Contrary to popular belief, presenting your kitty with goat’s milk is not the nutritionally superior alternative to cow’s milk. While cats are lactose intolerant and cannot enjoy dairy products, they’re also very particular about what they’ll accept as food.
As a result, even though you might see lots of people advertising cat treats made from goat’s milk online or at various pet stores, don’t make the mistake of thinking that even if your little feline friend likes it he can eat it!
To understand why most cats dislike goat’s milk so intensely, let’s take a quick look at the nutritional breakdown between both types of milk. Cow’s milk contains around 11 percent protein while goat cheese contains closer to 20 percent protein.
However, while that may sound like a huge difference, it pales in comparison to the one that separates milk fats. Cow’s milk contains roughly five percent while goat milk contains between 15 and 18 percent fat. As a result, if you were to give both types of milk to your cat he would get sick from ingesting so much fat too quickly due to his small size.
In addition, the biggest difference between both kinds of milk is how they’re digested by kitties since they can’t eat cheese due to lactose intolerance! Rather than breaking down lactase with their saliva into sugars that can be easily digested, cats cannot digest or process either the lactose or the fatty acids found in goat’s cheese at all. As a result, they would simply be left to perish without actually benefiting from the nutrients.
The key takeaway here is that you should never feed your cat goat’s milk if he can’t tolerate lactose! Otherwise, he could suffer vomiting, diarrhea, and even go into shock as his digestive system tries to expel it all.
When in doubt about what you’re feeding him, ask your vet for more information before offering anything new. Even if an ingredient is safe for dogs, it might not be safe for your cat and vice versa!
To recap: the primary nutrients of cow’s and goat’s milk are very different. Because of this, we don’t recommend giving either type to cats as a food source because they can’t process them properly. As a result, even though your kitty might like the taste of either kind of milk it won’t help his nutritional intake at all and may even be bad for him to ingest too much!
What does goat milk do for cats?
Cats are finicky animals, especially when it comes to milk. While cow’s milk is often sold in stores as an alternative for lactose-intolerant cats, can cats drink goat milk? Unfortunately, not all cats can drink goat’s milk. Just like the differences between humans and goats, variations of proteins play a huge role in how much cats can tolerate the milk of another animal.
Even though most cats are lactose intolerant, some can drink goat’s milk with little to no side effects. It all depends on your cat’s tolerance for lactose and his ability to process proteins like casein which is found in both types of milk.
Can cat drink human goat milk?
Just like cow’s milk, can cats drink human goat milk? Unfortunately, no. Even if your cat is lactose intolerant and could benefit from the extra protein found in goat milk, he still cannot digest casein which is found in both types of milk.
Also, you should never force your kitty to drink any type of milk. Even if he drinks it, his body might not be able to tolerate it which could lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and more. If you do decide to give your cat milk, make sure it’s cow’s milk with nothing added.
Can cats drink pasteurized goat milk?
As we’ve mentioned before, it all depends on your cat’s ability to process proteins such as casein. Pasteurization is a commonly used practice in making milk safe for human ingestion and has been found to produce better-tasting milk over time.
When pasteurized, the milk is heated to between 145 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit which allows you to see just how safe it will be for your four-legged friend. Also, by heating the milk, you’re able to destroy any harmful bacteria that is present in the milk which could be dangerous to both you and your kitty.
Can cats drink goat milk with chocolate?
Yes! While this is a common question among many cat owners, you can indeed give your cat goat’s milk with chocolate in it! It is commonly thought that chocolate is poisonous to both cats and dogs. However, this is not true.
While chocolate can be toxic if ingested by your pet, the toxicity of chocolate depends on the type of chocolate they eat. There are two types of common chocolates found in stores: baking chocolate and cocoa. Baking chocolates contain a much higher concentration of the toxic ingredient called theobromine which can be deadly to both cats and dogs.
[…] /Cats are not only lactose intolerant, but they are also unable to produce the enzyme that is needed in order for them to properly digest dairy. Because of this, it would be very unsafe and potentially dangerous for your cat to drink almond milk or eat anything containing almonds (or any type of dairy). Some side effects of feeding cats with foods containing lactose include vomiting, diarrhea, gas, lethargy, abdominal pain, and dehydration. So while many owners enjoy seeing their pet drinking almond milk from a bowl on the kitchen floor, there really isn’t anything safe about doing so… […]