Mary Allen
For many people, milk and cats simply belong together. We know the irrepressible desire of cats for milk from many children’s books and films. This preference is also present in reality because cats love milk. One theory behind the enthusiasm for milk is that it reminds cats of their suckling times. But can cats drink milk or not?
Is Milk Really Good For Cats?
Small kittens are suckled with milk by their mother. During this time your body produces the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the milk sugar (lactose) in milk. As a result, the milk is very well tolerated by the kitten. During their development, the little house tigers need all the nutrients found in breast milk for their growth. This is why your body produces the enzyme lactase to use in milk.
As the kittens develop, they will be switched to a solid food diet. The mother cat gradually stops suckling her kittens. This reduces the production of the enzyme lactase. Milk is, therefore, less well tolerated by the cat. Even milk diluted with water can cause discomfort. It is therefore not recommended to give the fur noses milk to drink. Not even if you like it. The milk sugar lactose is also contained in cow’s milk. As a result, this milk is just as difficult to digest for our cats due to the lack of the enzyme lactase.
My Cat Drank Milk – What Happens?
Cats cannot break down lactose enzymatically. Therefore, the body reacts with diarrhea and digestive problems (e.g. gas and abdominal pain). Although enzyme production does not decrease in all house tigers, most are affected.
So You Can’t Give Your Cat Milk?
Since cats can experience digestive problems from consuming cow’s milk, this should be avoided. Special cat milk or lactose-free milk contains only minimal amounts of lactose, so they are easier for cats to tolerate. Nevertheless, cat milk should only be given to the house tiger in small quantities. It is high in calories and can lead to obesity over time. Water is best for keeping your cat hydrated.
Is Cat Milk Useful for Cats?
Cats do not need cat milk for proper nutrition. It does contain some nutrients, but the cat receives these from a balanced diet. It also contains many calories that can easily lead to obesity – especially in indoor cats. However, if cat milk is not offered as everyday food, but occasionally as a snack in between, there is nothing wrong with it. If your cat is particularly fond of milk, you can make it happy with cat milk and also give it a little liquid. In addition, it can be very useful for particularly lazy kitties to promote the absorption of fluids. To encourage cats to drink, you can add a shot of cat milk to the water, for example. However, cat milk should not be used as a substitute for drinking water.