Some pet owners may feed their pets the same food they eat, but this practice can be a mistake because human food may not be suitable for animal consumption. For example, if you have a cat, you should not let it drink milk. Why is that? Let’s see what the experts have to say.
Dr. Julia Henning, a Ph.D. student in cat behavior at the University of Adelaide’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences in Australia, wrote on The Conversation website that research shows cats should not drink milk.
Henning explained that like all mammals, kittens drink their mother’s milk from birth, but after weaning (around 6 to 12 weeks old), they stop producing the lactase enzyme needed to digest the lactose in milk. For the vast majority of cats, this means they are lactose intolerant and should not drink milk.
Just like humans, each cat’s level of lactose intolerance varies, depending on how much enzyme they naturally produce in their bodies.
Because cats are much smaller than cows, the lactose content in mother cat milk is much lower than in cow’s milk. It is best to let newborn kittens drink their mother’s milk or feed them with kitten formula suitable for them.
Lactose intolerance is not the only reason not to feed cats milk. While rare, cats may also have allergic reactions to milk or dairy products.
Henning pointed out that lactose is a type of sugar. When lactose cannot be broken down and absorbed into the bloodstream, it passes through the intestines to the colon, where it is fermented by bacteria in the body.
This fermentation process breaks down lactose into acid and gas, causing discomfort symptoms, including excessive gas, bloating, constipation, abdominal pain, occasional nausea, and vomiting. The most common symptom for cats is diarrhea.
Chronic or persistent diarrhea can lead to complications such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, malnutrition, and in some cases, it may even be life-threatening. Cats that frequently consume milk or dairy products are at an increased risk of these complications.
If milk is not good for cats, why do they seem to enjoy drinking it? Henning said that this is because milk contains various delicious proteins and fats, especially for cats. Cats need high levels of protein and fat to maintain optimal health and daily functions.
Milk contains a particularly high amount of casein, a protein that can be broken down by the human body. Some studies suggest it is associated with calming effects on cats, which may create a comforting association with milk for them.
Dairy products are not a natural part of a cat’s diet. Although cats may enjoy the taste of milk, it may make them uncomfortable and lead to health issues, so it is best to avoid it altogether.
If you think your cat is one of the few lucky cats that does not have lactose intolerance, you might be wrong. Cats are very good at hiding discomfort because showing weakness in the wild makes them vulnerable to predators.
If you must give your cat milk, choose lactose-free milk or milk specifically formulated for cats, and only give it occasionally. Though they may not cause stomach discomfort like regular milk does for cats, they also do not provide any nutritional benefits.
As for whether cats can consume milk alternatives such as oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk, Henning said that adding any unusual food to a cat’s diet can cause digestive problems, so it is best to avoid adding these foods.
Apart from milk, experts have also listed other common foods that cats should not consume, including onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, caffeine-containing drinks, chocolate, bones, raw meat and eggs, raw dough, and more. These foods are harmful to cats and can even be fatal. (For more details, please click here.)