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Can cats drink whole milk?

Can cats drink whole milk?

2026-03-18 06:50:18 · · #1

Cats should not drink whole cow's milk. Whole cow's milk contains a large amount of lactose, and cats do not have the enzyme to digest lactose, easily leading to lactose intolerance. The lactose in cow's milk cannot be fermented in the intestines and cannot be digested by the body. This undigested lactose will cause bacteria to multiply, drawing water and causing diarrhea, resulting in symptoms such as soft stools and loose stools. To supplement the nutrition of adult cats, you should use cat-specific goat milk powder.

Can cats drink whole milk?

Dangers of milk to cats:

1. For kittens, the fat, protein, and lactose content in cow's milk differs from that in cat milk, and therefore cannot meet the kitten's nutritional needs.

2. For weaned kittens, they cannot digest the lactose in milk, causing it to enter their large intestine directly and cause diarrhea. The fermentation of lactose in the large intestine produces a large amount of gas, further exacerbating bloating and diarrhea.

3. The fat chains in milk are relatively long and are not easily absorbed by cats, which can easily lead to bulky diarrhea, which can be fatal to cats, especially kittens.

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