1. Home
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Cats

Is Milk Okay for my Cat?

By Franny Syufy, About.com

Question: Is Milk Okay for my Cat?
My cat enjoys milk, and I give her a small amount two or three times a week. Will this help or harm her? I've read somewhere that milk is not good for cats.
Answer: Generally speaking, milk is not recommended for adult cats, as many of them are lactose-intolerant, and have problems digesting it.

However, If she's not throwing up or having diarrhea, she's probably okay with it. Some experts advise that cream is better than regular milk if you must give it to cats, probably because cream has less lactose than whole or skim milk. But again, a small amount of skim milk seems to be okay for your kitty, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Also, recently, several new lactose-free milk substitutes for cats have been developed, such as CatSip, which may also be found in some food stores and most large pet supply stores. If your cat enjoys milk, she may like these products too.

Hope this will ease your mind.

Explore Cats

About.com Special Features

Home Allergy Center

Banish mess, reduce allergens, and maintain a clean, healthy home. More >

Home Improvements Made Easy

Inspirational ideas and expert tips to help you pull off your next DIY project. More >

  1. Home
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Cats
  4. Health Concerns
  5. Health FAQs
  6. Cats Q and A - Is Milk Okay for my Cat?>

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.