Can Cats Drink Cow's Milk?
The image of a sweet kitty lapping up some cowโs milk as a treat is pretty iconic. But is milk really the best choice for our feline friends? Englishtown Vet MD is here to answer the age-old question of whether or not cats are lactose intolerant.
Cowโs Milk as a Nutritional Choice
While a little lick from your ice cream bowl during your Netflix binge session is not going to hurt your cat, cowโs milk is not an optimal nutritional choice for cats for a few reasons.
Cowโs milk tends to be pretty fat and sugar laden, and with most indoor cats already struggling with their weight, the extra calories are typically just not worth it.
We also tend to feed cats a well-balanced diet in the form of canned food or kibble, and adding a lot of extras to the mix can not only lead to a calorie surplus, but can also alter carefully calculated ratios of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
So, milk is an okay occasional treat for cats, but should not be a regular part of their diet.
The Lactose Intolerant Cat
Many of us are personally familiar with lactose intolerance, the loss of lactase in the body. This enzyme is critical for proper digestion of the lactose in milk products, and while infants have plenty, many of us tend to dwindle in production as we age.
Low lactase levels lead to the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant to some degree. Increased lactose in the intestines that is not broken down causes water to be pulled into them, resulting is some classic symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Increased gas production
- Abdominal discomfort/pain
No one wants to experience that! While some cats might be able to tolerate milk, for most the side effects are not worth it.
While our team is all for spoiling the kitties, more than an occasional lick of milk is probably not the best idea. Choose feline-friendly treats where possible such as Churu treats, Cat Sip milk, or even a little canned tuna in water. Lavish your cat with all the affection they deserve, just donโt give them a tummy ache!