Thinking of having cereal? Thought I'd post this video once again in case you may have missed it.
Here's the real deal on Cats & Milk
Many people who own a cat think that milk is an important part of a cat’s diet. This is not true. In fact, milk does not meet any of the nutritional needs of a cat. So, should cats drink milk? Many veterinarians would say “no”.
While old movies often show cats contentedly feeding on a bowl of milk or cream, the fact is that a cat could not survive if her diet consisted of only milk. Not only does milk fail to meet any of the nutritional needs of a cat, it can even cause health problems for some cats.
The reason for this is that most cats are lactose intolerant. Cats lack the enzyme, called lactase, that allows them to properly break down milk. For such cats, drinking milk can lead to digestive problems including diarrhea.
While there is no reason that cats need to drink milk, some owners just enjoy giving it to them. As long as the cat is not lactose intolerant, there is no problem with giving a cat an occasional treat of milk.
Unfortunately, a little trial and error is the only way to find out if your cat is, in fact, lactose intolerant. To find out you will have to give her a little milk. If she does not have any symptoms, then it is safe to assume she is not lactose intolerant – at least right now. In this case, it is safe to give her milk as a treat once in a while.
At my home all the cats love a treat of milk. I don't have a cat that shows the negative results of milk drinking but I still limit it to a couple of tablespoons at a time 2x a week. It's just a treat remember.
hugs, Deb
Only one of my three likes milk..she gets a teaspoon or so a few times a week :)
ReplyDeleteI give Charlie a 'sip' of milk once in awhile unless he tries to help himself to my glass of milk! I see his little paw dipping and licking out of my glass...sigh...cats you have to love them!
ReplyDeleteNever been one to give our cats milk since my vet - years ago - advised against it for this very reason. We do have a wonderfully expensive water machine - Kangen Water - which we just finished the payments on. It makes 9.5 alkaline water with high minerals and calcium content that is super anti-oxidant. The cats love it and drink plenty and are very healthy. Maybe too healthy - that would mean I ought to decrease the kibble in the dish - well fed might be an understatement!
ReplyDeleteJoy!
Kathy
Oh yum!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I learned about the error part with Johnny.
ReplyDelete*sigh*
Moderation, as in most everything, is key. I don't drink milk or keep it in my home for various reasons but used it once for a mildly, read mildly, constipated cat. It worked! When I used it a second time on a different cat, it just bloated the constipated kitty even more so off to the vet we went.
ReplyDelete