Milk

[BensonG24]

Ok so this is kinda stupid how I'm asking this but it peaked my interest today I was at the Zoo and they zookeepers were feeding their tigers cow milk they explained how like cats it isn't good but for their size its ok this is what peaked my interest he mentioned that at home for your cats you should feed them 1 teaspoon of milk a week or once every 2 weeks to keep them happy. So I was just wondering if that was true haha thanks

 

[abyeb]

Cats are lactose intolerant so milk upsets their stomach. There are special “cat milks” on the market (Whiskas makes one) are lactose-free. Cats can also have goat’s milk, which is sometimes used as a substitute for KMR in kittens. But either of those should just be fed as a treat.

 

[BensonG24]

Cats are lactose intolerant so milk upsets their stomach. There are special “cat milks” on the market (Whiskas makes one) are lactose-free. Cats can also have goat’s milk, which is sometimes used as a substitute for KMR in kittens. But either of those should just be fed as a treat.

I've tried the whiskas one before and my kitten loves she would gulp it down really quickly but how often should I give them the milk, because the whiskas one says that it can only be stored for 7 days after opening so buying one is usually a waste

 

[duckpond]

I know people in rural areas, where i live have always given milk to cats. I do know most are lactose intolerant, so i think it may bother some cats, some cats don't seem to have a problem. If you cat likes it i think a tablespoon or so is no problem, just if it seems to upset her stomach, or she has diarrhea then i would stop.

Fancy Feast has their newer foods out, creamy delights chicken bits, and also a pate. It has a touch of milk. My cats like it, especially the pate, which is surprising as they normally do not like pate.
Fancy Feast Creamy Delights Chicken Feast in a Creamy Sauce Canned Cat Food, 3-oz, case of 24
https://www.chewy.com/fancy-feast-creamy-delights-chicken/dp/155443

 

[orange&white]

he mentioned that at home for your cats you should feed them 1 teaspoon of milk a week or once every 2 weeks to keep them happy.

I think my cats are happier without diarrhea or constipation. There are plenty of healthy treats for cats, so why give them something that might upset their digestion?

 

[1 bruce 1]

I know people in rural areas, where i live have always given milk to cats. I do know most are lactose intolerant, so i think it may bother some cats, some cats don't seem to have a problem. If you cat likes it i think a tablespoon or so is no problem, just if it seems to upset her stomach, or she has diarrhea then i would stop.

Fancy Feast has their newer foods out, creamy delights chicken bits, and also a pate. It has a touch of milk. My cats like it, especially the pate, which is surprising as they normally do not like pate.
Fancy Feast Creamy Delights Chicken Feast in a Creamy Sauce Canned Cat Food, 3-oz, case of 24
Fancy Feast Creamy Delights Chicken Feast Canned Cat Food, 3-oz, case of 24

We've given raw milk and raw cream to the cats, tablespoon or so, 3-4 times a month and aside from the cat with IBD, no one has issues with it!

 

[FakeGourmet]

My brother became lactose intolerant from his meds. We give a little of his lactose free milk to the two cats that love it every few days. They love regular milk, but they get soft stools from it. The other 3 have never been fans of milk.

 

[1 bruce 1]

My brother became lactose intolerant from his meds. We give a little of his lactose free milk to the two cats that love it every few days. They love regular milk, but they get soft stools from it. The other 3 have never been fans of milk.

One of our dogs literally wrinkled his nose and backed away from milk like it was juice of the death gods. He never took to it, and we did not force him! A handful of our dogs will come running at the sound of skimming the cream (the same dogs that can't hear me screaming "GET OFF THE COUCH" 1/2 foot away are able to hear the skimmer from across the entire living area, go figure) and wait at our feet for a dab.
I've never ever had luck giving pasteurized milk to cats or dogs =/

 

[FakeGourmet]

Yeah, my personal cat won't respond to me yelling at her from 1/2 foot away to get off of something, but can hear the sound of a can pop its top from the basement on the opposite side of the kitchen with the door closed. Cats can discern the difference between all the cans with pop tops. They won't even open an eye for a pop can opening, for instance.

 

[orange&white]

We've given raw milk and raw cream to the cats, tablespoon or so, 3-4 times a month and aside from the cat with IBD, no one has issues with it!

Raw milk has lactase with counterbalances the lactose. Milk pasteurization kills the lactase, leaving the lactose. We never had high levels of lactose intolerance before pasteurization. Giving milk to cats is a nostalgic part of history...unless it's raw milk straight from the cow and not processed.

 

[tangers40]

Cats can discern the difference between all the cans with pop tops. They won't even open an eye for a pop can opening, for instance.

My dumb cat cannot, however. She hasn't figured out the difference between a soup can and her wet food cans. A pop can will also bring her running sometimes too.

 

[1 bruce 1]

My dumb cat cannot, however. She hasn't figured out the difference between a soup can and her wet food cans. A pop can will also bring her running sometimes too.

Ours skipped that can-lid thing and just decided a human entering the kitchen = showtime for the "starving kitty" routine =D

 

[EmmiTemmi]

Raw milk has lactase with counterbalances the lactose. Milk pasteurization kills the lactase, leaving the lactose. We never had high levels of lactose intolerance before pasteurization.

"There is no indigenous lactase in milk.

Raw milk advocates claim that raw milk does not cause lactose intolerance because it contains lactase secreted by “beneficial” or probiotic bacteria present in raw milk. As discussed in a later section (claim 4), raw milk does not contain probiotic organisms."

Raw Milk Misconceptions and the Danger of Raw Milk Consumption

Thoughts?

 

[orange&white]

I'll not go much into my skepticism of the FDA's interest in protecting our health versus protecting an industry [such as dairy producers/lobbyists], but will say that in my own career experience with marketing research, studies which agree with the funder of the study get published and studies which disagree seem to never see daylight.

So I'll just say that it's anecdotal that so many people who have explosive side effects from pasteurized/homogenized milk strongly claim that they can drink raw milk with no problems. Must all be in their heads.

 

[Ladewyn]

I'll not go much into my skepticism of the FDA's interest in protecting our health versus protecting an industry [such as dairy producers/lobbyists], but will say that in my own career experience with marketing research, studies which agree with the funder of the study get published and studies which disagree seem to never see daylight.

So I'll just say that it's anecdotal that so many people who have explosive side effects from pasteurized/homogenized milk strongly claim that they can drink raw milk with no problems. Must all be in their heads.

That's not how scientific publication works at all, except perhaps for sponsor funded publications. Many scientific publications are independent, and therefore the FDA would have no leeway over what they publish. The FDA certainly has no power in other countries that are also involved in scientific research. "The FDA has power" is a really poor argument to justify a lack of evidence.
Lactase is simply not found in milk. It's a product of the gastrointestinal tract. It isn't produced in the mammary gland. Physiologically there really isn't a reason to believe it would be found there, no doubt physiologists would be publishing that, since they don't work from a dairy/marketing standpoint and are a separate field of interest, so physiology publications aren't usually as concerned with that.
And yes, it's absolutely possible people have it in their heads. Anecdotes aren't facts. A compelling reason to perform research certainly! But there's a reason studies use placebos to see if something is actually working or if it's just the power of the mind/body. Current studies show that there's actually no difference in raw or pasteurized for lactose intolerance.
Not to say raw doesn't have something going for it! I know a lot of people feel they get benefits from drinking raw milk, and more research should definitely be done for it's benefits to people (and other animals). But you can't say it has lactase (it doesn't) or what about it is beneficial unless you've got good studies to back that up. Especially when it relates to health advice, like whether feeding [raw] milk to cats on a regular basis is a good idea.

 

[theyremine]

Interesting about the raw milk. My grandfather was a dairy farmer (more than 60 years ago) and he always had at least a dozen barn cats (often dumped) and I have vivid memories of a dozen or so cats around a very large tin bowl drinking milk. Of course, back then not only was the milk raw but it also was heavy with cream. Often wondered about that.