Trim milk is only fit for pigs in my opinion. In my childhood the farm dogs and the cat all got high fat test whole milk from Jersey cows in addition to their regular feeding and did well on it. I'd do the same today if I still had a cat.
I think it was all a big marketing ploy to get you to buy the very expensive "proper" pet milk that was introduced about the same time.
Our cats have water available at all times and get a small drink of milk in the morning, if they want it. Only reason its not ad lib is we have one cat who is a guts [}] and would drink it all, no matter how much was there.
It is because, once a kitten is weaned off milk, and supposing it doesn't have it for a long time, the gut no longer tolerates the lactic acid and it can lead to terrible enteritis.
If a cat is used to milk, all the time, has it regularly as farm cats tend to , there doesn't seem to be such a problem, and they can cope with it.
It's nothing to do with marketing lactose free pet milk. Small occasional amounts will not hurt an adult cat.
Water is important due to the fact that many people feed their cats exclusively on dry food.
Did you know, that what you thought I said, was not what I meant :S
Both breeders of my 2 Ragdoll kittens (1 being a vet) both breed and bring up their kittens on water and no milk apart from their mums before they are weaned.
I havent given them milk and they are thriving. Our older 2 had milk as kittens though.
One of my cats gets the runs on cow milk so I dont often feed it, they dont like it much anyway, they like the expensive for cats stuff tho, so they get it for treats occasionly. I'm throwing cow milk away at the moment. Even after the dog has his fill. I am feeding a two week old lamb who was abandoned so the milk is a godsend. Bloody sheep! Never liked them, but rescued them from neighbours when they left the country. They were to be shorn last Thursday........... Great day for the shearer to pick.
witheze;351003 wrote: One of my cats gets the runs on cow milk so I dont often feed it, they dont like it much anyway, they like the expensive for cats stuff tho, so they get it for treats occasionly. I'm throwing cow milk away at the moment. Even after the dog has his fill. I am feeding a two week old lamb who was abandoned so the milk is a godsend. Bloody sheep! Never liked them, but rescued them from neighbours when they left the country. They were to be shorn last Thursday........... Great day for the shearer to pick.
Let it curdle and feed it to your chooks if you have any. Or learn to make cheese
Did you know, that what you thought I said, was not what I meant :S
This question arose because we have just adopted a 13 year old cat from a animal protection group and she does not seem to like fresh water (but likes to drink out of the gold fish pond!!!) however she loves milk and possibly being in her twilight years I'm happy to provide this as I assume she would have the constitution to cope. The adoption came about because the poor old girl went off little kids and she had developed a bit of cattitude.
SORRY, goats milk is not available. []
Now sold block, of no fixed abode, building new house. Darling wife has passed 1 year ago.
As stated above, an animal (even a human) becomes intolerant to lactose /milk sugar if it is not provided regularly enough for the part of the digestion system to make the enzyme (called "lactase") that breaks lactose into its parts.
We have a 20 year old Persian that spews and poos if she has milk, but Mr Tigglesworth (he allows his friends to call him "Mister" .....) is about 12 yo, has always had milk, and has no problem with it.
Try your cat, and if you don't have spew and poo problems then I would think that the milk will be very good for her.
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we have always done it and still do 
Even after the dog has his fill. I am feeding a two week old lamb who was abandoned so the milk is a godsend. 
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