In the following, we will explain why this is the case and whether cat milk is a good alternative.
Key facts at a glance
- Most cats cannot tolerate lactose and have digestive problems from regular milk.
- Lactose-free milk is too high in calories and therefore also unsuitable for cats.
- Small quantities of special cat milk are a digestible alternative if your four-legged friend likes to drink milk.
Why milk causes problems in cats
In many cats, the lactose contained in milk leads to intolerance. Similar to people with lactose intolerance, drinking milk causes them digestive problems such as vomiting, diarrhea and nausea.
This is primarily due to the fact that the production of the enzyme lactase is stopped in adult mammals. This is necessary for young animals to digest their mother’s milk. The lack of lactase also means that cats cannot digest milk properly.
Most people can drink milk
Incidentally, this fact originally applied to humans as well. However, our ancestors recognized thousands of years ago that the milk from their livestock was an excellent source of energy. As a result, the human organism has become accustomed to digesting milk over many generations, and problems only arise in that part of the population with lactose intolerance.
Why cats and milk seem to belong together
For a long time, cats were indispensable companions in rural areas, who were out and about on farms as mice hunters. Since cows were kept there in many cases, it was common for farmers to give their cats milk to drink as well.
If the animals were used to it from an early age, they tolerated it quite well. However, this is usually no longer the case with today’s domestic cats. Most animals therefore do not tolerate lactose and should therefore not drink normal milk.
Lactose-free alternatives can only be recommended to a limited extent
Since the lactose contained in milk is obviously the main problem, it is reasonable to assume that alternatives without milk sugar should be used instead. However, lactose-free milk is too high in energy for cats and therefore not suitable for them.
The situation is similar with cheese, which contains practically no lactose due to its maturation. Cats therefore generally tolerate it quite well and many four-legged friends also like to eat it. However, due to its high energy content, cheese should only be an occasional treat for cats, given in very small amounts.
Cat milk for four-legged gourmets
Luckily, if your cat is one of those four-legged friends who can’t resist milk, they don’t have to go without it, despite the tolerability issues. Special cat milk is available on the market. This contains less lactose and its nutrient content is adapted to the needs of cats.
In addition, taurine is often added to cat milk. Taurine is an important amino acid that cats cannot produce in sufficient quantities themselves and which they therefore have to get from their food.
Cat milk is therefore a well-tolerated alternative to normal milk. However, be aware that it is not a substitute for water. You should not give your cat more than one or two small bowls of this milk a week.