by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on September 30th, 2007

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Is it true that many cats are lactose intolerant (or can't digest milk)?

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by Wendigo on July 11th, 2008
every cat is born with the enzyme (lactase) to digest lactose. As they are weaned they stop making lactase, unless they get lactose from another source than their mothers milk. If a cat keeps getting milk on a regular basis, it will keep making lactase and be able to digest milk. Since most cats aren't supplied with milk since weaning they become lacose intolerant.
Once lactase production stops it's definite.
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- Right, I think I heard that somewhere and I was trying to look it up again.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on August 12th, 2008
- yeah, it's true.
  but is it the same with commercial cat milk????
  
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  by CatsCamille on August 23rd, 2009
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by Shoes untied on July 11th, 2008
Yes coming straight from the vets mouth, another random fact is that Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant too
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- Now if someone tells me that mice are allergic to cheese, we have a myth busters show ready to roll.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on July 12th, 2008
- Lol I wouldn't dare :P
  
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  by Shoes untied on July 13th, 2008
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by Anonymous on October 4th, 2007
All cats are lactose intolerant. They do not have the correct enzyme in their gut (lactase) to break down the cow milk sugar. It will give them the runs. You can give them tiny amounts of cow based dairy (cheese contains little lactose but is high in fat) but it is easier to avoid it.
You can get specially formulated cat milks that do not contain lactose.
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- I see. I thought that it was some kind of bacteria but now I remember, it's the enzyme as you said. I also remember that if they were raised on cow's milk, they would be able to digest it even when they became adult cats. I'll have to double check that info. Thank you.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on October 5th, 2007
- In regard to humans - if we a brought up on cows milk we will have the enzyme (all humans have it at birth but we use it if we don't use it), otherwise we become lactose intolerant - often populations from africa are lactose intolerant for this reason. I'm not sure if the same applies to cats :)
  
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  by Anonymous on October 5th, 2007
- But the funny thing is you see so many movies and cartoons where people give a bowl or saucer of milk to a cat and they lap it up.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on October 5th, 2007
- They love the taste, but it is not good for them. A bit is OK, but too much and you'll give the cat a tummy ache and the runs.
  
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  by Anonymous on October 6th, 2007
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by Galeanda on September 30th, 2007
They lose the ability to digest milk, just as most animals, including humans, do. Older cats, adults usually get diarrhea if you give them milk to drink.
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- Oh, I see. I thought they couldn't digest milk unless they had some kind of bacteria or something that aided in the digestion.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on September 30th, 2007
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by Jhon_ma_bon on October 4th, 2008
yes, when they begin to grow and eat meat, they'll devolp this intolerant trait. so don't give milk to them, at least, just a few, to bathe wiskers.

awww! kitty wiskers! X3
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- Thank you.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on October 5th, 2008
- no problem
  
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  by Jhon_ma_bon on October 8th, 2008
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by jonesey on August 12th, 2008
THanks for your comments. My cat is still recovering, not quite eating as much as he should or drinking but his personality is back and he stopped hiding which is good. He is definitely still in a little pain though. I think the best advice is to just not give them milk or cheese (or dairy in general). Better safe than sorry!!
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- The things about cat's are that if they are sick, they can't tell us directly "Hey, I'm feeling kind of ill, my tummy hurts." so it's really up to the owners to make sure they take care their pets discomforts. (If I could talk to the animals...)
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on August 12th, 2008
- Absolutely! Sometimes I feel I can detect their feelings, like empathic or something but how to get them to eat when they just don't feel like it? That's a tough one. One thing that is bothering me right now is that my cat, Zeus, who was a rescued feral and took 1 1/2 years before he finally let me pet him and became a total baby after that, is now shying away from me because I have had to give him medicine. I am sure he will come back around and I am being patient with him because I know where he comes from. I sure miss him on my lap, though.
  
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  by jonesey on August 13th, 2008
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by jonesey on August 11th, 2008
You bet they are lactose intolerant. I just paid $450 to find out my cat, who stopped eating and drinking, has gas. What did he eat to cause this? CHEESE. I thought he was dying as he hadn't eaten or drank any water for 2 days. It was very scary but thanks to an emergency vet service that is open on Sundays, we were able to turn him around quickly. By the time I got him (I live an hour and half from the facility), he was drinking water and the next day, finally eating food. Do not go down that road. Never give your cat milk OR cheese. (note, cats can have liver failure if they don't have water in 48 hours time)
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- Glad your cat got help in time. I did hear that some cats can digest milk if they are given milk from when they are kittens? However, the wide-spread idea that all cats like milk seems to be deep rooted.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on August 11th, 2008
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by katydid15 on July 11th, 2008
I don't know if they are actually lactose intolerant, but I have heard that once a kitten is weaned, it does not need milk provided that they get their proper nutrients in their cat food.

My cats get Iams and water. And the odd crumb off the floor :-) No milk.
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- I had a cat that ate tomatoes.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on August 12th, 2008
- Yes, one of my cats likes salsa.
  
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  by katydid15 on August 12th, 2008
- You cats dance?
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on August 12th, 2008
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by redcatt63 is around here somewhere...... on July 11th, 2008
Yes, very true. They may still want to drink milk, but it will make them sick. They either get diahrrea or, like my cats, throw it up. I've found products like Cat Sip and Whiskas lactose free milk for cats that some of my cats really love.
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- Funny how we feed our pets everything we eat and think it's good for them.
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on August 12th, 2008
- True...our cats get a few nibbles of "people food" sometimes, but not too much.
  
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  by redcatt63 is around here somewhere...... on August 12th, 2008
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by SPNS on September 30th, 2007
What do you think they drink from their mother?
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- He didn't say what kind of milk, he just said milk.
  
  And none of my cats are lactose intolerant.
  
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  by SPNS on September 30th, 2007
- OK, I should have said Cow's milk because that is what I meant. I don't usually think of mother's milk as milk we would drink, either. (Unless we were calves, of course : ))
  
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  by Koz - Passion Perseverance Patience on September 30th, 2007
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Is it true that many cats are lactose intolerant (or can't digest milk)?

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Is it true that many cats are lactose intolerant (or can't digest milk)?

Answers. 10 helpful answers below.

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