Can Cats Drink Milk? Is Milk Good For Cats?

Bears adore licking Honey, Rabbits like to chew Carrots, Dogs relish Bones for treats, and Felines have some crazy love for Milk.

These animal food choices have been wired up in our minds for a long time. Indeed, the Animal Cartoon characters that we used to see on Television are one of the reasons for that. Who can forget the Tom Cat and his thirst for Milk? Cat and Milk go hand-in-hand. We don’t know if it’s good for them or not. However, Television has promoted Milk as Cat’s drink. You might not believe this, but Vets don’t fancy the idea of a dairy for Cats. Want to know why? Please read this blog till the end to get your answers.

In This Blog

• Can kittens drink Milk?
  • Can cats have Milk?
  • Is Milk bad for cats?
• What kind of Milk can cat drink?
  • Can cats have Oat Milk?
  • Can cats have Goat Milk?
• What to do if Cat drinks Milk?
• Do Cats Need Milk?

Can Kittens Drink Milk?

Kittens can drink their mum Cat’s Milk. Actually, Milk is the primary source of energy in their early days. It is important to note that a Kitten can have only its mum’s Milk. However, Cow’s Milk is still not allowed even during the Kitten stage for Cats. As the Kittens age, they cannot tolerate even their mother’s Milk due to the drop in the body’s ability to digest sugars present in Milk. That’s why the Cat mum weans them from the Milk around four weeks from birth. For the safer side, after almost ten to twelve weeks, you can introduce changes into their diet as suggested by the Vet.

Can Cats Have Milk?

Cats undoubtedly love dairy, and Milk is one of their preferences. However, you shouldn’t give Cow’s Milk to your Cat. There is no denial that Milk is full of nutrients and good for humans, but it is of no use for Cats. You can complete the daily nutritional requirement of your Cat from any other food source. Instead of benefiting, a Milk rich diet can even harm your Cat’s health. As a Kitty parent, you should know that Milk can cause various gut issues in your Cat.

Is Milk Bad For Cats?

Sadly, yes, Milk is bad for cats. Firstly, Cow’s Milk isn’t healthy for cats as it is full of Fat. Fat’s presence makes the Milk taste good, but on its intake, it adds too many extra calories to a cat’s diet. Consequently, it can cause various issues like Obesity. Secondly, Milk contains lactose sugar. To digest it, the Cat’s body must produce lactase enzymes in the intestine. As the kitty progresses toward adult years, it doesn’t produce Lactase. Therefore, this makes the cats “Lactose Intolerant”. As the Cats cannot ingest Milk, it starts fermenting in the gut instead of passing down to the Cat’s bloodstream. The lactose Intolerance in cats is similar to that of humans. Therefore, a Cat can face issues like diarrhea, Vomiting, stomach pain, and other gut issues after having Milk. It’s not true that all cats are Lactose intolerant. A few of them might not be. We still won’t suggest you take the risk and give your Cat milk.

So, What Kind of Milk Can Cat Drink?

Firstly, we suggest you do not give your Cat any kind of Milk. If you still want to, then you can choose any cat milk available in the supermarket. These branded cat milk options are lactose-free, so your Cat can have it without facing any gut issues related to lactose intolerance. Still, the high-fat issue is there even with these Cat milk substitutes, so be mindful of the quantity you give to your emotional support cats.

Can Cats Have Oat Milk?

In milder quantities, you can give Oat Milk to your Cat. However, it won’t serve any purpose for your Cat. You can offer Oat Milk to your Cat for just a treat and taste purposes. Just ensure never to give it as a meal substitute to your Cat, and it shouldn’t be the central part of its diet.

Can Cats Have Goat Milk?

The main reason behind the Vet’s denial of giving Cow’s Milk to Cats is the extreme amount of Lactose present in Milk. It is difficult for cats to digest. The same isn’t with Goat milk, as Goat milk has the least amount of Lactose in it. Similarly, the Fat quantity is also less in the case of Goat’s Milk. For these reasons, Goat Milk can be a better option than Cow’s Milk. You can also choose partially skimmed or fully skimmed goat’s Milk for even lesser Fat Content. Still, we prefer you to mind the portion as any type of Milk cannot alone fulfill the daily nutritional requirements of a Cat and just adds extra calories to the Cat’s diet.

What To Do if Cat Drinks Milk?

If your Cat drank Milk in your absence, firstly calm down and check what quantity it has consumed. If it has taken a few sips, don’t worry. It will be fine, but your Cat can face temporary gut issues that won’t harm it much. However, if the quantity is more, take it to the Vet as soon as possible.

Finally, Do Cats Need Milk?

Nutrition-wise, cats don’t need Milk as they will hardly benefit from it. Instead, they can face health issues from consuming Milk, and the situation can get severe if you give them Milk daily. If you really want to improve your Cat’s diet, you can talk about this with your Cat’s Vet.

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