Is Milk Actually Good for a Cat?

September 1, 2022

Can cats drink milk? It is a common misconception that cats should be given milk regularly as a treat. The truth is that most cats are lactose intolerant so giving them cow's milk can actually cause GI upset like vomiting or diarrhea. If you're wondering, "Can I give my cat milk?" remember that it isn't part of necessary cat nutrition and many cats suffer stomach upsets or other related problems because their owner thought that they were giving them a treat.

Can cats drink milk? There are specially formulated "cat milk," products that are more suitable for cats, but the truth is that felines certainly don't need milk as part of their diet – including "milk for cats" – to maintain optimal cat health. These products are actually quite fattening and, if offered regularly to your cat, their solid food diet should be adjusted to compensate for the calories in the milk in order to avoid unwanted weight gain and its related cat health dangers.

To provide your cat with everything they need, feed a complete and balanced cat food designed to meet all of their nutritional needs, such as Hills Science Diet, to help keep your cat healthy and happy. Even special cat milk does not provide all of the nutrients that a high-quality complete and balanced cat food does, so apart from maybe a very occasional "treat," it is best to cut out the milk and stick to the science-led food in order to help promote the best cat health possible.