You can give your cat milk. Can you give a cat milk?

Not so long ago, there was a publication on our website that it turns out that it is not so useful for cats to eat fish (look for it). After you have reviewed the diet of your fluffy and not so pets, we suggest that you return to compiling their daily menu again. And, today we will consider the advisability of including milk and dairy products in the cat's diet. And what, unless cats and milk are not allowed? You will learn about everything in order from the pages of our new article ...

Milk in the cat's diet

When it comes to talking about how to pamper your pet cat, the words that cats cannot live without ... milk come to mind. Like dogs love bones (but, we already know that they shouldn’t be given bones - why? find out), just like mice and rodents love cheese (we will find out in one of our upcoming publications), so do cats love to drink milk. This white liquid is to their liking, and if you want to pamper your kitty or cat, pour fresh milk into a bowl ...

But, before you do this, we suggest that you find out what effect this product has on the animal's body. Is there anything useful in it for him?

The benefits and harms of milk for cats

And now, get ready for one of the biggest discoveries in cat science -

milk in the diet of cats does not represent any useful elements and substances for the felines.

In other words, it is absolutely useless. It is much more useful to feed a cat with ready-made food than to pour her a bowl of milk. In addition, the calorie content of this product, especially if you give homemade cow's milk, exceeds the norms allowed for cats, and knocks down the entire table of animal calories per day. Doubt? Well, experts say that no more than 20-30 calories from the category of unbalanced nutrition are allowed in the diet of the animal, which the animal receives along with food from your table. But, in a bowl of milk for a cat, there are already 83 calories, and if we are talking about whole milk, then all 149 calories. By regularly pampering your pet with milk, you risk upsetting its caloric balance and can push the animal to. And, extra grams of weight, as you know, do not add health and attractiveness to cats.

Moreover, given the fact that ordinary cow's milk contains much more casein and lactose than cats can absorb, the need to often include this product in the diet of your cat remains a big question. Where does this intolerance come from? After all, outwardly, the cat reacts quite appetizingly to milk? In fact, most adult mammals are lactose intolerant. And, if in childhood, as a kitten, your cat still absorbed mother's milk (it is strictly forbidden to give cow's milk to kittens), then as it grows up, the ability to assimilate this product decreases, and

the older your cat is, the less it needs milk, and the worse it tolerates it.

Remember, the last time you gave your pet milk, despite the fact that it was fresh, and the cat didn’t drink too much of it, your pet then meowed plaintively and suffered from. This is a clear demonstration of lactose intolerance in your cat. Precisely because lactose is classified as a sugar, and sugar in undigested form promotes the accumulation of fluid in the intestines of the animal, your cat suffered from diarrhea. Even if disorders and stool disorders were not observed, lactose, being processed in the intestines, caused bloating in the pet, giving him discomfort.

For those who still do not believe that milk in the cat's diet is not just useless, but dangerous, here are the results of the following studies.

Experts have found that milk cannot be a substitute for food or water in a cat's diet. And if this happens, and the owners try to replace one of the feedings or drinking water with this product, then the cat suffers from chronic malnutrition and dehydration.

Milk replacer for cats

If you are so worried that your cat likes to drink milk, but you cannot give it to her after our publication, we suggest that you find a worthy alternative to it. In pet stores, you can find specially designed milk replacer for cats (it was developed and produced in America and Europe). Such artificial milk does not cause diarrhea in a cat, does not cause a disorder in its digestive processes, does not harm its health, but even this product, which is absolutely harmless by cat standards, must be given as a treat, and not as the main food that replaces one of the feedings.

But what about little kittens? We then thought that they can and should be fed with milk. Indeed, teenage kittens and cats need milk, but not simple milk - store or cow, but milk from their mother. It contains a lot of fats, antibodies and proteins - in a word, everything that is so necessary for a kitten to grow up and be healthy. If a kitten receives such milk as the main food for the first 4 weeks after birth, it grows up strong, beautiful and full-fledged. If you are trying to replace his mother's milk (perhaps the cat died during childbirth, abandoned her kitten, or you just found a tiny baby on the street and could not get past him), then in no case replace it with cow's milk - this you will only kill the kitten. Use a cat's milk substitute for feeding, which can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy.

Learn more about what to do.

Like all mammals, kittens in the first months of life need mother's milk. This is their main dish. With it, kids receive not only important trace elements, but also immune protection against various diseases.

If a newborn is left without a mother, he is usually given pasteurized milk. But the best option would be a special cat's milk replacer, which is sold in veterinary stores.

Some are interested in whether it is possible to give a cat milk powder. This option is allowed, but only for kittens. Before buying it, it is important to consider the following points.

• The age of the baby and belonging to the breed (pixibobs,, and others need more elements for full development).
• Manufacturer's brand (not all produce products with the required composition).
• The composition of the product (proteins, fats, vitamins, nutrients and trace elements).
• Fat content should not exceed 9%.

Milk for a kitten is a temporary dish and at a certain age they begin to accustom them to everyday food. Closer to adulthood, babies gradually lose the ability to digest milk sugar.

Adult cat menu

The body of an adult no longer has lactose, which helps to fully digest milk. And if the cat drinks it, then most likely it will happen to her.

Tolerance to dairy products is individual for each pet. For some, it will not bring any side effects, while for others it can become a strong laxative.

Even if a serious reaction is not observed, this does not mean that the milk does not harm the cat. It contains casein and denatured protein, which can cause allergies in an animal.

delicious product

Everyone knows that cats are very fond of milk, although it can cause unpleasant consequences. However, the beast does not like the sweet taste. It has been scientifically proven that cats are not able to distinguish it. It's all about the large amount of protein, which attracts furry animals.

In fact, milk can contain many useful substances and elements, but the presence of lactose spoils everything, which causes digestive problems in a cat.

Helper enzyme - lactase

Lactase is an enzyme produced in kittens in sufficient quantities until a certain age. It also helps to digest mother's milk. However, over time, its production is reduced to a minimum, as the cat matures and changes its diet.

Completely lactase does not stop being produced. It is in every cat's body, but in a minimal amount. For this reason, milk intolerance is an individual trait of each animal.

Cow's milk

Most often, a cat is offered cow's milk. However, this cannot be done, and there are several reasons for this. Milk is easily saturated with elements that can harm both the kitten and the adult cat. They are harmful substances.

• Tarragon is a hormone produced by a pregnant cow.
• Pesticides in livestock feed.
• Antibiotics (and other medicines) used to treat the cow.

A weak or weak body is hard to digest lactose. And if it is impossible to digest it, the cat has diarrhea, dysbacteriosis or .

Some argue that cow's milk can be replaced with goat's or sheep's. However, the average lactose content of the 3 types of milk is almost the same. In this regard, the replacement for another loses its meaning.

It is important! Unlike city cats, country cats often drink milk without any consequences.

Dairy products

If the owner prefers to feed the ward with natural food, he includes fermented milk products (kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt) in the menu. However, there are a number of nuances here as well.

"Kislomolochka" has useful microelements and substances. They destroy harmful bacteria in the pet's body. In addition, these products have a beneficial effect on the immune system and protect against many diseases.

The choice of dairy products should be treated with due attention. The main factor is the percentage of body fat. In cottage cheese, it should not exceed 9%. Other products (ryazhenka, curdled milk, kefir) are allowed. However, their fat content should be no more than 3.5%. Sour cream with 10% can be diluted with water and given to a pet. All yogurts and other sweet foods are excluded completely. Because they only harm the cat's body.

Gourmet Substitute

If the pet does not digest milk well, but loves it very much, then you can compromise. You can buy natural milk substitutes at pet stores. They do not cause side effects like diarrhea or allergies. They will not cause problems with the digestive system. However, it should be remembered that milk replacer is a treat and should not appear too often in the cat's main menu.

In newborn kittens, the entire diet consists entirely of mother's milk. It supports the health and immunity of young animals. If, for some reason, the baby was left without a mother, he is fed with special cat or powdered milk from specialized veterinary stores.

It is possible to check the tolerance of the product only if you give it to the pet for testing in a small amount. In the future, milk is given periodically or completely excluded.

The answer to the question of whether it is possible to give milk to cats will always be different. Each organism is individual and in its own way assimilates lactose, which is contained in dairy products. Therefore, for some it is a delicacy, for others it is a strong allergen or even a laxative.

Doubts about the benefits of milk arise for two reasons: lactose intolerance in individual animals and an allergy to the milk protein casein. The latter pathology is rare in cats, but if it is identified and confirmed, all dairy products are excluded. Casein is not destroyed by boiling, pasteurization, fermentation, and allergies are not treated.

Lactose intolerance is more common, but not in all cats. The enzyme lactase is responsible for the breakdown of disaccharides. It is produced in kittens from birth. With the transition to solid food, the formation of the enzyme decreases or stops.

In adult cats, the production of lactase varies, so some drink milk without consequences, others develop dysbacteriosis, and others safely tolerate milk if they eat infrequently and a little.

The reaction of the animal is determined empirically. At first, no more than a sip is given to try. With the appearance of vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, milk is excluded. In the absence of a negative reaction, the portion is gradually increased, it is determined how much to give the animal without compromising health.

When feeding, observe the following restrictions:

• The daily norm is 10-15 ml per 1 kg of body weight.
• Suitable fat content is 2.5%.
• Milk is brought to room temperature before feeding.
• Steam is not boiled when they know for sure that the cow is not sick.
• It is not necessary to boil store-bought, it enters the shelves after heat treatment.
• Goat or sheep is easier to digest, suitable for cats allergic to cow's milk protein. It does not contain casein.

Of the 200 components, calcium, amino acids, omega fatty acids, and vitamins are valuable for cats. If the pet does not tolerate milk in its pure form, they try to feed fermented milk. It is not inferior in composition, and the consequences occur less frequently due to lactic acid bacteria, which partially break down lactose.

Here are the dairy products that you can give cats:

Products	Benefits for the cat
Paired	Valuable components are preserved in their natural form
pasteurized	Does not contain harmful bacteria, micronutrients are partially lost
Ghee up to 3.5% fat	Better absorbed, no harmful microbes remain in it. When processed, the amount of vitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorus increases
curdled milk	Contains lactic acid bacteria that support the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, normalize metabolism
Biokefir	Includes bifidobacteria, they improve digestion, create a favorable environment in the intestine for the absorption of calcium, vitamin D, iron, and prevent the spread of harmful microflora
Ryazhenka	In terms of nutritional value and benefits for the stomach, it is not inferior to kefir, but it acts on the gastrointestinal tract softer
natural yogurt	Probiotics prevent digestive disorders, suppress pathogenic microflora
lactose free	Lactose is contained in a split form, therefore it is safely absorbed
Curd up to 9% fat	Outperforms other dairy products in calcium
Sour cream up to 10% fat	Sour-milk fungi have a beneficial effect on the intestinal flora, fats improve the condition of the coat

Dairy proteins will not replace meat proteins, so the diet should not be composed of dairy products alone.

What kind of milk should not be fed to a cat

The value of the product depends on the processing methods:

• Milk of unknown origin is boiled to avoid possible infections.
• They don’t give hot food: cats won’t drink it, but they can accidentally try it and get burned.
• Cold is less digestible
• Sterilized and ultra-pasteurized loses its nutritional value during processing.
• Concentrated in cans is sterilized, so there is little useful in it.
• The cream is too fatty, in the form diluted with water they are fed to kittens, adult pets are treated no more than once every 2 weeks.

Separate dairy products should not be given to a cat:

Products	Harm to the cat
low fat	Together with milk fat, fat-soluble vitamins A, D are excreted. Proteins and calcium are not absorbed without them and draw reserves from the body
Condensed with sugar	Cats do not produce an enzyme to break down sugar, so it upsets digestion
Yogurt after 3 days of storage	Contains an increased amount of lactic acid, which irritates the stomach lining
Ryazhenka older than 3 days	Beneficial bacteria are destroyed
3 day kefir	As storage increases, the content of ethyl alcohol increases.
Cottage cheese and sour cream above 10% fat	Violate the functioning of the digestive tract, cause diarrhea
fruit yogurt	Includes artificial additives, sugar
Curd	Contains harmful components: oil, sugar, starch, salt
Glazed curds	The composition does not differ from the previous one, the icing contains chocolate

With constant feeding of these products, the animal's metabolism is disturbed, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract develop.

Why raw milk can be dangerous

Milk is a favorable breeding ground for the reproduction of harmful microorganisms, more often the following types are found in it:

• bacillus cereus refers to conditionally pathogenic bacteria, releases toxins. With strong reproduction causes poisoning. Spores die only when boiled.
• Campylobacter affects the digestive tract, provokes diarrhea, dies at 60 ° C.
• Pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli cause eating disorders with diarrhea, vomiting.
• Pathogenic forms of staphylococci cause vomiting and diarrhea.
• Listeria affects nerve cells, in severe cases, encephalitis, meningitis develops after infection.
• Bacterium survives at a temperature of 4-50 ° C, stored in refrigerators.
• Coxiella Burnet does not cause acute symptoms in a cat, but through it it is transmitted to humans.

Pathogens enter the milk from the body of infected cows or from the environment due to improper storage of products.

How to make milk safe

Bacteria are killed by heat. Methods for disinfecting a product differ in temperature values, the higher they are, the less pathogens remain:

• pasteurized at 65 °C;
• boil at 100 °C;
• sterilized at a temperature of more than 100 ° C for 20 minutes;
• during ultrapasteurization, they are heated to 135 ° C, then cooled sharply.

The nutritional value of milk after processing falls: the higher the temperature, the less useful in the final product.

Raw or boiled

Both types have advantages and disadvantages. Fresh milk is more nutritious, but unsafe. Boiled food does not contain pathogens, it is stored longer, but its chemical composition changes, some of the vitamins and amino acids are destroyed.

It is definitely necessary to boil when the product was bought from hands in spontaneous markets, and for weakened, sick pets: even conditionally pathogenic microbes have a negative effect on them. Milk comes to shopping centers after heat treatment, and after boiling it becomes useless.

Milk is a necessary additional product for a cat; with proper feeding, it will enrich the diet with the necessary micronutrients and will not harm the health of the animal.

Each person, definitely, never had any doubts that milk is a favorite treat for cats. It is believed that milk is a completely natural product, and is not fraught with any danger. But, studies conducted by scientists have proven otherwise. In the article we will understand the question of why cats should not be given milk.

Why cats should not be given milk, what do scientists think?

According to the majority of scientists who conducted research, the consumption of milk by an adult is, in principle, not natural, since it is in nature that only cubs eat milk. A young organism is able to produce a sufficiently large number of certain enzymes. It is these enzymes that digest lactose - milk sugar.

As the body ages, enzymes are produced in ever smaller quantities. This is because the period of milk nutrition ends, and completely different foods are used for food. A certain amount of enzymes in the body of a cat still remains, but the level of their content is quite individual.

It is precisely because the cat’s body still contains a certain amount of enzymes that they still drink milk. But how well the cat's body will tolerate it depends only on its individual characteristics.

Can kittens be given milk?

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the kitten's body contains special substances that can successfully break down lactose. But cow's milk, which is often fed to their owners, is far from acceptable food for them. Cow's milk does not contain those substances necessary for a kitten. If the kitten was left without a mother, and there is no opportunity to find another “nursing mother” for the kitten, then it is best to purchase a milk substitute at a veterinary pharmacy.

The answer to the question has been received. And he is negative. Once again, we list the main reasons why cats should not be given milk:

1. Cow's milk is not a natural product for a cat's body. The cat does not feel the need for cow's milk, since it does not contain the elements necessary for their body.
2. Not every animal organism is able to absorb milk sugar. Its excessive use can cause diarrhea in the animal.
3. Cow's milk is one of the most dangerous allergens for the cat's body. It can cause some health problems for the animal.

Disadvantages of cow's milk

Cow's milk contains antibiotics and hormones. After all, the cow, most often, is injected with some additives, and the milk loses all its natural composition.

If the milk is obtained from a pregnant cow, then the content of estrogen in the milk will go off scale. It also will not bring any benefit to the cat's body.

Animal feed is also treated with various substances. Accordingly, these harmful substances also penetrate into milk.

Milk, before being sent directly to the manufacturer, undergoes mandatory pasteurization. Pasteurization practically kills all useful minerals and substances. Pasteurized milk can cause allergies to the animal.

If the owner is interested in the health of the cat, then it is worth limiting the consumption of milk.

Can you give milk to cats?

• From the foregoing, we can conclude that cats should not be given milk, although they love it very much. It has absolutely no benefit, but rather, causes irreparable harm to the cat's body. Milk can be replaced by products such as kefir or cottage cheese.
• Cottage cheese in its composition contains calcium, which will have a beneficial effect on the body of a cat at any age.
• After kefir, a cat may also experience diarrhea, but the microflora of the animal will not be disturbed, as is the case with milk.

The health of a cat is a very important point that the owner should monitor. After all, for every person, an animal is like a member of the family. And the deterioration of the condition of your beloved pet is not the most pleasant moment. Therefore, you should carefully monitor the nutrition of your pet.

Cats love milk. You can't argue with that. And is it good for them? This is where you can argue.

Firstly, cow's milk is not a natural food for cats.

But what about kittens who drink nothing but milk during the first weeks of life? They need mother's milk, cat's milk, which differs from cow's milk in the amount and composition of proteins, fats, and other nutrients. And if, for some reason, newborn kittens were left without mother's milk, and there is no way to find another nursing cat for them, then the best solution would be a cat's milk substitute, which can be purchased at a pet store.

Secondly After kittens are weaned (at 8-12 weeks), they often lose their ability to digest milk.

Thirdly Many adult cats are lactose intolerant and drinking cow's milk can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.

Fourth, casein (the main protein in milk) can trigger allergies. Dairy products are one of the main allergens for cats.

What else is wrong with cow's milk?

Milk quality

• part of the milk purchased in the store comes from cows that have been injected with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, to treat mastitis), hormones (growth hormone, etc.). This leads to the appearance of chemicals in the milk, as well as to a change in its composition.
• Dairy cows are often pregnant and their female hormones (estrogen) pass into their milk.
• milk may contain residues of pesticides and other harmful substances from cow feed.
• Milk that goes on sale must be pasteurized. This is necessary to destroy pathogenic bacteria. But at the same time, some natural vitamins are also destroyed. The pasteurization process makes calcium less absorbable, alters proteins and other enzymes. Denatured protein can also cause allergies in cats.

So while cats love milk, it's not a good choice for them. Well, we are all attracted to food that is called “unhealthy” for a reason. But we, people, unlike our pets, have no one to forbid it ...