In the Netherlands we have a very nice children’s song about cat and regular milk, but it gives a distorted picture of reality. You better not give your cat regular milk.
“Poesje mauw, kom eens gauw
ik heb lekk’re melk voor jou.
En voor mij rijstebrij
o, wat heerlijk smullen wij.“
Why better not give milk?
Many cats cannot digest lactose (milk sugar). After birth, a kitten normally has enough enzymes to digest milk (lactase). This is because of the time the kitten drinks with the mother. However, at some point the lactase decreases and problems may arise.
What happens if you do give regular milk to a cat?
If you give milk to a cat, it can cause gastrointestinal problems. Not every cat is bothered by it, but if diarrhea occurs, for example, the milk may be the cause.
Alternative to regular milk
266/5000It is striking that a cat often finds milk particularly tasty. As an alternative / treat you can give your cat special cat milk. Incidentally, the lactose has been removed from this as much as possible, but it can still contain something! So give it in moderation.
Also know that a cat needs no milk at all. In principle, the cat needs enough (fresh) water to keep the moisture level in the body good.