Can you occasionally give your cat cows milk?

I mean like maybe a a few spoonfuls once a month? I made the mistake of giving her cows milk the first day i adopted her, since i always saw in movies how people would give their cats milk. so, i thought it was a part of her diet. Until i read online that it gives them diarrhea.

But would it be bad for her to give her a little every now and then? She goes crazy whenever she sees anyone eating cereal. lol

Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and react to regular cow's milk with diarrhea. There are a number of brands of "cat milk" or lactose-reduced cow's milk that you can give as an occasional treat, though.

jcat said:

Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and react to regular cow's milk with diarrhea. There are a number of brands of "cat milk" or lactose-reduced cow's milk that you can give as an occasional treat, though.

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oh, i didn't know this, do you know where i can buy cat milk?

the weird thing is, my cat has never gotten diarrhea from cows milk, not sure why, since i read its common.

Most pet stores like Petco or Petsmart carry it, as should places like Walmart or Target. There's Whiskas Catmilk Drink or Cat-Sip Real Milk you could try for an adult cat. They're both treats, whereas KMR is a replacement milk for unweaned kittens. Some cats also do well on the lactose-reduced milk you can get at just about any supermarket.

No, you shouldn't give cats cows milk, cows milk is for baby cows, cats can't digest it, and techically neither can humans.
 

jcat said:

Most pet stores like Petco or Petsmart carry it, as should places like Walmart or Target. There's Whiskas Catmilk Drink or Cat-Sip Real Milk you could try for an adult cat. They're both treats, whereas KMR is a replacement milk for unweaned kittens. Some cats also do well on the lactose-reduced milk you can get at just about any supermarket.

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 i go often to walmart so i'll check it out. i just want it as special to give her occasionally, i dont want her gaining weight and getting unhealthy. She just gets so happy when i give her some milk. lol im glad there is a healthy alternative to cows milk. thanks for the help!

I have seen the lactose reduced milk in pet stores and have considered trying it. Does anyone give this to their cat?

Jamie is absolutely addicted to the Whiskas Cat Milk. It has to be that particular brand, too. Right now we're trying to keep his weight up, so it's not a problem, but before he became ill (advanced HCM) the milk meant a lot of extra calories he didn't need.
 

I'm thinking of trying the milk for my cat Billy who also needs to keep his weight up.

terestrife said:

oh, i didn't know this, do you know where i can buy cat milk?

the weird thing is, my cat has never gotten diarrhea from cows milk, not sure why, since i read its common.

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One of my cats will throw up within one minute of drinking any amount of milk or eating even a couple shreds of cheese. Even that little bit is enough to upset his stomach. My other cat can drink a bit of milk and not get ill. I guess each cat has a different constitution for that stuff, and some cats are just more lactose intolerant than others.

I didn't go out of my way to feed this to my cats either, in case anyone was thinking that. I found out when they would lick the milk out of my cereal bowl or steal some shreds of cheese from a taco.

terestrife said:

the weird thing is, my cat has never gotten diarrhea from cows milk, not sure why, since i read its common.

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Like with humans, some cats are lactose intolerance and some aren't. If your cat isn't, and it sounds like he isn't, there is no reason to not give him cows milk.

When we first got Cuddles, she was fed cow's milk by her previous owner. So, when we got her we gave it to her occasionally and it never gave her any diarrhea. Still doesn't! She gets a dish every Saturday. BUT, we offered some to Cookie and she had diarrhea from it, so we no longer offer it to her. I guess like humans, some cats are lactose intolerant and some aren't.

My foster kitten, Luna, LOVES Whiskas' cat milk. She gets a little dish as a snack because she doesn't like eating Purebites like my other kitties do. My question is, is Luna too old to drink KMR? She is approximately three months now.

If it's the lactose, then couldn't you give them lactose free milk? I'm lactose intolerant and when I buy milk at all (I don't use it a lot) I get Lactaid milk or other lactose free types... I've never tried offering it to my cats though.

Also I wonder about goats milk, I know some recipes for kitten formula use it and I've heard it is easier on the stomach? I've also heard sometimes people who are lactose intolerant can drink it... Not sure about for adult cats though.
 

mschauer said:

Like with humans, some cats are lactose intolerance and some aren't. If your cat isn't, and it sounds like he isn't, there is no reason to not give him cows milk.

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thats what i was thinking, especially since its not an everyday thing.

Nekochan said:

If it's the lactose, then couldn't you give them lactose free milk?

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That's a great question! I would love to hear the answer if someone knows? I have Lactaid around all the time, if it is better for Cuddles I could give her that?

I'm in the If the Cat Can Tolerate It camp. If regular milk doesn't bother the cat in any way, a little bit now and again won't hurt. I am guilty of giving my cats regular milk and have had no problems. and they also relish buttermilk, cottage cheese and plain yogurt. The key is to not give it often and quit if there is a problem.

kittylover23 said:

Nekochan said:

If it's the lactose, then couldn't you give them lactose free milk?

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That's a great question! I would love to hear the answer if someone knows? I have Lactaid around all the time, if it is better for Cuddles I could give her that?

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Sure. Goats milk also. It is lower in lactose than cows milk and is well tolerated by a lot of cats (and people) who have problems with cows milk.

Great to know!!! Thanks!