Winter Melon

Cats need no vegetables, so one small cooked piece of winter melon is at most a novel treat that adds water and a little fibre for almost no calories.

One small nail-sized piece per serving, peeled, seeded and cooked, cut small, without reducing main-diet intake and within about 10% of daily energy intake.

Peel it, scoop out the seeds and pith, steam or boil until soft and cut it very small with no seasoning at all; do not serve it raw, as the flesh is firm.

**Candied winter melon is loaded with sugar and must never be fed**; **winter melon soup with ham, salt, oil and onion is out for cats too**; cats need animal tissue for protein, so winter melon stays a rare tiny treat alongside complete cat food.

Winter melon is mostly water with very few calories and only a little potassium and fibre, so cooked cubes work as a light vegetable treat for dogs that need to watch their weight.

Peel, seed and cook it, then cut small cubes and offer 1-2 tablespoons (about a teaspoon for a small dog) within about 10% of daily energy intake, with complete dog food as the main diet.

Peel off the skin, scoop out the seeds and pith, then steam or boil until soft and cut it into small pieces; **raw winter melon is firm, so cooking is the safer option**, and no salt, oil or seasoning goes in.

**Candied winter melon is packed with sugar and must never be fed**; **winter melon soup usually carries ham, salt, oil and onion, so skip it too**; it is mostly water, so keep servings small and **contact a vet** if vomiting or diarrhoea continues.