Cats milk – Can cats drink milk? What milk do you choose?

Can cats drink milk? This is a question that many caregivers ask. Unfortunately, the answer is not simple and clear. Why? While the best food for kittens is breast milk, the oldest cats have difficulty digesting milk.

Stereotyped, cats drink milk. The image of a cat bowed on a bowl of milk has its roots in children’s books and movies. However, it is far from real. Milk, especially the cow, is not the best food for a cat. Instead, the bowl of an adult cat should contain water.

The best milk for your cat

The best milk for a cat is the mother’s cat. Cats should be nourished with it for 4-5 weeks of life. It offers them all the nutrients necessary for adequate development and operation. In special cases, such as a large number of kittens, the death of a cat mother or too low breastfeeding, it is necessary to feed the chicks with milk substitutes. These are produced with a composition similar to natural milk. I usually take the shape of a dust that dissolves in the water and is administered in special bottles with the smaller nipple or using syringes and pipes.

In the first weeks, the kitten should be fed on average every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours at night.

Can cats drink milk?

As the cat grows, the activity of lactase decreases. This is the enzyme responsible for the decomposition of lactose, a carbohydrate present in the composition of the milk. The lactase activity decreases from the age of 6 and sometimes 8 weeks in cats. The ability to assimilate milk decreases when solid foods begin to appear in the diet. Therefore, the percentage of milk in the diet should be reduced.

It is not unusual for adult cats to fight lactose intolerance. This is an unwanted reaction that can prove to be dangerous for the animal. This is due to the fact that it causes disorders of the digestive tract, including abdominal pain, persistent flatulence and diarrhea, which are associated with the risk of dehydration.

It is certainly better that the cat bowl is filled with water instead of milk. The masters of cats must not forget to change it frequently with fresh water and keep the bowl clean. Water is the healthier cat drink.

What cat milk is it worth it?

Can cats drink cow’s milk? Clearly not. Cow’s milk has a significantly different composition from that of a cat. First of all, it contains much more lactose and, secondly, it contains much less fat than cat milk. For cats that the milk likes, you can buy dairy products -special from pet shops. You can find snacks or drink milk. These products not only diversify the diet, but are easily digested and enriched with vitamins (for example, D for the immune system and the musculoskeletal system), minerals (for example, calcium for bone strengthening) and amino acids (for example, taurine per heart and eye).

When you give your cat, remember to include them in the requirement of daily energy so that it does not give him excess food that contributes to the increase in weight. If your cat likes milk and is reluctant to drink water, it would be a good idea to make it rich and reduce the amount of milk every day. This will allow you to easily teach your cat to drink water.

What about the milk based on herbs or milk of other animals outside the void?

The milk based on plants, in particular soy, has become very popular lately. Can they be administered to cats? Although it does not contain lactose, soy milk should not be administered to cats. It contains other ingredients harmful to health.

Can a cat consume goat or sheep’s milk? Capra milk is also lactose, but it is rich in calories and very fat. Therefore, it is better to avoid it in your cat’s diet. As for sheep’s milk, it is not only very energetic, but has even more lactose of cow’s milk.

Olga Dąbska
Milena Kostrubiec

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