Do Kittens Drink Milk

This is why it is important to avoid feeding cow milk to kittens.

Do kittens drink milk. Kittens lack the proper enzymes to digest the lactose in cow milk and feeding cow milk to kittens can cause diarrhea and dehydration very quickly in very small kittens. However they will be fully weaned by around 8 9 weeks of age. Although kittens can drink their mother s milk many cats lose the ability to process it after being weaned. If unfortunately you are in the care of a kitten that has been orphaned we do not recommend giving it cow s milk.

It is vital for newborn kittens to begin drinking milk soon after birth in the span of 24 hours at the latest. During the first several days after giving birth mother cats give off colostrum which is a watery and yellowish substance that is full of maternal antibodies proteins and minerals. Water makes up 70 of a cat s body and is vital for survival. The aspca states that this milk provides all of a kitten s required nourishment.

Newborn kittens should ideally feed through their mother s breast milk. This varies however and some cats can digest milk sugar into adulthood and maybe for life. Up until kitties reach approximately 1 month in age anything other than their mother s milk is totally unnecessary. This food is fundamental for them since it will transmit maternal immunity against the main infectious pathogens.

Can kittens drink milk. Milk is only needed by a kitten during the nursing phase and even then mother s protein and fat rich milk eventually sees the suckling babe yield to the obligate carnivore. If we have adopted a kitten of lactation age or their mother rejects them we must bottle feed them every two hours with special cat milk. No other sustenance not even water is yet required.

According to purina senior nutritionist jan dempsey cats generally lose their ability to digest the sugar found in milk after weaning because solid food takes its place and they no longer need this ability. This applies only to mom s milk though as cow s milk can often lead to tummy distress and diarrhea troubles in kittens so be careful and keep it away from them. Since cats don t have the enzyme necessary for digesting lactose drinking milk can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as an upset stomach diarrhea vomiting loss of appetite and weight. The first food that a kitten takes as soon as they are born is their mother s milk.