is one of the few things I can still get her to take the Gabapentin in, along with freshly cooked chicken, if it is a few days old she doesn't like it any more. Currently we are off the smoked salmon and cream cheese and i'm cooking a chicken about every 5 days, fortunately we like chicken, and Saturn is always willing to help eat any left overs, old or not. Of course the pond water is still a firm favourite as well no matter how many or how often she has fresh bowls of water put down for her.
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

Post by booktigger »

Hard stools are likely to be kidney related, as the body sucks moisture from wherever it can, including the bowel. I love roasted pumpkin seeds, haven't managed to make my own though, a colleague's daughter used to bake us a pumpkin pie and seeds every year
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

Post by fjm »

If you live near an American base, or know someone who does, tinned pure pumpkin is usually available in supermarkets in the run up to US Thanksgiving. Might not be this year, of course, with all the supply line issues, but if you can lay in a few cans it is extremely useful for digestive problems through the year. Butternut squash and orange sweet potato also work. There again, Tiggy may find boring old cans far less appealing than the real thing...
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

Post by Mollycat »

Oh well if sweet potato works I shall have no trouble at all with Lady Molly, as she turns down steak and other meats for mashed potato or sweet potato. It isn't just the butter in it either, because she will more than happily take neat potato from the middle of a roast or boiled one without butter. I put it down to her potassium being out of balance giving her the craving for it.

Has anyone ever done a Cheshire Cat pumpkin carving? I imagine that would work very nicely, being orange.
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

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Unfortunately I live in Wolverhampton so no American bases near me that I know of. Its nice to know that butternut squash and sweet potato can help if need be, they tend to be more readily available year round.

Personally I think we should promote the old idea of carved turnips instead of pumpkins, as apparently that is what used to be used to make jack o' lanterns, having tried to cut into a turnip once, it would certainly be more of a challenge to the carvers than a pumpkin is.
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

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I'm with you, I second your turnip proposal! And I'm going to give it a try.

I also much preferred the Penny for the Guy to the modern and equally American Trick or Treat.
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

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Lucy likes sweet potato, so if she needs help in that department, I'll give it a go!
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Re: The Perfidy of the Pumkin Puss

Post by Ruth B »

i'm with you on the penny for the guy, but the older trick or treat I don't mind, ts just the modern variant which is little more than blackmail in my opinion i don't like. Originally the children would dress up in costume and go around the neighbours trick or treating. They would have something like an old pillow case to hold whatever they were given and couldn't see what the person put in (i guess except for the first one or two, but the idea was you didn't look). The trick or treat part was from the people they visited, if the person thought the costume was good and time and effort (not necessarily money) had been put into it then they would put a treat int he pillow case such as a small wrapped cake, if they thought the costume wasn't so good they would put a trick into the bag, the used tea back of piece of moldy cheese were a couple of options i heard about. There was no throwing eggs or flour at peoples houses or damaging cars, it was children putting in an effort and getting small rewards for doing so. Unfortunately commercialism has turned it on its head and children with parents that can afford out can just go out and buy a costume and then get all upset because the most expensive outfit didn't get the biggest treat as a reward.

Fortunately around us, there is either very little of it going on each year, or the idea of only going to houses that have marked that they are willing to take part by displaying a lit pumpkin has taken hold. We always buy a bag of fun size chocolate bars just in case, then turn off all the lights at the front of the house and hide in the back room. November 1st, we start eating the chocolate bought for the trick or treaters.
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