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Tip
45 - Cat drinking milk - Can my cat drink milk
Must kittens and cats drink milk? This is one of
those cat questions that confuse most new cat owners as well as
the general public. Kittens need to drink THEIR MOTHER'S milk while
they are nursing. It is full of the fat and protein that they need
to grow rapidly and survive.
Cats and kittens can drink COW's milk OCCASIONALLY
but they do not need to drink it. A cat can easily live its whole
life without ever having cow's milk. Most feral or wild cats never
have cow's milk.
Like humans,
many cats and kittens are lactose intolerant. They cannot digest
cow's
milk
properly
and
they get
diarrhea
or gastric upset when they
drink
it. Kittens that become lactose intolerant usually only
become intolerant after they are about 3 months of age, so THEIR
mother's milk shouldn't cause any gastric upset. If your
cat or kitten gets diarrhea as a result of drinking cow's milk,
stop
giving
it milk and it should pass.
Some cat owners who have lactose intolerant cats that are 'milkaholics'
do occasionally give them lactose free milk. You can find lactose
free milk in pet stores. If your cat digests milk without a problem
then you can give it the occasional milk treat.
Remember
- Cow's milk should never be the primary or regular food source
for any cat or kitten since it is missing
many essential ingredients to keep your feline healthy.
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2006
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