Can cats drink cow’s milk? Is it good or bad for them? Of course, these are the first few questions that annoy us when we decide to get a cat, regardless of its age.
Maybe that’s a factor as to why they’re doing so poorly. To dispel these myths and doubts, we will discuss whether cats can drink milk. In addition, we will explain why you need to be protected or dehydrated, especially if it contains lactose milk. Again, with the rise of veganism and vegetarianism, many people are wondering if cats can drink whole milk or lactose-free milk. If you want to learn more about cats and milk, keep reading!
Can cats safely drink milk?
Before you say whether milk is good for cats or not, it is important to talk about how to feed them and how cats are fed. As humans, cat food is constantly changing and altering the production of other enzymes (according to the diet). It depends on the amount of protein, fat, or sugar that is absorbed by the cat.
In this way, it makes sense that these changes are under different stages of growth. During breastfeeding, infants secrete large amounts of the enzyme lactase, which stimulates the digestion of lactose into milk. As weaning progresses and milk intake decreases, the cat’s digestion lowers its production of lactase, which can sometimes grow to form milk incompatibilities.
The same thing can happen in humans, which is why lactose intolerance is high. Thus, not all cats are severely affected by this enzyme production and thus some of them are as tolerant of milk as adults. This is especially true in animals that continue to Cat Drinking Oat Milk after weaning and often continue to produce lactase.
However, although they can effectively digest lactose, it should be noted that the milk should not take up too much cat food. As the cat grows, it is important for its diet to be age-appropriate. As they grow older, they need more solid foods that contain nutrients, vitamins, and proteins needed for their growth. On the other hand, even though the production of the lactase enzyme is usually reduced, if feline continues to produce less, it is sometimes possible to tolerate less milk.
Can cats drink milk?
Newborn cats should be fed with mother’s milk. If poverty is given to cats who are orphans, we do not recommend giving them cow’s milk. The reason for this is that the composition of cow’s milk is different from that of breast milk and therefore the animal would not receive the nutrients, fats, and proteins that it really needed. If the cat is separated from its mother, you can ask your veterinarian about the cat’s diet. Now, if the cat is weaned: you can give him a little milk to see if his body is digesting well.
If the cat is not healthy or has digestive problems, you can give milk in moderation. So, remember, this only depends on his diet and cannot be taken as a main food item.
Can cats drink cow’s milk?
So, can cats always drink milk? As mentioned earlier, most cats tend to gradually reduce lactase production after weaning. This means that, due to the lack of that enzyme or its complete disappearance, many cats can develop lactose intolerance.
But why is this happening?
Milk is made up of glucose and galactose. To digest it, the body normally makes lactase in the small intestine, which causes it to break down and convert it into sugar easily. By changing it, its taking is beneficial. When the enzyme is unable to do its job, lactose enters the large intestine without being digested. This then damages the bacterial flora, leading to digestive problems.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance in cats are:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Snakes
- Gas
- Inflammation of the abdominal region
So, if after giving cow’s milk to your cat is big, you notice these symptoms, probably due to impatience. If so, you will want to eliminate lactose from your cat’s diet. On the other hand, there is a possibility that your cat is highly allergic to lactose: a completely different disease from intolerance.
While intolerance impairs digestion, the disorder involves the immune system. In the case of allergies, the immune system develops hypersensitivity and produces an allergic reaction when it detects that the allergen in question has entered the body.
Milk allergies produce the following symptoms in animals:
- Crocodile accompanied by hives
- Shortness of breath
- Criticism
- Vomiting
- Snakes
- Anemia
Abdominal pain can result in rapid meowing
If your cat has any of these symptoms, we recommend that you consult your veterinarian immediately. This is especially true if you notice that your cat is having difficulty breathing.
Finally, it is possible that the animal did not develop any of these symptoms and therefore could digest lactose in its proper way. In such cases, it can be said that cats can drink cow’s milk without any problems.
However, quantity must always be controlled. To find out how your cat reacts to the presence of lactose in the milk, give it milk and watch any action. From there, you can decide if it is necessary to remove lactose from your cat’s diet.
