Can cats drink milk and do they need it: scientists answered

The 1970 Disney movie “Aristotelian Cats” shows that the royal felines like to enjoy milk or a bowl of cream from time to time. As a result, the image of a cat loving dairy products has become widely established in society. So is this really the case? Inverse writes that vets have finally put an end to this dispute.

The claim that cats love milk and other dairy products is actually misleading, according to Bruce Kornreich, a veterinary cardiologist and director of the Cornell Center for Feline Health.

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Can cats drink milk?

Like other mammals, newborn kittens are fed nutrient-rich breast milk during the first weeks of their lives. However, by the time they are 8 to 10 weeks old, they are usually on a strict diet.

Kornreich warns that milk contains the sugar lactose, and only mammals with the enzyme lactase can digest this sugar. Like many other mammals, cats need the ability to digest lactose early in life, but as they get older they lose the ability to break down this protein. Some scientists believe that the loss of the ability to digest lactose is actually an evolutionary adaptation that helped transition from a liquid diet to a solid diet.

Our pets may also be sensitive to casein protein, another component of milk. Kornreich said scientists still don’t know how common this sensitivity is in cats, but what is known is that it is “similar to a food allergy.” As a result, the animal’s immune system does not recognize casein and therefore mounts a response against the foreign protein.

But all this will not prevent the cat from drinking some milk, if it is available. Still, Kornreich insists that cats can drink milk, but says they should not be given milk.

What happens if a cat drinks milk?

Without lactase to break down the lactose, the sugar remains in the cat’s gastrointestinal tract. There it ferments, releasing gas and drawing water into the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, your pet may suffer from bloating and diarrhea.

If this has already happened, scientists recommend monitoring your pet and contacting a veterinarian if this condition persists for more than two days.

What should I give my cat instead of milk?

According to Kornreich, cats are “obligate carnivores” and therefore their diet should include meat rather than milk. That’s why the scientist recommends using some wet food and water instead of treats.

In the case of abandoned kittens, the scientist recommends using cat milk substitute mixtures that will allow the animal to receive all the necessary nutrients. These products are specially designed to meet the nutritional needs of kittens: they contain all the essential vitamins and minerals they will receive from their mother’s milk.

Previously Focus He wrote that scientists have discovered whether humans can learn to meow like cats.