Can Kittens Have Milk Or Cream

Who hasn t seen adorable illustrations of a kitten lapping at a saucer full of cream.

Can kittens have milk or cream. One of the most prominent ingredient s in cow s milk is the aforementioned lactose which is a type of carbohydrate. If your cat s not throwing up or having diarrhea he or she can consume whole skim or lactose free milk in small quantities. Several lactose free milk substitutes for cats have developed over the years including catsip and catsure. Kittens can typically digest milk until they ve been weaned.

Just like humans some cats can t digest lactose a milk sugar that s found in dairy. Most adult mammals have at least some degree of lactose intolerance and cats are no exception explains dr. But even before that dairy isn t a great option for a kitten. Standard cow milk has much more lactose and casein than many dairy loving kitties can digest.

This is especially true if you re raising a kitten who hasn t been weaned yet. Kittens cannot process the lactose found in dairy products made for humans. Ice cream contains lactose but also high amounts of sugar. Veterinary experts at the virginia maryland regional college of veterinary medicine indicate that cow s milk and cream are also not nutritious options for young kittens either.

As with so many romances the one between cats and dairy isn t quite what it s cracked up to be. Organic skim milk or milk with a 1 fat content is preferred. Some experts advise that cream is better than regular milk because it has less lactose than whole or skims milk. Cats will commonly be drawn to ice cream but won t be drawn to things like frozen yogurts or gelato.

Other traits of ice cream include the high fat content as well as the carbohydrates found in the ice cream whole milk. The only time in a cat s life when its body actually has enough of the enzyme lactase to properly digest. Lactose free cow s milk is also a safer option. One of these ingredients is the obvious milk or lactose.

Cats are very fond of cream which they value for its high fat content and so they are especially attracted to milk that has come straight from the cow especially after the cream has been allowed to rise to the top. Yes some cats can drink a very small amount of cow s milk but you should be careful. Around eight weeks of age kittens lose the lactase enzyme that digests lactose. In general you should avoid giving cats whole cow s milk or cream because of the higher fat and sugar content.