Is Milk Actually Healthy for Cats to Drink?

Is Milk Actually Healthy for Cats to Drink – It is a widely held belief by many people that cats can drink milk. Nevertheless, the truth is that it is just a myth. Milk is not a healthy drink option for felines and can lead to various health issues such as an upset stomach, cramps, and severe diarrhea.

Is Milk Actually Healthy for Cats to Drink

Many cats are paritally or fully lactose intolerant, and feeding them cow’s milk can even cause dehydration.

Is Milk Actually Healthy for Cats to Drink

Feeding Your Cat Milk

Although it may seem like milk is acceptable for your furry feline, it is not. Milk’s impact may be similar to that of comfort food, reminding your kitten of his or her mother’s milk. Nonetheless, excluding milk from your cat’s standard diet is just part of taking good care of your pet.

Milk is lacking in essential nutrients that your cat needs to grow. Excessive consumption of milk can replace your cat’s appetite for meat-based diets, leading to nutritional deficiency diseases. Furthermore, milk is not recommended for adult cats because many of them have difficulties in digesting it.

Why Are Cats Lactose-intolerant?

Most cats do not produce enough lactase, which is required to digest lactose in milk. When lactose is not digested, it remains in the digestive system and absorbs water from the intestine. This delicately balanced system is disrupted, causing painful gases and diarrhea, among other ailments.

Is Milk Actually Healthy for Cats to Drink

No Adverse Reaction

If your cat does not experience vomiting or diarrhea, he or she can consume whole, skim, or lactose-free milk in small amounts. Some professionals recommend cream as a better option than regular milk because of less lactose content.

Special lactose-free milk substitutes for cats have been developed over time, such as CatSip and CatSure. CatSip is Grade A milk that has been custom-formulated to reduce the risk of digestive issues in cats. In contrast, CatSure is a balanced liquid nutritional meal that assists cats in living their best life by providing high-quality protein and amino acids. It is specifically crafted for adult and senior cats. These milk substitutes are available online, in most grocery and pet supply stores, and most importantly, if your cat is fond of milk, they will probably adore these alternatives.

The Worst-Case Scenario

Regular diarrhea from drinking milk can be fatal to your cat, especially if it’s a kitten because it causes dehydration. Instead of milk, give your cat clean water regularly to keep them hydrated.

Is Milk Actually Healthy for Cats to Drink

If your cat consumes wet food, they might not need additional water, as the moisture content is sufficient. If your cat is consuming dry food but not drinking enough water, encouraging them to drink from a spigot, or a fountain as the running water is often appealing.

• Lactose-free milk made especially for cats. (Please note, drinking this special milk does not guarantee that your cat will not have an unpleasant reaction. For this reason, do not feed it to kittens.)
• Because most cats are lactose intolerant, and milk contains lactose.
• Although small quantities won’t harm your feline companion, coconut milk contains high levels of fat and oil that are nonessential to its diet