🐈 Cat

Cat is a small carnivorous domestic animal kept by people as a pet. The cat is a domestic carnivore that, like all mammals, feeds its young on milk. A cat has eight mammary glands, that is, four pairs. Lactation lasts 3–4 months, kittens are weaned at about 10 weeks, and a cat can become pregnant again while she is still nursing.

Cat's milk is more nourishing than cow's milk. According to a 2023 review, it contains 6–9 g of protein and 5–13 g of fat per 100 g and about 1,200 kcal per litre — almost twice as much as cow's milk (640 kcal). It has less lactose, though: about 40 g per litre. In the first days a cat produces colostrum rich in antibodies — on average 62 g of immunoglobulins per litre.

The image of a cat with a saucer of milk is persistent but misleading. Kittens digest lactose well, but after 4–7 weeks of life the activity of the enzyme lactase drops. So, as the British charity Cats Protection writes, most adult cats tolerate lactose poorly, and the most common sign is diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration. According to veterinary nutritionists, an adult cat can handle only about 1.3 g of lactose per kilogram of body weight without harm.

Why it matters to you. The best drink for an adult cat is water. If you want to give your cat a treat, there is special lactose-free “cat milk”, but it is a treat, not a need. Give an orphaned kitten a special cat milk replacer: cow's milk has too few calories and too little protein and fat for it.