Images of cats lapping milk from a saucer run deep in popular culture, from cartoons to the big screen. These may paint an adorable picture, but is milk healthy for your kitty? The short answer is that while cats can drink small amounts of milk, their digestive systems are not equipped with the right enzymes to handle it.
The (imprudent) history of cats and milk
When you stop and think about it, you’ll probably realize that you’ve seen a disproportionate amount of visuals illustrating cats’ love for milk—be it in pop culture, advertisements, art, books, and more. (See a few of these examples below.)
Such portrayals have been around for centuries, likely stemming from observations made in nature: Take farmers, for instance, who were widely responsible for domesticating cats thousands of years ago. Farmers observed barn cats drinking the dregs of cow’s milk and helped perpetrate the myth that milk is a necessary part of the feline diet.




Can cats drink milk?
When people ask if cats can drink milk, they’re most likely wondering if cats can drink cow’s milk. Like most mammals, kittens begin life with the nourishment of their mother’s milk. But as they are weaned, the enzyme that enables them to digest lactose begins to disappear from the gut.
Cats are lactose intolerant. Therefore, they are unable to properly digest dairy once they become adults. Like humans, cats are only equipped to digest dairy when they are very young. Even then, they are only meant to drink the milk produced by their own species. The digestive systems of baby humans and young kittens produce an enzyme called lactase. Lactase breaks down the lactose found in dairy. As we and our feline counterparts grow older, our ability to create lactase decreases. In turn, so does our ability to properly digest lactose. It’s a simple matter of growing older and becoming less efficient at breaking down the components of the food source that was really only meant to nourish us through infancy.
“Just like many people, cats are typically lactose intolerant. Not only does drinking milk lead to an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea—it also contributes to obesity, which is on the rise among household cats.” - Laria Herod, DVM
Is milk bad for cats? While most cats are lactose intolerant, some can tolerate a small amount of low-lactose dairy. Therefore, a tiny treat here and there might be okay. Try plain, low-fat yogurt.
Can cats drink lactose-free milk?
If lactose is the problem, doesn’t it stand to reason that cats might be able to enjoy lactose-free milk? That depends—there is specially formulated cat milk for purchase at some pet stores and grocery stores, but we recommend checking with your veterinarian first. Keep in mind that even lactose-free milk will have calories that your cat probably doesn’t need. Your feline is much better served getting his or her calories from animal meat.
What about other types of milk?
Even for cats who may otherwise seem all right with a little bit of dairy, it is important to note that cow’s milk is not at all the ideal source of dairy for your feline companion. It isn’t even healthy for a kitten who still has ample lactase in its system is not equipped to handle the great deal of lactose in bovine milk.
If your kitten requires mother’s milk due to its young age, or you simply want to treat your adult cat to something special every now and then, there are cat milk substitutes that are designed to reformulate the composition of bovine milk in order to make it more digestible for your kitten or cat. These substitutes have more appropriate proportions of casein to whey, and contain drastically less lactose. Even so, these should be reserved for nurturing an orphaned kitten or as an occasional treat for an adult cat.
Dairy should never be used to hydrate a cat. No matter how well-adjusted your cat’s digestive system may be to dairy, you must first make sure that it is drinking the necessary amount of water. Water is essential to your cat’s health and facilitates regulation of body temperature, food digestion, waste elimination, tissue lubrication, and the passage of salt and electrolytes through the body. Making sure your cat is drinking enough water is of the utmost importance, so placing a number of water bowls around the house is recommended to encourage sufficient hydration.
Can cats drink almond milk?
Despite the lactose-free properties, most vets don’t recommend giving your cat almond milk in place of regular milk. Almonds aren’t known to be toxic to cats, but the other ingredients in almond milk—such as sugar and some additives—can lead to an upset stomach. If you’d like to try to give your cat almond milk, be sure to do so in small moderation.
Can cats drink soy milk?
Other plant-based milk isn’t recommended for cats, either. Soy milk is not necessarily toxic to cats, but its nutritional value isn’t appropriate for the feline diet. Because cats are obligate carnivores, they can’t digest plant material very well.
Can cats drink coconut milk?
Plant-based milk, including coconut milk, tends to be high in fats and oils. For cats, such ingredients will most likely lead to an upset stomach and, down the road, obesity issues.
Can cats drink chocolate milk?
This one is a definite no-no. Like dogs, cats should not be allowed to consume chocolate. Chocolate contains the chemical compounds caffeine and theobromine, which if ingested by cats can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, seizures, and even cardiac failure or coma. No chocolate milk for your kitty!
Is milk bad for cats? Now you have your answers: Milk is unnecessary for cats and likely to cause dietary upset. Learn more about which human foods are safe for cats.
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