On this article, we’ll take an in depth take a look at the connection between cats and milk, exploring milk’s dietary advantages and well being results, why cats shouldn’t drink an excessive amount of milk, and what you may give your cat as a substitute.
Can Kittens Drink Milk?
There’s no denying it. Cats can positively drink milk. You’ve seen the illustrations of kittens clustered round a saucer of milk. You’ve seen milk-flavored cat treats. Possibly you’ve even watched your personal cat lapping it up.
Whether or not it’s from a cow, goat, or mama cat, kittens and grownup cats can and do drink milk. There’s additionally no denying that milk is a pure a part of the feline eating regimen—when it comes from Mother.
Like all mammals, kittens depend on their mom’s milk as their sole supply of diet. A cat’s milk has the right steadiness of important vitamins to assist kittens develop and thrive.
And like all child mammals, kittens produce an enzyme referred to as lactase. This enzyme’s major job is to digest lactose, also referred to as milk sugar. When kittens drink their mother’s milk, these lactase enzymes go to work on the milk sugar, breaking it into glucose and galactose, two easy sugars that take up simply into the bloodstream.
With out lactase, that lactose could be indigestible.
As a substitute of breaking down and transferring easily into the physique, the milk sugar would keep intact and transfer into the colon. There, the undigested lactose would begin fermenting, draw water into the colon, and trigger the signs we affiliate with lactose intolerance—bloating, diarrhea, and gasoline.
Is Milk Dangerous for Cats?
To assist them digest the milk sugars of their mother’s milk, kittens naturally produce an enzyme referred to as lactase. As they develop up, they produce much less of this enzyme and plenty of turn out to be lactose-intolerant.
After Kittens Are Weaned, They Begin Producing Much less Lactase. Most Grow to be Lactose-Illiberal. And herein lies the issue with cats and milk. Cats are, for essentially the most half, lactose-intolerant animals.
Additionally Learn: Weaning Kittens: Suggestions For Profitable Weaning
If an grownup cat tries to drink the identical quantity of milk they’d as a kitten, they’d get an upset abdomen. They simply don’t have the lactase enzymes wanted to make the milk digestible.
Small quantities of milk gained’t make your cat sick, however greater than a tablespoon or so might trigger digestive misery.
There are just a few exceptions to this rule.
Cats can extra simply digest lactose-free milk and different merchandise made for lactose-intolerant individuals. They’ll additionally eat different low-lactose dairy merchandise, together with most laborious cheeses, yogurt, and bitter cream.
As with all meals not supposed or balanced for cats, these needs to be thought of occasional treats that make up lower than 10% of a cat’s whole energy for the day.
Cats Don’t Get A lot Dietary Worth Out of Milk.
Kittens require the distinctive steadiness of vitamins current of their mom’s milk. Something moreover this milk or a specially-formulated cat milk replacer will result in dietary deficiencies.
Nursing kittens depend on their mom’s milk to outlive, however every other sort of milk fails to ship the well-rounded diet your kitten or cat wants. It’s not a nutritionally full meals and even shut. For those who select to provide your cat milk, make it a really occasional deal with.
It’s not an alternative to a nutritionally full and balanced eating regimen. And if you happen to’re caring for a younger kitten, by no means substitute cow’s milk for mom’s milk or kitten method.
What Can You Give Your Cat As a substitute of Milk?
In case your cat loves milk, be happy to give it to him as an occasional deal with. So long as you’re not giving him a lot that it triggers a response or makes a giant dent in his day by day calorie funds, milk could be a nice deal with. If you wish to play it protected with lactose intolerance, go for a lactose-free product.
Cats who love milk and need greater than only a few sips may get pleasure from specially-formulated cat milk merchandise, usually discovered on the cat meals aisle of pet shops and groceries. These merchandise are lactose-free drinks made with cats in thoughts. Some are fortified with taurine for an amino acid enhance.
For very younger kittens, there’s no substitute for mom’s milk or a particularly formulated kitten method. Cat milk replacers are the one protected alternative for bottle-feeding a kitten.
Regularly Requested Questions
What sort of milk is protected for cats?
Cats can safely drink small quantities of any milk, whether or not it’s from a cow, goat, sheep, or different animal. Any greater than a few tablespoons, nevertheless, might trigger abdomen upset. If given in small quantities, milk substitutes like soy, almond, and cashew gained’t make your cat sick, however they’re not one thing to provide your cat regularly.
Why do cats love milk?
It’s one of many nice mysteries of the feline world. Milk is a cat’s first meals and, like people, that enjoyment of milk continues past infancy. Some additionally speculate that farm cats developed a style for milk as a cheerful complement to the mice they caught within the barn. Cats are seemingly drawn to the feel and aroma of the fats and protein in milk.
Can milk kill cats?
It’s unlikely. In distinction to some human meals which can be poisonous to cats—chocolate, for instance—milk is comparatively protected and there’s little or no probability that even a big amount of it might kill a cat.
When ought to cats cease consuming milk?
Kittens start the weaning course of at round 4 weeks of age and needs to be full by the point they’re eight to 10 weeks previous. For those who’re bottle-feeding a kitten, they need to proceed consuming kitten method solely till they’re round 4 weeks previous, then regularly transition to strong meals.
How a lot milk can cats have?
Whereas veterinarians agree that milk isn’t a full meal and needs to be given as a deal with solely, there isn’t any consensus on how a lot milk is protected for cats. There are about 9 energy in a tablespoon of entire milk, which is about 5% of your cat’s day by day calorie requirement.
Treats should not make up greater than 10% of your cat’s day by day consumption, so as much as 2 tablespoons of milk could also be a protected, calorically average deal with. With new treats, all the time begin small to see in case your cat tolerates it earlier than growing the quantity regularly.
What occurs if you happen to give cats milk?
Generally, nothing. For those who give your cat an excessive amount of milk—for instance they drink 1 / 4 of a cup of it—they could expertise some gassiness and diarrhea.
Can cats drink lactose-free milk?
Sure. It is not nutritionally full and you may nonetheless have to be cautious to maintain these energy beneath management, however lactose-free milk is a protected various for cats.
Are cats allergic to exploit?
Meals allergy symptoms are unusual amongst cats, however when cats do develop allergy symptoms to dietary proteins, dairy is a typical wrongdoer. Indicators that your cat is allergic to exploit embrace itchiness, digestive points, hair loss, and watery eyes.
Can cats digest milk?
Sure and no. Whereas cats can digest different elements of milk, grownup felines have a restricted capability to digest the lactose (milk sugars) current in it.
Does milk give cats diarrhea?
As a result of most cats are lactose-intolerant, consuming an excessive amount of milk may give them diarrhea. For those who discover your cat having free stools after consuming milk, reduce on the quantity you are giving them or take into account a lactose-free various. Lactose-free milk or specifically formulated cat milk might give your cat the style they love with out the diarrhea that follows.
Does milk make cats poop?
Indirectly. Nevertheless, cats might poop extra or have free bowel actions after consuming milk because of the presence of lactose, a milk sugar that the majority cats cannot digest. When this lactose strikes into your cat’s colon, it begins to ferment and should trigger bloating, gassiness, and diarrhea.
