It is not advisable to feed cats cow’s milk or egg protein. Once a kitten has been weaned from its mother it no longer produces an adequate amount of the enzyme lactase which is essential for digesting milk. If a cat is lactose intolerant and he drinks milk he will experience adverse side effects. This because when a cat is lactose intolerant he doesn’t produce enough lactase to breakdown the lactose into simple sugars that are absorbed by the bloodstream. Instead of digesting normally the milk remains in the digestive system and it ferments. This causes gas, bloating and diarrhea.
Some people think it is okay to give kittens cow’s milk. This is especially true if the kitten is abandoned by its mother. But you need to understand pet food ingredients and what a pet needs. Kittens usually wean at four weeks of age, so if they are abandoned by their mother before that point you will need to supplement the milk they would be getting from their mother. That being said, you should never give a kitten cow’s milk. You should buy a special kitten formula that you can buy at a pet store or get from your veterinarian. Cow’s milk is designed for baby cows, not baby kittens.
Not all cats are intolerant of cow’s milk. The only way to find out if your cat is intolerant of milk is to feed him a dish of milk. If he gets diarrhea you know that you should not give him cow’s milk again. If your cat tolerates the cow’s milk you can give him a little a little bit every now and then as a treat. It is not something you would want to give your cat every day.
If you want to give your cat milk on a regular basis you should buy special cat milk from a pet supply store. Nutritionally cats do not need milk because if they eat a food that is nutritionally complete they will get everything they need from their food. Milk contains a lot of calories so feeding your cat milk too much can cause obesity. Water has no calories so it is definitely the preferred drink over milk.