Do Kitten Drink Milk

Although kittens can drink their mother s milk many cats lose the ability to process it after being weaned.

Do kitten drink milk. The only milk that is healthy for kittens to drink is either their mother s or they will need a kitten milk replacer which can also be called kmr or kitten milk formula. Can kittens drink milk. The aspca states that this milk provides all of a kitten s required nourishment. Kittens will drink their mother s milk for the first few weeks of life or a specially designed kitten formula milk if necessary.

They no longer need milk to survive. However they will be fully weaned by around 8 9 weeks of age. Water makes up 70 of a cat s body and is vital for survival. Young kittens need milk either from their mother or if orphaned rejected a milk supplement if a foster mother can t be found.

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. There are other varieties of milk. 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. Chances are you imagined a kitten drinking from a bowl of milk possibly with a bow around her neck.

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.