{"id":2994,"date":"2023-05-19T17:11:21","date_gmt":"2023-05-19T17:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloggingwithconnie.com\/?p=2994"},"modified":"2023-08-21T09:19:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T09:19:07","slug":"cats-drink-breast-milk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bloggingwithconnie.com\/hr\/cats-drink-breast-milk\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Cats Drink Breast Milk: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was scrolling a Facebook cat group the other day and met a post on a cat mum saying how she gave her kitten some breast milk when her kitten formula run out. Now, this captured my interest and I did some research to get some insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cats should not drink human breast milk. The milk is made specifically for human babies while kittens should get their milk from mama cats. Human breast milk also lacks the proper nutrients for kittens\u2019 proper growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should I Give My Kitten Human Milk?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Can
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Do not give your cat your breast milk. Although both humans and cats are mammals, their milk composition is different.  Human milk is not strong enough for kittens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like all primates, humans carry their babies around and feed them whenever they are hungry. However, cats (and any other animals that give birth in batches) do not have this privilege. So, what do they do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They produce milk that\u2019s higher in fat and protein concentration. This way, the kittens’ tummies remain full while the mama cat leaves the nest to go hunting for the next meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the table below for an idea of how human milk and cat milk are different:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/td>Human<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>Cat<\/mark><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Protein<\/td>0.8-0.9%<\/td>8.7%<\/td><\/tr>
Fat<\/td>3-5%<\/td>12.7%<\/td><\/tr>
Ash (minerals like Calcium, phosphorus etc)<\/td>0.2%<\/td>1.3%<\/td><\/tr>
Lactose<\/td>6.9-7.2%<\/td>4.2%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
(Multiply % by 100 to get the grams eg: 3% * 100 = 3g in 100 ml)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Sources pubmed article 1<\/a> and pubmed article 2<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Can<\/figure>
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Can cats drink baby formula<\/a>? Check out instances where it’s OK to give infant milk to cats.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Is Human Breast Milk Bad for Kittens?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately yes, human milk is bad for kittens. It is made up of a combination of different proteins, fats, and carbs that may overwhelm the kitten. Seeing the young ones still have developing systems, their bodies may not be strong enough to process human breast milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The lack of proper nutritional value will lead to malnutrition and a weakened immune system.<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So, even if you wake up and your kitten is right there sniffing your nursing bra, do not be tempted to give in and give them some breast milk. It\u2019s not good for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Is<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Health Risks When Cats Drink Human Breast Milk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Human breast milk has more lactose (7%) than a queen\u2019s milk (4.2%). Although kittens produce lactase (an enzyme that digests lactose), the high lactose levels may overwhelm them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kitten may end up experiencing;<\/p>\n\n\n\n