Can cats drink cow’s milk? Is it good for them or, on the contrary, is it harmful? Without a doubt, these are some of the first questions we are assaulted when we decide to adopt a cat, regardless of its age. How many times have you seen cats on TV or at the movies enjoying a good cup of milk? Well, in this article of Animal Expert, we talk about the digestive system of the cat, detailing the cases in which it is possible to offer this food, how to give it and what type of milk is most suitable. Read on and find out if cats can drink milk!
Before indicating whether milk is good for cats or not, it is essential to talk about your digestive system and how the feline digests this food. As in humans, the digestive tract is constantly changing, modifying the production of certain enzymes according to the diet being followed, the amount of proteins ingested, as well as sugars, fats, etc. Thus, it makes sense that changes are also subject to different stages of growth. In this sense, breastfeeding women produce, during the lactation period, a large amount of the enzyme lactase, responsible for digesting lactose present in milk. As soon as weathe and milk consumption decreases, the puppy’s digestive tract also decreases lactase production, even developing lactose intolerance in some cases.
- This process can also occur in humans.
- So the percentage of lactose intolerant is so high.
- However.
- As mentioned.
- Not all cats are so radically affected in the production of the enzyme and.
- Therefore.
- Some of them can tolerate milk in adulthood.
- In particular.
- Cats that continue to drink cow’s milk after weate tend to continue to produce lactase.
- However.
- Although they have the ability to digest lactose properly.
- It is important to note that milk should not absorb the whole cat’s diet.
- Here’s how to properly offer this food to your cat.
- As the puppy grows.
- It is essential to adapt its diet to introduce new nutrients.
- Proteins.
- Vitamins.
- Etc.
- Necessary for its correct development.
On the other hand, although the production of the enzyme lactase decreases, if the feline continues to produce a small amount, it may be able to tolerate milk, also in small amounts. Similarly, dairy products such as cheese and yogurt, because they contain less lactose, can also be digested in smaller amounts.
If small cats are called newborn puppies, they are ideally fed breast milk. If, unfortunately, you take care of an orphaned kitten, we do not recommend giving it cow’s milk, because the composition is different from that of breast milk and, therefore, the animal will not receive nutrients, fats and proteins. Need. Currently, it is possible to obtain preparations that simulate the breast milk of the cat, being necessary to go to the veterinarian so that he can indicate the best according to the age of the puppy. However, you can check out some tips in this article that explain how to feed a newborn cat.
However, if the cat in question is a puppy but has already been weaned, you can offer small amounts of milk to see if your body digests it correctly. If you don’t have any problems, you can conclude that the kitten can drink milk from time to time, always as a supplement and never as the main ingredient.
As we’ve seen above, most cats tend to gradually reduce lactase production after weasing. This means that due to enzyme deficiency or its complete disappearance, many of them may become lactose intolerant. Why did this happen? Very simple. Lactose is the sugar that makes up milk, composed of glucose and galactose. To digest it, the body naturally produces the enzyme lactase in the small intestine, which is responsible for breaking it down into simple sugars and thus facilitating its absorption. When the enzyme cannot perform its function, lactose passes into the large intestine without being digested and develops several digestive problems due to fermentation by bacterial flora. Thus, symptoms of lactose intolerance in cats are:
So if after observing your adult cat’s cow’s milk you notice these symptoms, it’s very likely an intolerance and therefore you need to remove lactose from your diet. However, there is also an allergy to lactose, a completely different pathology than the previous one. While lactose intolerance affects the digestive system, allergy includes the immune system, as the system develops hypersensitivity and emits an allergic reaction when it realizes that the allergen in question has entered the body. In this case, the allergen would be lactose and the allergy would cause the following symptoms in the feline:
If your pet experiences any of these reactions, do not hesitate to consult the veterinarian immediately, especially if you do not breathe normally.
Finally, the animal may not develop any of the above pathologies and is therefore able to properly digest lactose. In these cases, it can be said that cats can drink cow’s milk without problems, always controlling the quantities and supplementing. To do this, we recommend that you give some milk and keep an eye on the animal to make sure that it can actually eat it from time to time or if, on the contrary, you need to remove it completely from the diet. The most important thing is to meet your cat so you can understand the animal and know what is best for its health!
As we have explained in previous sections, if it appears that the cat has no lactose intolerance or allergy, you can offer milk. In general, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk is the most recommended, although some cats tolerate whole milk without problems. Therefore, we recommend that you experiment and observe your furry companion to see how he reacts to find out what kind of milk he likes best and how he feels best.
On the other hand, if your cat has shown signs of intolerance but would like to know if it can still drink milk, you should keep in mind that the best option is lactose-free milk. As in humans, lactose-free milk is more digestible and thus prevents the onset of problems related to the digestive tract.
With regard to the recommended amount of milk for cats, the truth is that you cannot establish a certain amount of milliliters because, as we have seen, everything depends on each case and the degree of tolerance of the animal. What we can guarantee is that, whether or not you have the ability to digest lactose, excessive milk consumption is not recommended. Excess milk in the cat’s diet can cause excess calcium, which can lead to kidney stones, for example. Therefore, we advise you to set a rule according to the needs of your feline and offer milk twice a week in small bowls. However, we reiterate that portions and dosages may vary as long as the animal’s health does not deteriorate.
Como comentado anteriormente, se não existe qualquer alergia ou intolerância à lactose, o gato pode consumir produtos lácteos como o queijo ou o iogurte sem problemas. Como acontece com todos os alimentos processados, você deve sempre ter muita atenção às quantidades. Nesse sentido, e embora sejam bons para o animal, não recomendamos um consumo exagerado, sendo ideal oferecer um par de colheres de sopa de iogurte no café da manhã, por exemplo, ou um pedaço de queijo como prêmio. Contudo, o iogurte deve ser natural e sem açúcar e o queijo suave e cremoso. Você pode alternar o consumo de leite sem lactose com a ingestão desse tipo de produtos lácteos para evitar oferecer ambos alimentos no mesmo dia.
In fact, yogurt in particular is a beneficial food for cats because of its high content of probiotics. In this sense, another product recommended for the same reason is kefir, which includes an even higher percentage and helps the animal regulate the intestinal flora and digestive system in general. We do not recommend that you offer more than two doses per week, as the products should be given only as a supplement.
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