Milk for Cats: To Drink or Not

The image of a happy cat lapping up a bowl of milk is deeply ingrained in popular culture. But is milk really a healthy choice for cats? Despite the stereotype, most cats can’t digest milk properly, and drinking it can cause more harm than good. In this article, we’ll explore the truth about cats and milk, including why milk can upset a cat’s stomach, whether any types of milk are safe, and better alternatives for feline hydration and treats.

Can Cats Drink Milk?

Milk is not recommended for cats. Cats mainly get their nutrition from meat, and most cats lack lactase, commonly known as lactose intolerance, and citing milk may lead to digestive problems such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, and severe allergies or even fatal. Supplemental dairy products for cats can choose goat's milk, soothing milk and so on.

I. Reasons why cats can't drink milk

• Lactose intolerance

Cats' intestines usually lack lactose digestive enzymes and lactase. Lactose is a type of II sugar that cannot be directly absorbed in the body and needs to be broken down by lactase to be absorbed. When cats lacking the enzyme lactase ingest lactose, the undigested lactose goes directly into the large intestine, stimulating faster peristalsis and causing symptoms such as abdominal ringing and diarrhea, which is known as lactose intolerance1.
Kittens begin to enter the weaning period at four weeks of age, the lactase enzyme in the body naturally decreases, grow to adulthood, the lactase level in the body drops to 10% of the peak period (or even less), drink milk in the colon segment fermentation, the bacteria produced to attack the digestive system, resulting in indigestion.

Related:  Why Most Cats Are Lactose Intolerant

• Nutritional Composition Differences

Cat milk is high in fat, high in protein and low in lactose, while cow's milk is low in fat, low in protein and high in lactose. The nutritional composition of cow's milk cannot meet the needs of cats, and feeding only cow's milk for a long period of time can lead to malnutrition.

• Possible allergy

In addition to lactose intolerance, casein in milk is a major allergen, which may cause allergic reactions in cats, such as itchy skin, erythema, pimples, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and rising stomach, which may lead to anaphylactic shock in severe cases.

II. Special circumstances

• Individual differences

There is a part of the cat is an exception, born to digest lactose, the probability of this situation in mixed-blood cats to be greater.

Some cats are lactose intolerant, but may not show obvious symptoms if the intake is small. For example, if a cat ingests no more than 130ml of milk at one time, the probability is that there will be no problem; however, when 10 - 16 grams of lactose is ingested (approximately 215 - 350 ml of milk), persistent or intermittent diarrhea will be more likely to occur, so it is recommended that cats should not be fed more than 80 ml of milk to be on the safe side.

• Age difference

When kittens are not weaned, the enzyme lactase exists in the body and can digest the lactose in breast milk. However, after weaning, the lactase enzyme may disappear, and most healthy kittens can drink a little milk, but there are kittens that react greatly to lactose, so it is best not to feed them.

III. Milk that cats can drink

• Goat milk or goat milk powder

The content of lactose in goat's milk is much lower, and lactose-induced diarrhea will not occur. The volume of whey protein molecules, an important nutrient in goat milk, will be much smaller than in cow's milk, and the smaller molecular volume is more favorable for absorption.

• Comfort Milk

Schwarzenegger's milk breaks down the lactose in milk, which is not easily absorbed, into galactose and glucose, which are easily digested and absorbed, solving the symptoms of bloating and diarrhea that occur after drinking milk for lactose intolerance, and making it easy to absorb the nutrients in milk.

• Pet-specific milk

There is also pet-specific milk on the market, after special treatment, suitable for cats to drink, but the price is relatively high.

What Happens When Cats Drink Milk?

I. Digestive Reactions

• Lactose intolerance symptoms

Digestive Symptoms

1. Diarrhea: undigested lactose enters the large intestine and stimulates faster peristalsis, leading to diarrhea.
2. Vomiting: lactose intolerance may cause cats to vomit.
3. Bloating: Lactose ferments in the intestines to produce gas, leading to bloating.
4. Abdominal pain: Intestinal discomfort can cause abdominal pain in cats, which is characterized by mental irritability and resistance to touching the belly.

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The molecule of lactose consists of glucose and galactose, which cannot be directly absorbed in the body and needs to be broken down by lactase enzyme to be absorbed. The intestines of cats usually lack lactose digestive enzymes and lactase. When cats lacking lactose-degrading enzymes ingest lactose, the undigested lactose directly enters the large intestine, stimulating the peristalsis of the large intestine to speed up, causing abdominal ringing, diarrhea and other symptoms, which is known as lactose intolerance. Cats usually lack the enzyme lactase in their bodies and cannot digest the lactose in milk well. After the undigested lactose enters the large intestine, it will stimulate the peristalsis of the large intestine to speed up, resulting in abdominal ringing, diarrhea and other symptoms, which is lactose intolerance.

• Lactose intolerance in cats at different stages

Kittens: Kittens have lactase enzyme in their bodies before weaning (about 4 - 5 weeks), which can digest the lactose in breast milk. However, after weaning, the lactase enzyme in the body will gradually decrease or even disappear completely, so kittens may also become lactose intolerant if they drink milk after weaning.
Adult cats: adult cats have a lower lactase content in their bodies and a higher percentage of lactose intolerance, and are more likely to have diarrhea and other symptoms after drinking milk.

• Fat in milk is not easily absorbed

The fat chain in milk is long and difficult for cats to absorb, which may lead to volumetric diarrhea, which may be more fatal for young cats.

II. Allergy symptoms

• Allergy to milk

Casein in cow's milk is a major allergen to which cats may have an allergic reaction. In addition to digestive discomfort (e.g., diarrhea), skin symptoms (e.g., eczema, itchy skin, erythema, pimples) as well as respiratory symptoms (e.g., wheezing) may occur, and in some severe cases anaphylactic shock may be caused. In some severe cases, milk allergy may cause anaphylactic shock in cats that

III. Nutritional problems

• Nutritional mismatch

Cat milk is high in fat, high in protein and low in lactose, while cow's milk is low in fat, low in protein and high in lactose. Long-term use of milk as the main source of nutrition for cats may lead to malnutrition, especially protein deficiency and energy deficiency, resulting in anorexia and other problems.

The only accurate way to determine whether a cat is lactose intolerant is to try giving the cat less milk to see if it shows symptoms of lactose intolerance. Symptoms include flatulence (the cat's abdomen is distended), diarrhea (diarrhea, soft stools), and abdominal pain (the cat is mentally irritable and resists touching the belly). If any of these symptoms occur, do not feed it milk.

How to Relieve Lactose Intolerance in Cats?

In order to alleviate the symptoms of lactose intolerance in cats, the following can be done.

1.Avoid feeding foods containing lactose 

When your cat is lactose intolerant, avoid feeding foods containing lactose such as milk and cheese.

2.Choose low-lactose or lactose-free alternatives 

Schmaltz milk: Schmaltz milk has added lactase enzyme, which can help cats break down lactose faster and reduce the probability of intolerance.
Pet-specific milk powder or goat's milk powder: You can choose cat-specific formula or goat's milk powder, as goat's milk has a relatively low percentage of lactose.
Low-lactose or lactose-free dairy products: such as lactose-free milk, low-lactose yogurt, etc. These products reduce the lactose content through special treatment during the production process.

3.Supplementation with lactase or lactose-degrading agents 

Adding lactase or lactose degraders to your cat's food can help break down lactose and reduce discomfort.

4.Adjust the dietary structure 

Increase other foods rich in protein, calcium and other nutrients, such as meat, eggs, soy products and green leafy vegetables to ensure balanced nutrition.

5.Use probiotics 

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Feed some probiotics appropriately to balance your cat's intestinal flora and relieve symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating.

6.Medication (in severe cases) 

For more serious cases, some medications can be used to relieve the symptoms, such as antidiarrheal medications like compound difenocoumarol tablets, montelukast, etc. However, these medications should be used under the guidance of a veterinarian.

7.Adjust the way of feeding 

Avoid feeding lactose-containing food on an empty stomach, and it is recommended to combine it with other foods to slow down the rate of lactose entering the intestine.

8.Increase water intake

If your cat has diarrhea and other symptoms of indigestion, you should increase the amount of water you drink to maintain water balance and avoid dehydration.

9.Avoid feeding indigestible food 

Such as octopus, squid, dried food, paste food, etc., which may aggravate the cat's gastrointestinal burden.

10.Regular monitoring of the cat's condition 

After taking the above measures, the cat's health needs to be monitored regularly to ensure its health.

FAQs

Conclusion

While the idea of giving milk to cats might seem like a harmless treat, the reality is that most cats can’t digest milk properly. Providing water and a balanced diet is essential for their health. If you want to treat your cat, opt for safe alternatives like lactose-free or specialized cat milk, but always in moderation.