Turmeric for cats?

Does anyone give their cat turmeric? I've heard of it on other sites. How much do you give?

Yes. I used Curcumin (Turmeric) for my elderly dog the last two years of his life. It is a potent antioxidant that offers numerous health benefits to people and pets including joint health, hepatic (liver) support, GI support, heart support AND maintains the animal's normal inflammatory response. Though, because it stimulates the bile flow, contraindicated if there is a bile duct blockage or gall stone, Curcumin should be taken with food to minimize the irritation. It is very safe with multiple health benefits. To start, I would offer a cat 1/8 tsp. twice daily and usually needs to be syringed because of the taste - most cats won't readily eat it mixed in with even tuna, let's say. I must also say - talk with your vet first before starting to add this supplement to your cats diet as it is really only needed for certain types of conditions and/or diseases.

This thread will also be of some help as it has in depth information on Curcumin. http://www.thecatsite.com/t/282828/curcumin-in-treatment-of-ibd

As @Feralvr   said, please check with your vet first. Personally, I am always hesitant when it come to supplements. My take is that if it has active ingredients that can help, it also has the potential to cause harm. It's not unlike medicine, in that respect. So, not necessarily to be avoided, but I would consult with a vet and see if this is actually necessary. 

@Feralvr  @Anne  Thanks for the info.  I'm not going to use it.  I was just wondering about it since I've seen it around for dogs and was wondering if anyone used it for their cats.  

I use it for two of my cats with the knowledge of my regular vet and on the recommendation of my holistic vet. It, along with krill oil, resolved asthma in my cat for a year (we moved, and with more mold and pollen here, she needed more than that combination), and does a fantastic job of managing inflammation due to arthritis.

I do not recommend use of "The Golden Paste," which is raw turmeric, not standardized curcuminoid extracts, combined with coconut oil and black pepper. Coconut oil has been linked to liver problems in cats. Black pepper, there's just no info.

Oh - another reason to use the bottled extracts rather than the spice itself is that it is one of the most contaminated spices there is, with frequent recalls due to contamination, often with lead.