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johngrubb81
May 28, 2011, 06:08 PM
6 week kitten can it drink milk

Wondergirl
May 28, 2011, 06:19 PM
NOT cow's milk. NOT out of a saucer.

A kitten that young should still be with its mother and siblings. Special bottles and nipples would have to be used to feed the kitten special kitten milk every two hours. Other things will have to be done so the kitten doesn't die.

paleophlatus
May 29, 2011, 02:47 AM
It's true that cat's milk is more nutritious for a kitten than cow's milk, but unless the kitten has not been weaned, then kitten replacement formula may be necessary. Other than that, cats have been drinking cow's milk since there have been cows in the barn. Every two hours feedings are necessary for newborns, not those of weaning age.

hheath541
May 29, 2011, 12:50 PM
Cow's milk can make cats sick, not to mention it doesn't have the right nutrients for them. Cats should be given water to drink and food to eat. Kittens that still need milk should be given kitten milk, which you can get from a pet store or vet.



Here are some articles on the subject.

Milk For Cats - Giving Cats Milk - Cat-World (http://www.cat-world.com.au/can-cats-drink-milk)

Pet Myths: Is cow's milk good for cats? : Tails Of The City (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?entry_id=53215)

paleophlatus
May 30, 2011, 02:40 AM
Cats are not born lactose intolerant... it develops as they lose the enzyme that breaks it down. Without milk of any kind, i.e. lactose, the enzyme simply stops being produced by the cat.

The veterinary authorities all say that a cat doesn't need milk, and that a growing kitten benefits from cat milk because it is lower in lactose, gluten, and fats than a cow's milk. But they also say that if the cat will tolerate milk without any digestive upsets, then an occasional treat with cow's milk is OK. A teaspoon full of milk, or so, should cause a looser stool within 24 hours. If not, and you think your cat would enjoy an occasional milky libation, then feel free to provide it. Out of a saucer is fine, too... you are also providing water from a bowl, are you?

Even though many cats don't appear to drink water, they usually do drink and always prefer the fresh, clean over the stale and not as clean. As with people, water is the preferred source of hydration, not coffee, pop, or whatever other liquid may be available.

Wondergirl
May 30, 2011, 06:06 AM
Cats are not born lactose intolerant...it develops as they lose the enzyme that breaks it down. Without milk of any kind, i.e. lactose, the enzyme simply stops being produced by the cat.
Those barn cats you mentioned were given cow's milk from early on. (I grew up in dairy country and know it was great sport to hand-milk a cow and squirt a stream of milk into an eager cat's mouth.) Cats weren't lactose-intolerant; they were regularly given cow's milk, maybe mixed with torn-up bread as an extender. Barn mice and other small animals and insects rounded out a barn cat's diet.

At least in the U.S. farm days and barn cats are mostly a thing of the past. Even the dairy country where I grew up has disappeared, and the land is taken up with subdivisions and malls. Many cats are lactose-intolerant now. Our oldest of five cats, who has lived his whole live with us and just turned 19, is allowed a tablespoon or two of a vanilla milkshake every Friday when we bring home fast food. He's been getting that treat for years. The other four (much younger and rescued) cats will get stomach upsets and diarrhea from even that small amount of milk.

paleophlatus
May 30, 2011, 07:23 PM
Bacteria also play a role in the utilization of lactose. As with the enzyme, the bacteria also disappear without any lactose. Lactobacillus acidophilus is the bacteria missing and can be readily reintroduced with the proper 'probiotic' product, which usually restores a lactose tolerance, eventually.
I don't mean to keep kicking a dead horse, but so many people are unaware of your experiences on the farm and thus are susceptible to believing that milk and cats is a deadly combination, without being also made aware of wherein the danger may lie, stress 'may'. Thank you for sharing your pertinent experiences from the past.

Wondergirl
May 30, 2011, 07:30 PM
e proper 'probiotic' product, which usually restores a lactose tolerance,

Are you going to dose the cats, or am I supposed to?

susceptible to believing that milk and cats is a deadly combination

Deadly? no. Lots of diarrhea? Yes.