cats love milk, right?
Does Toby like milk?
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2016
Adorable pictures of cats bent over saucers of milk, gleefully lapping it up are part of our image of cats – but, is milk good for cats?
myth about cats and milk
Some cats may like milk, and may indeed gleefully lap it up, but should they? Milk is good for kittens: all baby mammals need and like milk. They’re born able to digest lactose, which is also referred to as milk sugar. For kittens, lactose is a useful source of energy for playful kitties. But after they’re weaned, cats can not digest lactose because lactase, the enzyme that enables kittens to digest milk ceases to be produced by the pancreas. That’s why adult cats become intolerant to milk. In the wild, once a kitten no longer survives on it’s mother’s milk, their diet is that of a carnivore.
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2016
- When a lactose-intolerant cat drinks milk, the undigested lactose passes through the intestinal tract, drawing water with it, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Bacteria in the colon also ferments the undigested sugars, producing volatile fatty acids.
- The most common symptom of lactose intolerance in cats is diarrhea, usually within eight to 12 hours, says Susan G. Wynn, DVM, CVA, CVCH, an animal nutritionist in Atlanta and co-author of the Manual of Natural Veterinary Medicine. Secondary symptom may include vomiting.
- “Just like people, cats can be lactose intolerant. And although we tend to think that’s a problem, it’s actually completely normal” says Linda P. Case, MS, adjunct assistant professor at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and author of The Cat: Its Behavior, Nutrition, and Health.
Cream contains less lactose than milk. Regular whole milk contains on average 4.8% lactose – whereas whipping cream has only 2.9%. Dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese may be tolerated by cats because they contain natural bacteria that break down the lactose. Hard cheeses usually contain more fat and less carbohydrates, which means less lactose. Carnivore that cats are, some have a little gourmand in them, and might really like some cheeses. Skip the wine.
