Should Cats Drink Milk
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In the movies, cats love a bowl of cold milk. In the real
world, giving a cat milk can do more harm than good.
While milk might seem like a natural choice for your cat, the
truth is that cow’s milk offers no nutritional value for cats,
and it can cause digestive problems in many. The reason is that
most cats develop intolerance to lactose shortly after they are
weaned. This means that they are unable to digest the sugars
that occur naturally in milk. This causes problems that include
diarrhea and other unpleasant digestive problems.
Some people think that cats need to have milk in order to get
all the necessary nutrients. This is not true. In fact, cow’s
milk does nothing to meet a cat’s nutritional needs. If a cat
was fed only milk, it would not be able to survive. Feral cats
provide proof that cats do not need milk to be healthy, as wild
cats do not usually have the opportunity to drink cow’s milk.
As long as your cat is eating a high quality food, and has
access to clean fresh water, she is getting all that she needs.
Milk alone is not a sufficient diet for any cat, and should
never be given in place of food OR in place of water. Replacing
a cat’s food or water with milk can cause your cat to become
malnourished.
Many cats do seem to enjoy milk, and this causes a dilemma for
many cat owners who love to give their cat treats that they
enjoy. While most cats are lactose intolerant, some are not.
For these cats, milk as an occasional treat is fine. The only
way to know how your cat will react to milk is to feed her some.
If she does not develop diarrhea then it is safe to assume that
she is not lactose intolerant, and you can continue to give her
the treat she loves. Again, milk should never be given in place
of food, but as a treat.
If your cat IS lactose intolerant, but still seems to crave a
bowl of milk now and then, there is a way to satisfy her without
upsetting her digestive system. Milk substitute that is
specially formulated for cats is sold in most pet food stores.
Like regular milk, it should only be given as a treat and not as
a replacement for meals. Even if you feed this “cats milk” on a
regular basis, a high quality cat food and fresh water should
always be available. Another option for lactose intolerant
cats is to give lactose-free milk. This milk is available in
the same aisle as regular milk in most grocery stores.
In addition to cat’s milk, there are a lot of other ways to
treat your cats to special food.
If your cat normally eats dry food, give her some wet food once
or twice a week as a special treat. Many makers of dry cat food
also make wet food, so you can stick with your favorite brand if
that is important to you.
Another way to treat your cats is to find ways to make their
dry food special. Pet stores sell special gravy that can be
poured over dry food. Several flavors are available, so you can
offer your cat a variety to keep her from becoming bored with
her food. Another version of this is to pour the water from a
can of tuna over the dry food. You can also feed your cat some
tuna, in place of wet food, as an occasional treat.
Take a trip down the treat aisle at the pet store, and you will
see row after row of treats. While most of them are fine for
your cat, keep in mind that treats should be given as such, and
should not be fed to your cat in excess as this can cause an
unhealthy weight gain.
Kittens, unlike full grown cats, DO need milk, but the milk
they need is their mother’s. The mother’s milk is full of all
the fat, protein and antibodies that a kitten needs to grow and
survive. Until a kitten is weaned, approximately four weeks
after birth, a kitten should have only milk. NEVER give a
kitten cow’s milk. Obviously, the ideal milk is that from the
kitten’s mother. If this is not possible due the kitten being
abandoned or orphaned, you will need to feed a substitute that
should be available at your local pet store. The kitten will
need to be fed this milk substitute several times a day. While
the pet store personnel can probably answer most of your
questions about caring for abandoned kitten, you should consult
a veterinarian to be sure that the kitten is getting exactly
what it needs.
The bottom line is that milk is not necessary for a cat, but as
long as she seems able to tolerate it, an occasional bowl isn’t
going to hurt.
About The Author: David Beart is the owner of
http://www.professo rshouse.com . Our site covers cat
information, household finances, family, recipes and other
household issues.