Sheep milk and goat milk ?

StefanZ

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It is well known by experience of many rescuers, goat milk is  excellent  as emergency mother substitute milk.  Perhaps even better than some of industrial ready made kmr.

Goat milk is also useful for most other species, dogs, deers, humans with sensitive stomach...

Now my question of today: sheeps milk??    Is it useful for kittens or better to avoid?

I got this question today in the Pregnancy forum.
 

maloos

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Thanks for this thread.

Also I want to add how about the natural cow milk? I have access to cow/sheep milk. Once I tried to drink cow's milk and I couldn't do it. Huge chunks of fat floating around and very strong smell.
 
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StefanZ

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 I want to add how about the natural cow milk?

I suspect natural cow milk is a little better than this processed* (edit. ie pasterurized) cow milk.  Although if someone knows for sure, please tell us!

Edit:  I was unclear here.  I wrote processed meaning pasteurized and homonogenized (fat spread even).

Processed as made into yoghurt, and similiar, or cheese, is better and OK for cats to taste a little.
 
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jennyr

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I think natural (by which I assume you mean raw or unpasteurised, which is illegal to sell in many places) cows milk is very high in lactose, which is hte substance that many, but not all, cats are sensitive to, and can certainly upset the stomachs of small kittens. All processing of milk reduces the lactose, which is a kind of sugar. Goats milk has less lactose and is very nutritious, and can be tolerated by small kittens. I have never used sheeps milk for kittens, as it is less likely to be available, but it has a slightly lower lactose level (4.6% against 4.7%) so would probably be suitable for cats.
 
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StefanZ

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I think natural (by which I assume you mean raw or unpasteurised, which is illegal to sell in many places) cows milk is very high in lactose, which is hte substance that many, but not all, cats are sensitive to, and can certainly upset the stomachs of small kittens. All processing of milk reduces the lactose, which is a kind of sugar.
Yes, of course. My theory is, there is something in raw milk, perhaps some enzyme, which goes destroyed at pasteurizing. Why otherwise the ancient old custom to give cats milk directly from the cow, and they are happy and thriewing?  It may be so cats who didnt managed this perished.  But it may be so raw cow milk is more OK for cats than pasteurized. 

Some cats do manage pasteurized too, but not all...

And processed milk, ie, youghurt etc, is clearly better than "milk".  Precisely as you say. So if you want to give your cat cow milk, the recommendadion will be low lactose milk or yoghurt/similiar....

When I earlier said processed meaning pasteurized and standarderized I was a little unclear.
 
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