Does anyone give their cats kefir?

[Mailmans_Mom]

I got a milk kefir started from a friend and made my first batch of goat's milk kefir. I offered a very small amount (maybe 1/8 tsp in a bowl) and they all declined it. I tried mixing in freeze dried raw (which they usually go nuts for), and as an experiment, offered plain freeze dried and the freeze dried mixed with kefir. They preferred the plain but ate both. I'm going to do another batch of kefir, as I hear sometimes the first batch when you switch from cow to goat is not 100%, but I was wondering if any of you successfully offer kefir to your cats. Also, do you make your own kefir? I'm hoping I didn't just make sour milk.

 

[StefanZ]

Should be excellent nourishment for the cats, especielly if from goats milk. But if they eat is another matter. Its probably pretty individual.

 

[Tobermory]

I haven’t, but I’ve thought about it. I’m currently giving the two old ladies Proviable, but I like the idea of a natural probiotic. The website where I order EZ Complete has a recipe that’d I’d consider trying:
Kefir for Pets

 

[wali_the_cat]

I make milk kefir from raw goat's milk. My cat has been constipated lately and it occurred to me to give him some of the kefir. He LOVES it! I give him a tablespoon or so. I think I'll keep giving him the kefir until he refuses it. Kefir, especially from a small mammal like a goat, is tolerable to darn near any mammal.

 

[wali_the_cat]

Just an update here that my cat started having some GI issues from the kefir, so I have stopped giving it to him!

 

[bobkater]

Most cats have milk intolerance, and kefir, being low in lactose that causes it, should be suitable for them in non-excessive quantities. And the probiotics in kefir may provide a range of health benefits for cats, as they do for humans.

Try introducing it to them in small quantities at first, but don’t force it on them. Their own instincts are also a good guide as to what they need.

 

[KelWhit]

One of my cats likes kefir, but I only give it in small quantity (eg 1 teaspoon) and not every day. It hasn't caused any GI issues for him. I use whole milk to make kefir.

 

[sophie1]

Great seeing this post. My cats just went through a course of antibiotics, so I had the idea of pouring off the whey from my homemade yogurt and giving spoonfuls to my cats. It's made from half and half and allowed to culture for 36 hours, so there's very little lactose in it. They've had no problems whatsoever.

If you got the kefir from the grocery, it probably has minimal (if any) probiotic bacteria and it's only minimally cultured compared to the Good Stuff that you make yourself. Plus it probably has a ton of sugar added to it. Ditto for yogurt - I personally think most commercial yogurt should be classified as candy. If I were into making kefir or kombucha at home I wouldn't give my cats the beverages, I'd feed them pieces of the grains/scoby instead.