Cat milk should be used as a treat for cats instead of cow's milk.
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Our selection of the best cat milk in 2024
Most people believe that cats enjoy milk and regularly feed it to their pets. However, you need to be careful! More than half of all cats are allergic or intolerant to cow's milk. That's why there are special cat kinds of milk.
Milk, in any case, should not be a part of their meal. It's just a treat that you give your cat as a snack. Are you planning to change your old cat's eating habits? Switching to cat milk is the most effective way to avoid digestive issues and stomach upsets. Now is the time to opt for creamy, lactose-free cat milk.
If you need milk to feed your baby cat, choose kitten formula, containing all the nutrients newborns need to grow. You can find kitten formula in specialist online shops, as well as at your veterinarian's office and pharmacies. Take a look at our buying guide, which includes a list of the most digestible and palatable cat milk. Your pet will be licking their whiskers!
Summary
Why should I be giving my cat milk?
It all depends on your cat's age and health. Giving milk to an unweaned kitten is critical to their survival. Special kitten milk is a well-balanced food that promotes the animal's growth.
On the other hand, adult cats do not need milk to be healthy. So milk becomes a treat. In this case, giving your cat milk is a way of pleasing your pet and strengthening your bond.
If your cat enjoys milk, you can use it to tame and reassure them when they first arrive at your house.
Can giving milk to my cat be dangerous?
Milk is not harmful to cats who are not allergic to it. However, 50% of adult cats are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk proteins. This is why you should exercise extreme caution when giving your cat milk. If your cat cannot tolerate it, they will suffer from digestive issues, rashes, diarrhoea, and itching. Lactose or milk protein allergy can also cause bilateral ear infections.
If your cat tolerates milk, you can give it to them in small quantities without any problems. However, milk should remain a treat. It should not be part of your pet's daily diet! Milk contains fat, and your pet's diet would become too rich.
Not all milk products are safe for cats. If your cat is not allergic to yoghurt, you can feed it a small amount. However, leave out the cream, cheese, and ice cream, which may cause health issues as they are too fatty and too salty.
How much milk should I give my cat?
Do not exceed 10 ml of cow's milk per kilo of body weight. If your cat weighs 3 kg, it should not drink more than 30 ml of milk per day.
If you are bottle-feeding a kitten, you should feed them three to eight times per day, depending on their age. 13 mL of formula should be given daily for the first week and 17 mL for the second week. Increase the dose to 20 ml at three weeks and 22 ml in the fourth week.
Please keep in mind that this is average. To find out how much formula to give a kitten, look at the dosage guide on the box.
Until what age should I give my cat milk?
If you're nursing an unweaned kitten, feed them kitten formula until they're eight weeks old. Like all baby mammals, kittens require milk that is tailored to their specific needs to grow and develop.
You can start introducing a little solid food for a varied diet at three or four weeks.
When your cat reaches the age of ten weeks, one of two things can happen: they either become intolerant or allergic to lactose or milk proteins or continue to digest them normally.
In the first case, you should stop giving your pet milk. In the second case, you can continue to feed them milk but in small doses.
What type of milk should I give my cat?
If you have to bottle-feed a kitten, avoid giving them cow's milk, which can make them sick and lacks all of the nutrients they require to grow. The kitten would quickly develop deficiencies! Opt for special kitten milk, rich in all the vitamins that a baby cat needs.
If your cat isn't allergic or lactose intolerant, you can give them cow's milk in small amounts once they're an adult. If your cat is lactose intolerant or cannot tolerate milk protein, you can give them lactose-free milk. Lactose-free milk is specially formulated for adult cats and contains lactase, which aids digestion.
If your cat can drink milk without feeling sick, you can give him skimmed or whole milk. It doesn't matter!
To find out if your cat is lactose intolerant, add a few drops of milk to their water. If you notice diarrhoea, vomiting or loose stools, never give them milk again! Your pet is one of the 50% of cats that are allergic or intolerant.
