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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / March 2005Cats and Milk Digestion.
Hi. Some of you may recall me asking a couple of months ago how to fatten up a scrawny kitten. Well, I've done it. Cream and bits of cheese. He loved the cream so much and wanted to continue on with it (while I don't want to make him OBESE) that I started buying cat-milk. I didn't give him milk because I had read in many places that cats lack an enzyme that assists in the digestion of milk and that if you therefore give them milk you'll end up with "non-solid" poo (to put it nicely!). Anyway, cat-milk, from pet-shop or supermarket, is expensive (on top of the litter and the food) and I got fed up and gave both cats full-milk . . . and watched the litter-tray. No, they were as solid as ever. But full-milk three times a day would no doubt put unhealthy fat on them, so I started to share my own semi-skimmed with them. No objection from the cats - they love it as much - particularly if I zap it for 15 secs in the microwave to make it lukewarm. And, again, no problems in the litter tray! This has been going on now for a month. So, what's going on? Are some cats different? Mine are seven months old. Has age got anything to do with it? Whenever I go to the fridge now to get the milk for my umpteen cups of coffee or tea during the day, the cats are there begging for a bit. They only get it though at meal-times. Nell. > Hi. > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Nell. "Fatten up" isn't necessarily a good idea. Feeding a good nutritious balanced food appropriate for the life stage might have been a better approach. > "Fatten up" isn't necessarily a good idea. > > Feeding a good nutritious balanced food appropriate for the life stage > might have been a better approach. That is true for the long haul, but having had a skinny sickly animal I do understand why Nell would want to "fatten" hers up. > "Fatten up" isn't necessarily a good idea. > Feeding a good nutritious balanced food appropriate for the life stage > might have been a better approach. No, Joe, as I shared with people on this board some months ago, the cat in question, runt of the litter, was quite unhealthily scrawny - bone and minimal sinew. Now that he's been "fattened up" he is nowhere near "fat": he's just become a good solid shape and most of that shape is muscle. Very proud of him this afternoon as he chased copulating squirrels from the rowan tree and then decided he was going to at least TRY to get that hairy thing that disappeared down a vole hole! Nell. . > So, what's going on? Are some cats different? Mine are seven months > old. Has age got anything to do with it? I suspect some cats are different. Some (I believe Siamese are notorious for this) don't have the enzyme to digest lactase and thus if they drink anything other than cat milk they get horrendous diarhhoea. My cats have almost all drunk milk as kittens with no side effects but I always offer water with milk and most end up preferring water. Sarrasine never liked milk through even as a kitten and Speedy Joe never grew out of his fondness for it so I guess it's just cats being different. I don't think age comes into it Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs (...) > I suspect some cats are different. Some (I believe Siamese are > notorious for this) don't have the enzyme to digest lactase Lactase is the enzyme, lactose is what lactase helps digest. Steve. . > So, what's going on? Are some cats different? Mine are seven months > old. Has age got anything to do with it? I suspect some cats are different. Some (I believe Siamese are notorious for this) don't have the enzyme to digest lactase and thus if they drink anything other than cat milk they get horrendous diarhhoea. My cats have almost all drunk milk as kittens with no side effects but I always offer water with milk and most end up preferring water. Sarrasine never liked milk through even as a kitten and Speedy Joe never grew out of his fondness for it so I guess it's just cats being different. I don't think age comes into it Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > And, again, no problems in the > litter tray! This has been going on now for a month. > > So, what's going on? Are some cats different? Mine are seven months > old. Has age got anything to do with it? Be VERY careful with a male cat. At around three, Ruf developed a urinary blockage that the vet said was caused by his drinking one tablespoon of milk each morning. The vet was able to clear the blockage, but Ruf has never had milk or the urinary problem again. (Ruf is about to reach his twelfth birthday.) Jerry  SignatureMy cat and I are very much alike: we're both gray, we're both fat, and we both dig in his litter box. >> And, again, no problems in the >> litter tray! This has been going on now for a month. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Jerry Never EVER hear that one before. Sorry, but your vet sounds well...not very up to speed. I think the connection between milk and urinary tract blockage is the calcium. When calcium oxalate stones or crystals form in the cat's urine, they can block the urinary tract and cause a very serious medical emergency. In addition to a variety of other factors (acidic urine, concentrated urine, etc), excess dietary calcium can contribute to the development of these stones or crystals. For this reason, among many others, it may not be a good idea to give cats milk. I've heard some vets say it is ok but my vet warns against it. >I think the connection between milk and urinary tract blockage is the > calcium. When calcium oxalate stones or crystals form in the cat's urine, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > others, it may not be a good idea to give cats milk. I've heard some vets > say it is ok but my vet warns against it. Interesting. As I've posted here before, my cats get cat milk 2-3 times a week, as they love it and it's one way of ensuring they get adequate moisture (they drink much more if there's milk available than if there's just water available). One of the cats is on Hills c/d (well they both are, but one of them has to be!) as he's had flutd, but that was three years ago and there's been no recurrence. I'll have to have a chat to my vet about it. I suspect it's down to the kind of crystal problem they have. > I think the connection between milk and urinary tract blockage is the > calcium. When calcium oxalate stones or crystals form in the cat's urine, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > others, it may not be a good idea to give cats milk. I've heard some vets > say it is ok but my vet warns against it. Thanks for elaborating on this, Lynn. I forgot to mention this concern (of calcium stones) when I started this thread. It HAS been on my mind. I think the answer will be to do as someone else in this thread is doing, and that is alternate the semi-skimmed milk with fresh inviting water ! Actually, this should work extremely well where I am. I live in the countryside and our water comes from a spring. It is extremely pure water, but most luckily it is quite acidic, not dangerously so, but great for growing acid-loving plants like azaleas, viburnum, aqaba, rhodedendron and so forth. When I discovered this I was delighted because I had previously lived in an area of the country built on a chalk-bed: hence, the water their is quite the opposite and I had several friends in the area who went through the excruciating agony of having to pass kidney stones! The water where I live now is acidic enough to safely dissolve any such stones that might start forming in either human or feline! Nevertheless, irregular milk, and semi-skimmed milk at that, is probably the best idea. Thanks Everyone. Nell. > Hi. > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Nell. It's given every cat I have ever given it the stinky farty runs. I think you just got lucky. Congrats on fattening up your baby cat! > It's given every cat I have ever given it the stinky farty runs. > I think you just got lucky. Yes, Mary, from what people have posted in response to my query, I think you're right. Well, that IS a blessing! I must remember this as I plough away through the litter for the solid stuff! > Congrats on fattening up your baby cat! Thanks. It's a relief, and it's good for him too: no longer does his brother ALWAYS have the advantage in their daily wrestling matches now! Best Wishes, Nell. Nell <nell_gwynne@hotmail.com> wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav: > Hi. > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Nell. I give Kami a splash of CatSip now and again, which is probably the stuff you're talking about. It's pricey, and I tried the cheaper Whiskas cat milk, but it was gross. It sort of "coagulated" in the bowl and though she would return to CatSip a few times until it was gone, she wouldn't drink the Whiskas after the first pour. That said, aside from the taurine and other things added to CatSip, it is the exact same thing as Lact-Aid milk for humans (I think it's even made by the same company). The skim milk you're using still has lactose in it, so if you're using a lot of milk, give that stuff a try. It's more expensive than regular milk, but a lot cheaper than cat milk. I would do it, but I don't give Kami enough milk to use a carton up before it goes bad. SignatureBrandy??Alexandre? http://www.swydm.com/?refer=BrandyAlx Well, would you? > So, what's going on? Are some cats different? Mine are seven months > old. Has age got anything to do with it? Cats are like humans - some are lactose tolerant, some aren't. Sounds like yours are. > Hi. > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > So, what's going on? Are some cats different? Mine are seven months > old. Has age got anything to do with it? Some cats are lactose-intolerant, but plenty of cats aren't. IOW, plenty of cats can tolerate (regular - whether skim, 1%, 2%, or whole) milk just fine, but some can't. Cathy > Whenever I go to the fridge now to get the milk for my umpteen cups of > coffee or tea during the day, the cats are there begging for a bit. > They only get it though at meal-times. > > Nell. > Some cats are lactose-intolerant, but plenty of cats aren't. IOW, plenty of > cats can tolerate (regular - whether skim, 1%, 2%, or whole) milk just fine, > but some can't. > > Cathy Is there a way to test this without going through the "stinky farty runs" stage? Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >Is there a way to test this without going through the "stinky farty runs" >stage? I don't know, but I will be finding out soon. Jay Jay must have been given milk by his previous owner. He goes nut everytime I have milk out. He tries to snag my cup off the table. He goes nuts when I eat cereal. he also discovered that my nephew eats cereal, so my nephew has to close the dog gate to protect his cereal. That may not work now that he knows he can jump it. Maynard has never had any problem with it, but I haven't tested Jay Jay yet since he had trouble adjusting to the new food. I'd like to wait awhile til I know he is doing well before I give him a small amount to try. Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com Meghan Noecker <friesian@zoocrewphoto.com> wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav: >>Is there a way to test this without going through the "stinky >>farty runs" stage? [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Equine and Pet Photography > http://www.zoocrewphoto.com Kami doesn't really go ape about regular milk unless it's had cereal in it for some reason. Especially when I've had Cheerios and banana. Cats are weird. SignatureBrandy??Alexandre? http://www.swydm.com/?refer=BrandyAlx Well, would you? I don't have a source to back this up, but I remember reading years ago that all kittens can tolerate milk, and if they keep getting milk they'll continue to tolerate it. The problems occur when they stop getting milk for a few years and then have some; their bodies apparently get unaccustomed to it. IMO, you could continue milk as there seem to be no adverse effects. If the calcium consumption concerns you, you could mix the milk with water to dilute it. Congrats on the plump kitten. :) Irene > Hi. > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Nell. |
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