Cats love to drink cow milk with a few exceptions. Cow milk is too fat for a feline and can cause your cat to have stomach problems or other gastrointestinal problems. This milk may be a cause of various health problems like weight increase and can lead to the development of diabetes because of its high sugar content.
Almond milk is safe to be offered to a cat to some extent, because it is healthier than cow milk, especially during the growing period.
It is known that the cat drinks water, breast milk, and milk substitute, but the milk should not be a source of hydration. Cats can drink almond or soy milk if there is a problem with cow milk consumption. These types of milk have a low-fat content. The lack of lactose is one of the significant aspects of milk, making it easily digestible. If your cat has an intolerance to lactose, you can offer it this type of milk. Therefore, almond or soy milk is the best alternative to avoid bloating or other stomach complications.
You might also like my articles on whether cats can eat chocolate cake, chicken liver, or corn.
What is almond milk?
The almond nuts ground in water will make almond milk. Because it is rich in protein but has low-fat content, this milk has fewer calories and so it is a much better option.
Can almond milk be lethal to a cat?
Not at all, but it does not mean that if the milk is not toxic, so it will be easily tolerated. Tolerance and poisoning are different terms. As I mentioned earlier, it may cause gastrointestinal problems. As a pet owner, you should be careful while giving this type of milk to your cat.
Is almond milk safe to drink for a newborn kitten?
A kitten’s diet should always be based on maternal milk, but you can still offer a sip or two, from time to time, of almond milk. Always pay attention to the side effect and of course, get advice from your current veterinarian before your kitten eats this type of milk.
Why is my cat obsessed with almond milk?
Cats really like almond milk, but they will develop some bloating symptoms and disturbed stomach symptoms if they are sensitive to it.
If your cat licks a small amount of milk, you should not panic. You should look for a reaction after around one hour. If don’t notice anything strange, their body must be immune to it.
As a pet owner, you need to know what amount is appropriate for a cat’s health. It would help if you did not give it a bowl of milk, which will eventually lead to digestive discomfort. You also need to know which human food is good for the health of the feline.
Can my cat have almond milk if she’s lactose intolerant?
Like human infants, some cats are intolerant to lactose, too. Therefore, they cannot digest lactose, leading to diarrhea. For a kitten, milk is not necessary, except for maternal milk which has some essential vitamins and nutrients.
In movies, as you have surely seen, cats eat milk. This means that most cats from movies can tolerate cow’s milk. This idea should not be reproduced as such, as it may cause complications for cats. Kittens can drink cow milk because they have lactose enzymes to digest lactose. But as they age, the enzyme production will decrease or is completely lost, which makes the felines intolerable to cow milk.
The good thing is that almond milk does not contain lactose. Its main ingredient is almond. The derivation of milk from sources such as almonds is much more natural than the derivation of milk from an animal. In general, animals do not drink each other’s milk and cats are no exception. Almond milk consumption is healthier for cats and is better for their digestive system.
Advantages of almond milk
- Almond milk is free from lactose.
- Almond milk is quite natural compared to ordinary milk.
- Almond milk consumption is healthier for the digestive system of the cat and for the body as a whole.
- Animals do not drink each other’s milk and cats fall into the same category.
Disadvantages of almond milk
Some veterinarians do not recommend almond milk as a source of milk. It’s because some of the felines are sensitive to it. To check their reaction give them just a little before milk giving them a full bowl. If they can’t tolerate it, they can develop minor stomach problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
Nut allergies are common and vary from person to person and the same happens to animals. Because the almond is a nut, it may cause some reactions in cats.
Almond milk can cause obesity and dental problems
What should I feed my cat instead?
There are many non-dairy substitutes available on the market today, such as plant-based drinks. Almond milk and other lactose-free plant-based milk substitutes such as coconut, soy, oats, and rice have fewer calories and fats than ordinary cow milk, according to the American Dairy Association. Always read the labels carefully and avoid products that include artificial sweeteners, flavorings, or preservatives among other ingredients.
Lactose-free cow milk is made from cow milk that does not include lactose. If your cat suffers from intolerance to lactose or has a milk allergy, it is an excellent substitute for milk.
If you are looking for an alternative to lactose-free milk, then cow milk, goat milk, sheep milk, or other animal milk may be a good option. It is possible to find lactose in these alternatives, although in considerably lower concentrations than in cow milk. If you are looking for milk that has a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, choose organic cow milk, which contains 62% more omega-3 fatty acids than ordinary milk.
What benefits can cats get from drinking almond milk?
It provides an excellent nutritional value to cats, but with exceptions.
It is lactose-free and gluten-free, therefore better and safer than cow milk.
It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fats, therefore healthy for cats. But it can cause cardiovascular disease.
Some cat experts debate the nutritional value of almond milk, but others say that this type of milk should be administered only as an occasional treat rather than a part of their daily diet.
If your cat begs you for a sip of almond milk, do not hesitate to give it some as treat. Almond milk does not necessarily give your cat unique health benefits. The cat can get everything it needs from its normal food, whether it’s dry cat food, wet cat food, or even a mixture of the two. Almond milk does not contain toxic ingredients, and most cats can tolerate almonds without problems. So, a little bit of almond milk, from time to time, won’t hurt your cat.
