This study performed on 6 conscious cats with chronic pancreatic fistulas was designed to determine the role of cholecystokinin (CCK), gastrin and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) in stimulation of pancreatic secretion in this species. Pancreatic response to GRP infused intravenously in graded doses appears to be mediated predominantly by CCK because a CCK receptor antagonist, L-364,718, abolished this response. Also, gastrin appears to mediate in part the secretory response to GRP because blockade of gastrin receptors by L-365,260, given at the dose that completely abolished the pancreatic response to exogenous gastrin, caused a significant reduction in the bombesin-induced pancreatic secretion. CCK and partly gastrin appear to mediate the postprandial pancreatic secretion in cats as the administration of L-364,718 and L-365,260 inhibited this secretion by over 90 and 30%, respectively. In contrast, GRP does not seem to contribute to food-induced pancreatic secretory stimulation, because the blockade of GRP receptors using novel bombesin/GRP antagonist (RC-3100) failed to affect this secretion. We conclude that CCK and partly gastrin, but not GRP, play an essential role in the postprandial pancreatic secretion.