Is milk a suitable food for cats? Until recently, most of us would have answered – yes. Fortunately, pet owners’ awareness of animal nutrition is growing, and they are increasingly realizing that milk for cats is not a complete and balanced food. Read why cats should not be given dairy.
Can cats drink milk?
The only time in a cat’s life when it can drink milk is the first 3-4 weeks after birth. However, the milk it can consume during this time comes from the milk glands of the mother cat. In older cats, the activity of the enzyme lactase, which digests lactose (milk sugar), declines. After weaning (which occurs around 6 weeks of age), cats should not drink milk – neither from their mother nor from any other animal. The only exception may be giving a cat specialized milk that is lactose-free and contains ingredients that support cat health (calcium, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, etc.). Such cat milk should not constitute the basis of its menu, but rather a treat given occasionally to please the animal. A properly balanced diet for a cat is provided by feeding it ready-made complete wet and dry food. The best drink for a cat, on the other hand, is fresh, clean water.
How can milk harm a cat?
- Milk causes digestive problems in cats – bloating, gas, abdominal pain. Particularly dangerous symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting, as they can lead to dehydration, which can even threaten the cat’s life.
- Feeding milk to a cat can lead to overweight and obesity – milk contains a high number of calories (about 60 kcal per 100 ml), which can easily result in excessive fat tissue accumulation and weight gain, especially in indoor cats. If we decide to include specialized milk for cats in our kitty’s diet, we should account for it in the daily food intake. This food should be treated as a snack, so it should not make up more than 10% of the daily caloric intake.
- In cats allergic to milk, its consumption can cause a severe allergic reaction, which manifests as itching, skin irritation, and even hair loss.
Lactose-free milk for cats – yes or no?
Giving lactose-free milk in a carton (meant for humans) to a cat is not a good solution. Lactose intolerance is not the only health issue that cats face after consuming dairy. Both regular milk and lactose-free milk for cats contain casein – a milk protein that cats have difficulty digesting. Casein can linger in their digestive tract, negatively affecting gut flora and impairing nutrient absorption. Casein is also a strong allergen.
Lactose-free milk is just as much a source of calories as milk containing lactose, thus the risk of overweight and obesity still exists.
How to wean a cat off drinking milk?
In the interest of the health of your new companion, you should wean it off drinking milk. How to do this? Do it gradually and be patient – changing the menu can take anywhere from several days to several weeks. Dilute the milk with water – each day add more water to the milk until the cat starts satisfying its thirst with just water. At the same time, provide your cat with good, complete ready-made food (mainly wet) – after weaning off the milk, it should form the basis of your pet’s diet.
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