i know its not good for cats but can some one tell me why? every time i get the milk out tigger goes mad and he makes me feel so guilty for not giving him any

__________________

Hiya, most cats are lactose intolerant so it is the lactose in the milk that they cannot digest. I'm not 100% sure but something to do with not producing the thing that breaks down lactose once they are weaned (please someone correct me if I'm wrong)

You can buy cat milk that has reduced lactose in it. Personally I buy a lactose free milk (from tescos) which is a lot cheaper, it's in the bit with all the ling life milk etc

__________________

thanks for that im guessing morrisons will do it aswell? i there tomoz so will have a look xxxxx

__________________

is it true it gives them worms if they drink cows milk? sound silly but i oer heard this...

no thats not true!!

__________________
A+P Fabrications,quality stabling/Round pens/ stocks/gates/kennels,puppy pens and catteries.Also ornamental/estate fencing,gates and railings.

My two do have normal milk on the odd occasion - & love my yoghurt (any flavour) & they keep it down/in. Guess they aren't lactose intolerent.

__________________
Jo

thanks i thought that also...

You want the real lowdown on cows milk...?

All animals, cats dogs etc when babies have an enzyme that allows them to digest milk - without it they could not nurse.

As soon as they start eating solids this enzyme vanishes. It is not normal for any adult mammal to have milk as an adult.... us included, to be honest.... but we have somehow evolved to, in cultures that keep cows....over the millenia we humans have learned how to continue to digest milk.

But many human cultures do not and never have kept cows.... Those cultures never kept the ability to digest milk as we have in Europe and India.

However cats that have lived with us for thousands of years can tolerate it... they have learned to do it because they have lived alongside us and our dairy cows and us giving them milk.

Now.... think about Siamese cats. They come from a culture that does not use milk and does not farm cattle. Humans in Thailand cannot digest milk.... To the degree that cheese makes them very sick and some can't even eat chocolate. Their culture has grown without any dairy produce and the cats that evolved alongside are similar. I did a study of this some years ago in Thailand, with respect the the cats. My next door neighbour is Thai and she cannot eat cheese and cannot eat much chocolate either!

So in many ways it is not normal for cats to drink milk. Many cats cannot digest it. Some have learned how to, but most cannot. Milk therefore can upset cats stomachs badly - it isn't a good idea to give any cats milk once they are grown up & weaned.

It is always best not to give cats milk once they are grown up.

If you have ever seen a Thai person or anyone from another culture that has not evolved alongside farming cattle, throwing up or being extremely ill from eating a tiny piece of cheese, drinking a little bit of milk or even trying some chocolate, you would understand how harmful it would be to a cat to drink milk.

Lactose intolerate people would love to be able to eat chocolate. I am sure cats would love to drink milk... but it can and does make them sick.

This is something I learned when doing research on Thai cats in Thailand and researching the origins of the Siamese cat in its native land.... its native land being of course Siam, now called Thailand.

Go ahead and give adult cats milk if you like but do not complain if it gives them the squits - it's not a natural food for cats and it does cause many of them to have digestive upsets. In worst case scenario it can kill them if you aren't aware and they have severe digestive upset.

So-called CatMilk and so on is meant ot be lactose removed and therefore 'ok' or 'safe' but it is probably best not to get ANY cat addicted to milk once it is weaned.

You are welcome to ask me more on this... it's quite an interesting subject

__________________
Sue, Merlin & Cuba
Dog moves in mysterious ways. Be at peace, Patrick.
I've been described as a lighthouse in a bog - brilliant, but useless.

The enzyme is lactase (breaks down lactose in milk into its constituents of glucose and galactose)

Goats milk is preferable if you must give your cat milk, the "Top Life" brand of cat and kitten milk in supermarkets is actually goats milk with added taurine.

Generally though, adult cats and kittens past weaning do not need any sort of milk in their diet.

__________________
Vervain Cats